After reading just the introduction to Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, I have some thoughts about who is really at fault for America's obesity problem.
We are. We, the consumers, who buy food and put it in our own mouths, are at fault. The food giants are responsible to honestly tell us what is in their products and to produce those products safely, but the consumer is responsible for deciding how much of that product to purchase and consume.
However, I am lucky enough to have been raised in a financially comfortable, moderately health-conscious, highly educated family. The real ethical question comes with acknowledging those who struggle financially. I cannot imagine how that might restrict one's food options. Are the food giants responsible for the health of the poor and uneducated, who cannot afford better or don't know any better?
I do not think that the food giants are responsible because all someone needs to do to learn about what is in their food is go to a public library and read or look up on the internet what they're eating. I think it's more of a convenience issue than an economic class issue. Also, I have found farmer's markets incredibly cheap and affordable in comparison to supermarkets but there again most people don't want to take the time to find the nearest farmer's market.
ReplyDeleteSpend a day in central Philly or Chicago or LA, if you make it out alive (doubt I would) you'll have a better appreciation of life in a food dessert, the inaccessibility of education, and the daily struggle for survival (over 500 murders in Chicago last year alone). Convenience food could be a way to survive another day if it keeps you from having to go outside. It's a complex puzzle that defies simplified explanations.
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