Do large food companies deserve some blame for obesity?

this is a very controversial subject, in my opinion they should. While they do not hold a gun to your head and make you eat it, the capitalistic lifestyle we are brought up on gives companies the right to spend billions of dollars on advertising, build fast food stores(there are 3 McD's on one road in my town, 5 all together). Before the past couple of years there was no nutritional value on the packages, only McD's has them now. I can never find nutritional brochures in other FF stores. Their food is hardly food, just chemical and antibiotics for flavoring. Over eating this food can cause death. People are not educated when it comes to food, fast food comapnies know this, that is why there never was nutitional fact on the label.
Self control does take into effect but FF can be addicting.
fast food/Smoking
fine in moderation
addicting
causes disease/death
no health facts on label
-Smoking does harm others, FF does not
should there be commercials warning people about fastfood

Thank you for the responses,i understand how it is the persons fault, i am not denying that, but i do think FF companies should have some blame. People know smoking is deadly from commercials, through out school, it is pushed in our brain, it is our choice to do it or not. But FF markets to children, they have cut-throat marketing, you do not see commercials saying this is bad, you see that is it good, through out school you never hear fast food is bad and gym is being taken out of schools(or limited to one hour a week) There is no food nutrition class, health class hardly discussed the food we ate. Im not just picking on fast food, but all packaged, cheaply made, high profit foods that make up 90% of our stores, i know self control is a part but jesus even food labeled healthy and in packages are not healthy. Fast food can make their food healthy and sell it, but they won't make as much money by the way its made. Corporations are ruthless, they provide a product, but it is everywhere

I agree with you that fast food companies need to accept more responsibility!!...
they are greedy and dont care about nutrition at all.....
yes you and I have a choice but not much of one......when the balance of power is the $$ sign.......thats used in advertising....including magazines and billboards....they have done a good brainwashing job even 2/3 three olds sing the lil jingles so by the time those babies are 7yrs old they have had years of constant messages all saying the same happy lil tune....buy buy buy me.....im lovin it....grrrrr
the big fat cats make me mad........

No, they dont make you eat there food its up to you sorry

I believe we are all intelligent enough to make our own decisions. Some of those decisions include eating at fast food places that provide their calorie and fat charts on their foods. If we dont like how fattening these places are, we can choose not to eat there.

Companies are not at fault for people not having self control. Our society is quick to find a scapegoat to ensure we feel better about ourselves and can dismiss responsibility. As you said, no one did hold a gun to your head. Regardless of what you see and hear on a daily basis, you have the choice to eat or not eat. You have the choice to learn more about what you want to eat. The info is out there and it is free.

I think yes. I haven't eaten at McDonalds (except for a few iced coffees LOL) in years. McD's probably is the most blame, because they have the greasiest food. Yes, it's "yummy" but not "yummy" for your body and health. Sorry for taking so long.

I believe they are partially responsible, like cigarettes they should know lable the nutritional facts per serving; then consumers will decide if they want to continue eating fast food or dump them for a healthier meal

I disagree, I don't see how they can be held responsible, after all we chose to eat there, we could go anywhere, or we could stay home and cook something healthy, their objective is to give you a choice--nothing wrong with having the choice--
Sometimes it's great to be able to drive thru and get a dinner for everyone on a busy nite.
Their not expecting us to eat it every nite, or so often that it makes us sick.

No lazy fat people are to blame. If you can not take 30 to 60 mins out of your day to work out its on you. You know what you are eating and you know its not good it up to you to change and stop not the Fast food places to make you lose weight. It your body you responsibility. Not you the asker but you the fat people. also being uneducated is not an excuse it every where the talk of obesity on TV to billboard, and magazines and news papers.
Its laziness pure and simple.

People should be responsible for their own actions. Businesses and companies are just following the American Dream of owning and operating a business. If they prosper because Americans induldge, it should not be their fault. That really just means that they are running a good business. Consumers have the right to say "NO" and thus, hurt the company that way. But not in a legal way.

first of all, you have to ask for the nutritional info that they have, usually behind the counter. true they don't have nutritional values on the food, but how many times do you actually read them package contents of the foods that you buy? just stop eating fast food if you know tha it's bad for you.

