CEO of a Fast Food Company
The fast food industry is not solely responsible for the increase of childhood obesity in America. It is the responsibility of parents to monitor what and how much their children eat. If parents allow their children to eat unhealthy food for every meal it is their fault if their child becomes obese. The fast food industry is not forcing children to eat it, but rather parents and guardians are allowing their children to. Parents of severely obese children who have no underlying or pre-existing medical condition are neglecting the child’s health. These parents are enabling unhealthy eating or disregarding the child’s need for any food with nutritional value. Also, fast food is not intended to be eaten for every meal. Therefore, children should be given a variety of meals and meal choices, including home cooked meals. If a parent is not there to monitor a child’s eating habits or teach him/her what to eat the fast food industry cannot be blamed for what is the parent’s responsibility.
Parents must be willing to change bad habits and enforce a healthy living environment for their children. Decreasing childhood obesity is only possible if parents are willing to put in the time and effort to educate their children about health and provide them with healthy food to eat. Importantly, fast food companies have been working to provide more healthful options and also provide detailed descriptions of the content of the food. Since this information is available parents can not plead ignorance. Besides advocating healthy eating, parents are responsible for ensuring their children are physically active. Many times this involves parents taking time out of their day to play with their children outside or take them and watch them at a park or gymnasium. If parents are too focused on their own priorities then children will get minimal physical activity, which is a leading cause of obesity. Additionally, parents may claim that food marketing is to blame, but fast food companies have the legal right to advertise their products. The first amendment covers the protection of commercial speech, so it is not the fast food industry's responsibility not to advertise. Rather it is parents' job to limit their child's media use and to educate him/her on being healthy. Overall, it is parents’ responsibility to foster a healthy environment for their children.
Parents must be willing to change bad habits and enforce a healthy living environment for their children. Decreasing childhood obesity is only possible if parents are willing to put in the time and effort to educate their children about health and provide them with healthy food to eat. Importantly, fast food companies have been working to provide more healthful options and also provide detailed descriptions of the content of the food. Since this information is available parents can not plead ignorance. Besides advocating healthy eating, parents are responsible for ensuring their children are physically active. Many times this involves parents taking time out of their day to play with their children outside or take them and watch them at a park or gymnasium. If parents are too focused on their own priorities then children will get minimal physical activity, which is a leading cause of obesity. Additionally, parents may claim that food marketing is to blame, but fast food companies have the legal right to advertise their products. The first amendment covers the protection of commercial speech, so it is not the fast food industry's responsibility not to advertise. Rather it is parents' job to limit their child's media use and to educate him/her on being healthy. Overall, it is parents’ responsibility to foster a healthy environment for their children.