Skylar Ewing
English 102
Summary/Response Essay
February 13, 2017
Take Responsibility
Approximately 69 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. This number has continuously increased over the past nine years. In 2008, only 25 percent of Americans were overweight or obese. Factors that may have caused this increase in obesity in America are fast food restaurants and government involvement. In the article “What You Eat is Your Business,” author Radley Balko discusses his concern about obesity in American. I agree with Balko when he states obesity is a growing concern in the United States, Americans must take full responsibility for their faults, and the government is incorrectly approaching the situation.
In the article, Balko discusses his opinions on obesity in America. He believes the increase in obesity is due to the government and the Americans. Balko writes, “We’re becoming less responsible for our own healthy lifestyle and more responsible for everyone else’s” (Balko 396). He wants Americans to take responsibility of their weight problems and all health issues. Balko believes the government should take a different course of action to solve the continuous increase in obesity. Although he wants the government to act, Balko is a firm believer that obesity should not be a public issue but that it should be privately handled. In short, Balko wants Americans to take the responsibility, themselves, to help with the increase in obesity and our overweight population.
Balko complains that there is an alarming increase in the number of obese Americans. He says, “Your well-being, shape, and condition have increasingly been deemed matters of “public health,” instead of matters of personal responsibility” (Balko 396 ). He writes this to emphasize that fact that individuals no longer have to worry about their weight, because the public seems to worry enough about it. I agree that once individuals stop worrying about their weight, more American’s will become obese. I believe this happens because they do not have to face the consequences of their actions. Balko gives the example of having high cholesterol but not changing one's bad habits because the government helps pay for their medication. This example he gives show how a personal issue became a government issue and, therefore, a public issue.
With the increase in obesity, Balko argues that obesity needs to become more of a personal issue rather than a public issue. He suggests, “The best way to alleviate the obesity “public health” crisis is to remove obesity from the realm of public health” (Balko 397). He goes on to say that forcing the public to deal with obesity is only causing more issues. I agree with Balko on this crisis. I believe individuals need to take responsibility of their actions. When people choose not to eat healthy or not to get their daily exercise they are creating a problem that can severely hurt their health. Eventually, when individuals do not take action the government gets involved. However, getting the government involved is not always the best for Americans.
The government has been fighting obesity for decades, but according to Balko, the government is approaching the situation incorrectly. He asserts, “Instead of manipulating or intervening in the array of food options available to American consumers, our government ought to be working to foster the sense of responsibility in and ownership of our own health and well being” (Balko 396). Balko correctly describes how the government is dealing with the issue in an improper way. The government is not encouraging change, but rather pushing the issue aside. Balko gives helpful suggestions on how the government could help fight obesity in America more productively.
In conclusion, Radley Balko argues that obesity is a growing concern in the United States, Americans must take full responsibility for their faults, and the government is incorrectly approaching the situation, in the article, “What You Eat is Your Business,” and I agree with him. In the article, Balko suggests that there are too many individuals who do not take care of their personal health. According to Balko growth in obesity in America has led to a public crisis. I support Balko when he says the government could be taking other actions to help stop obesity. With the number of American people who are obese continuing to grow individuals need to take action.
Works Cited
Balko, Radley. "What You Eat is Your Business." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 179-189. Print
English 102
Summary/Response Essay
February 13, 2017
Take Responsibility
Approximately 69 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. This number has continuously increased over the past nine years. In 2008, only 25 percent of Americans were overweight or obese. Factors that may have caused this increase in obesity in America are fast food restaurants and government involvement. In the article “What You Eat is Your Business,” author Radley Balko discusses his concern about obesity in American. I agree with Balko when he states obesity is a growing concern in the United States, Americans must take full responsibility for their faults, and the government is incorrectly approaching the situation.
In the article, Balko discusses his opinions on obesity in America. He believes the increase in obesity is due to the government and the Americans. Balko writes, “We’re becoming less responsible for our own healthy lifestyle and more responsible for everyone else’s” (Balko 396). He wants Americans to take responsibility of their weight problems and all health issues. Balko believes the government should take a different course of action to solve the continuous increase in obesity. Although he wants the government to act, Balko is a firm believer that obesity should not be a public issue but that it should be privately handled. In short, Balko wants Americans to take the responsibility, themselves, to help with the increase in obesity and our overweight population.
Balko complains that there is an alarming increase in the number of obese Americans. He says, “Your well-being, shape, and condition have increasingly been deemed matters of “public health,” instead of matters of personal responsibility” (Balko 396 ). He writes this to emphasize that fact that individuals no longer have to worry about their weight, because the public seems to worry enough about it. I agree that once individuals stop worrying about their weight, more American’s will become obese. I believe this happens because they do not have to face the consequences of their actions. Balko gives the example of having high cholesterol but not changing one's bad habits because the government helps pay for their medication. This example he gives show how a personal issue became a government issue and, therefore, a public issue.
With the increase in obesity, Balko argues that obesity needs to become more of a personal issue rather than a public issue. He suggests, “The best way to alleviate the obesity “public health” crisis is to remove obesity from the realm of public health” (Balko 397). He goes on to say that forcing the public to deal with obesity is only causing more issues. I agree with Balko on this crisis. I believe individuals need to take responsibility of their actions. When people choose not to eat healthy or not to get their daily exercise they are creating a problem that can severely hurt their health. Eventually, when individuals do not take action the government gets involved. However, getting the government involved is not always the best for Americans.
The government has been fighting obesity for decades, but according to Balko, the government is approaching the situation incorrectly. He asserts, “Instead of manipulating or intervening in the array of food options available to American consumers, our government ought to be working to foster the sense of responsibility in and ownership of our own health and well being” (Balko 396). Balko correctly describes how the government is dealing with the issue in an improper way. The government is not encouraging change, but rather pushing the issue aside. Balko gives helpful suggestions on how the government could help fight obesity in America more productively.
In conclusion, Radley Balko argues that obesity is a growing concern in the United States, Americans must take full responsibility for their faults, and the government is incorrectly approaching the situation, in the article, “What You Eat is Your Business,” and I agree with him. In the article, Balko suggests that there are too many individuals who do not take care of their personal health. According to Balko growth in obesity in America has led to a public crisis. I support Balko when he says the government could be taking other actions to help stop obesity. With the number of American people who are obese continuing to grow individuals need to take action.
Works Cited
Balko, Radley. "What You Eat is Your Business." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 179-189. Print