Comparing Views: Reasons behind the Obesity Problem 
Nichole Wojtowicz Wojtowicz 1
College Writing I
Mrs. Zewe
20 October, 2010 Obesity: To Be or Not To Be? One of the most controversial debates of this generation is on who is the blame for the obesity epidemic. More specifically, who is responsible for obesity: the individual who is obese or the government and fast food corporations? In Radley Balko's essay " What You Eat Is Your Business" and in David Zinczenko's essay "Don't Blame the Eater," the main ideas that are presented both reflect upon obesity and personal responsibility. The main point that Balko wants to get across in his essay is that obesity has become part of "public health" which has forced us to pay for the health problems associated with the obese. Whereas the main point that Zinczenko wants to address is that the government has not tried to help the problems related to the convenience of fast food restaurants and the lack of nutritional information for kids, which he sees as the main reason for obesity. Balko's and Zinczenko's essays have few major comparisons and many significant differences. Their biggest likeness in their arguments is that their is definitely a personal responsibility associated with obesity and that the government plays a role in society's unhealthy eating choices. Balko believes that people should hold all the personal responsibility for what they eat and the role it plays in their health, instead of people having to pay for the consequences of others' bad choices. Whereas, Zinczenko thinks the fault doesn't lie only within the obese person, but lies within the convenience of fast-food restaurants and the lack of education about unhealthy eating. As a whole, Balko and Zinczenko have opposing views on the obesity problem, but they do have two major comparisons. The main point of comparison would be the idea that they both believe the government plays a negative role in the obesity epidemic, specifically because the government lacks personal responsibility for
College Writing I
Mrs. Zewe
20 October, 2010 Obesity: To Be or Not To Be? One of the most controversial debates of this generation is on who is the blame for the obesity epidemic. More specifically, who is responsible for obesity: the individual who is obese or the government and fast food corporations? In Radley Balko's essay " What You Eat Is Your Business" and in David Zinczenko's essay "Don't Blame the Eater," the main ideas that are presented both reflect upon obesity and personal responsibility. The main point that Balko wants to get across in his essay is that obesity has become part of "public health" which has forced us to pay for the health problems associated with the obese. Whereas the main point that Zinczenko wants to address is that the government has not tried to help the problems related to the convenience of fast food restaurants and the lack of nutritional information for kids, which he sees as the main reason for obesity. Balko's and Zinczenko's essays have few major comparisons and many significant differences. Their biggest likeness in their arguments is that their is definitely a personal responsibility associated with obesity and that the government plays a role in society's unhealthy eating choices. Balko believes that people should hold all the personal responsibility for what they eat and the role it plays in their health, instead of people having to pay for the consequences of others' bad choices. Whereas, Zinczenko thinks the fault doesn't lie only within the obese person, but lies within the convenience of fast-food restaurants and the lack of education about unhealthy eating. As a whole, Balko and Zinczenko have opposing views on the obesity problem, but they do have two major comparisons. The main point of comparison would be the idea that they both believe the government plays a negative role in the obesity epidemic, specifically because the government lacks personal responsibility for
Cited: Balko, Radley. "What You Eat Is Your Business." They Say/ I Say. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russal Durst. New York: Norton, 2009. 157-61. Print. Zinczenko, David. "Don 't Blame the Eater." They Say/ I Say. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russal Durst. New York: Norton, 2009. 153-55. Print.