Summary Of What You Eat Is Your Business

Obesity is a rapidly growing issue that affects a majority of the world’s population. With such a large number of people affected, the issue has quickly caught the attention of magazines, new stations, and social media. Two authors have acknowledged the problem and suggested solutions in their contrasting essays, “Don’t Blame the Eater” and “What You Eat Is Your Business”. In “What You Eat Is Your Business”, Radley Balko states his position that what you put into your body is your concern and therefore should be less of a public concern. He believes that “We’ll all make better choices about diet, exercise, and personal health when someone else isn’t paying for the consequences of those choices” (Balko 469). This statement reveals Balko’s overall purpose of getting people to take responsibility for their own well-being rather than forcing
He provides his readers with the numerous ways that fast-food companies are holding back information and misleading their consumers, along with the fact that there are little to no healthy alternatives that are as convenient as fast-food restaurants. Zinczenko tells his readers to “Drive down any thoroughfare in America and I guarantee you’ll see one of our country’s more than 13,00 McDonald’s restaurants. Now, drive back up the same block and try to find someplace to buy a grapefruit” (463). It is made obvious by his wording that he wants to provide consumers with information about what they are eating and make them aware of the fact that prepared foods are not covered under the Food and Drug Administration labeling laws, therefore there are no warning labels on the advertisements for fast-food and no nutrition labels on their foods. Zinczenko also wants more people to be aware of the fact that before 1994, diabetes in children were commonly caused by a genetic disorder with only 5% being obesity related and today, that number has grown to