The Impact of the Fast Food Module

After visiting different sources and even observing the recent debate on government versus personal control over fast food, It is only right that after all the insight, we would have formulated an opinion. Especially if we recall that as a class, we’ve recently discussed the flip sides that exist when debating fast food and its detriment. There is no question that fast food in itself is extremely harmful to the populations health, which is why we allocate so much time and effort into further acknowledging how it affects the consumers.

 The debate conducted in Critical Reading, Writing and Speaking,  highlighted that there can be many opinions that revolve around this topic thus making it easy to debate. Many things we covered were likely discussed in the students previous years, so what made this module any different? In retrospect, one may believe that since they understand the impact then, they understand the concept completely but that resulted to be incorrect. Once the documentary Fast Food Baby was introduced, the concept seemed to be much more personal. Observing others peoples choices and personal decisions based on their diet made it clear that this was not a culmination of occasional unhealthy eating based on the nation but a repetitive behavior that affected people individually. They became fully dependent on fast food and relied outside eatery, thus showing that the statistics were highly relatable to those with redundant behaviors. It is not just a choice but it is something that can lead people to extremes based on their diet which is why it has the comparison of tobacco.

This module not only highlighted it as something personal but it also allowed the students to explore the idea of there being a national responsibility. The topic of government intervention was brought in, would it be necessary to have this be even If it is a topic impacts peoples personal decisions. There are many arguments that justify the excessive use of fast foods, which include the time, the convenience and the cost. As beneficial as these factors are to the consumer, they are not valid in a sense that validates putting a family at risk of diseases. Now, with the access to quick recipes and healthy food delivery that can be found online, these arguments are not valid anymore.

During the debate, students did argue this and it did allow for more perspective on the topic. As for the formulated opinion, due to both sides stating information for the most part, I decided to look at the benefits from both ends. I concluded that this matter is of concern to the government and the consumer as a personal choice. The Government can place all the resources and information out for the public but it also has to come from the consumers side to take initiative and start to utilize those resources and change their meal plans.

The Is Fast Food The New Tobacco? Module was very useful in the sense that it made it a personal matter and reflected it onto the students, where they were allowed to experience the hard truth of eating unhealthily in a home that included people just like them and allowed me to conclude that this issue should include effort from both parties.