Corporate responsibility for childhood obesity

Corporate Responsibility for Childhood Obesity On “ Don’t blame the eater”, Zinczenko is using an illustration of himself while blaming fast food joints. According to him, food companies ought to be sued because they are the main reason behind the increase of obesity cases in the US(Zinczenko). He contends that he himself was once obese thus totally agrees childrens decision to sue fast food lines for making them fat. This is because fast food companies never state the exact amount of calories in their products. In “ Calories for sale”, Linn and Novosat also blame fast food joints for the rise in the number of obese children in US. Unlike Zinczenko, Linn and Novosat deem the main reason for rise in children obesity is due ro fast food firms spending millions of dollars on product marketing but little consideration of their customers’ health. These companies normally target children because they are their main clients (Linn & Novosat 133 Apart from comparing the two articles, the essay will also state both their central and supporting arguments.
Zinczenko says the reason he grew fat was because of his lunch and dinner always, which came from food shops such as McDonalds, Pizza hut or Taco bell. He says that this has never changed and in fact the stores have doubled (Zinczenko). He further says child obesity is the main contributor of the large amount of money being spent on diabetes treatment. According to him, lack of alternatives is the reason behind increased child obesity (Zinczenko). He states that while driving through America, one will spot thousands of McDonald’s stores but hardly will he see fruit stores or other alternatives where one can get dirrent and health food. Apart from lack of alternatives, Zinczenko also identifies lack of proper information about the food being consumed as another cause of children obesity(Zinczenko). He says that unlike grocery stores which include information charts on their packages, fast food stores hardly offer calory information charts neither do they have health warning labels. Based on his argument, child obesity can be controlled if fast food companies minimize the level of calories and sugar in their products. These companies should also consider their customer’s safety by providing nutrition information charts for makes people be in a position to make more informed decisions.
Another reason behind children obesity is because food companies are ever using various techniques to lure children into purchasing their products which are full of calories and little nutritional benefits (Linn & Novosat 134). Linn and Novosat go claim these companies use various means to attract children. They use kids’ celebrated TV shows market their products (Linn & Novosat 134). For example, Shrek the Third, which is an animated film released in 2007 whereby firms such as Mcdonald’s and Kellog’s signed agreements for some of the main characters in quest of adorning their brands. Immediately after its release, there was an increase in snacks’ sales which appeared in the film. Just like Shrek, Spongebob Square pants, a television program loved by children resulted to a massive sell of cheese amd macaroni.
Apart from television programmes, food stores also take their marketing strategies to schools where they are sure of attracting a much larger potential clientele. This is achieved through signing exlcusive contracts with schools in order to supply them with beverages or writing materials bearing these firms’ brand. For example, many schools in the US have signed contracts with both Coke and Pepsi firms, which grants them permission to sell their beverages in schools (Linn and Novosat 143). The companies also go to the extent of installing vending machines in schools besides some collaborating with schools to establish incetive programs (Linn and Novosat 142). For example, the Pizza Hut program where students are prized with free pizzas if they manage to read well a certain number of texts (Linn and Novosat 143). Linn and Novosat finally claim that a child obesity can only be controlled if the US government discourages relaying snacks’ information through television programmes, movies and computer games (Linn and Novosat 150). The advertising and selling of unwholesome foodstuffs ought not extend to schools whereby the clientele cannot reach to informed verdicts concerning what is fit for them.
Lisa and Nosovats’s research is the most effective besides being supported with adequate scholarly content. This is due to its content which is valid besides the researcher having presented varied arguments well, which is by supporting them as necessitated. Apart from saying the main causes of child obesity, it also gave more examples of the various methods used by fast food companies to sell their products to children, such as through television programmes, school marketing and incentive programs. The essay also gave more ideas on some of the strategies that ought to be enacted in order to curb child obesity.
Work Cited
Susan Linn & Nosovat, Courtney L., “ Calories for Sale: Food Marketing to Children in the Twenty-First Century”. Overweight and Obesity in Americas Children: Causes, Consequences, Solutions ( 2008): 133-155.
Zinczenko, David.“ Dont Blame the Eater”. nytimes. com, 23rd November 2002. Web. 27th February 2014.