Fast food is a big factor when it comes to the obesity problem. Fast food places make it as easy, cheap, and convenient as they possibly can. I think the dollar menus target the lower income population. The healthier options are more expensive, so they eat what they can afford. ..It is a factor but ultimately it is the consumer's choice. I do not agree with the law suits from people who blame the weight on Fast food places. People need to be accountable for them selves. All we can do is to ask for more restrictions, such as calorie/fat count, fewer locations, and more healthier choices.

Fast food companies go for cheap and bulk--they target the young people, the busy people, the people with lower incomes, etc...

Should they be blamed for obesity? Personally, I don't think so.

Fast food companies have been around for a long time, yet obesity is a fairly new issue this country is dealing with. The fast food companies are there to provide you with convenience, but you are not being forced to eat there. It is YOUR choice to eat there...or to feed your kids their food on a daily basis.

Young kids have their parents to blame more than fast food companies for obesity. Why? Because parents do not really "parent" anymore in this day and age--they go for the quick and let others do what they should be doing for their own kids. I am 28 years old and growing up, my parents hardly took us out to eat fast food--we had home-cooked meals. Parents today don't really try as much anymore.

As for adults, you have a choice. You are well-informed enough to make a concious and healthy choice, but many choose not too. Obesity cannot necessarily be blamed on the environment around you...a lot of that is about self-control and discipline. Yes--the fast food is around you, but no one forced you to eat it.

Everyone needs a scapegoat and this is it.

No, because they're NOT forcing their food down your throat.

True, their food may be very convenient, but that doesn't make it mandatory for you to buy it and eat it. I rarely eat at fast food restaurants. I make my own meals, and I'm much happier and healthier, and have more sexual stamina because of it.

Healthy food is the best "Viagra" their is. I don't know what the hoopla over Viagra is anyway. It doesn't work, and it's the biggest farce. All it does is give you a splitting headache and an upset stomach, damage your organs, and drain your wallet.

And I beg to differ. Fast food is not addicting. I think most of it is disgusting. My roommate offered me a sirloin burger from Jack In The Box today and I said yes. Never again. I swear I could taste the chemicals in the burger....Nasty @$$ stuff.

Smoking is not addicting either. Smoking is addicting to some people, not all. There are plenty of people who have tried smoking and have had the same reaction that I have, ewww...yuck...

The reason why there aren't any commercials or labels warning people about the dangers of fast food is because the food industry has powerful lobbyists that keep this from being law. They'll stop at no expense to keep people from knowing the truth. And the "whores" that work in our government (U.S.A.) are more than willing to accept their monetary bribes in order to profit at the expense of your health.

Whose fault is it that people aren't educated about food? There is plenty of information out there. People are just lazy and stubborn and want eat what they want to eat. They don't want to hear anything that might suggest that their food is unhealthy, because they like the taste of it, they want to eat it....period. Also many people don't see food as medicine, which it indeed is. It's nature's medicine and nutrition, when it's natural and not pumped up with god knows what kind of chemicals and tainted ingredients.

What's really sad is that parents bring their children up on this junk, and because of it they suffer behavior problems and don't do as well in school, in turn making the U.S.A. a dumber nation than it has to be. Food like drugs, affects behavior, mood, intelligence, sexual vigor, growth and development, appearance, etc..

Last and not least, I'll never understand why most people's eating habits get stuck in their unhealthy ways of eating when they were children. When I became an adult I got much wiser about food and took action.

I'm sorry but if there has to be commercials warning people about fast food health risks (which I agree are high), then there should be commercials about the risks of going bankrupt to go along with the capital one and visa commercials. Where does it end?? We all have to take responsibilty for our actions, we're adults and we need to take care of ourselves and our children. This generation just wants to pass the blame elsewhere and not accept it themselves. (I'm 43)

Businesses are in business for one reason, to make money. Fast food places offer a product that people want and are willing to pay for. If people did not buy what they were selling, they would not make a profit and would go out of business!!

People have to take responsibility for their own actions. We make choices every day! We spend our hard earned money based on our wants, needs and desires. If i choose to eat at a fast food restaurant, it is my choice! I can choose to eat something healthy (that usually tastes like cardboard and dirt) or I can chose to eat something that tastes good to me and I enjoy! If the food I choose effects my health, I am the one to blame!!

If you want commercials about the "danger" of fast food, you have the power to make it happen. Take your money, and that of people who agree with you, and pay to have the commercials produced and aired!

You do not want to do that, you want to try to control others, rather than paying the cost of trying to convince them that you are correct!!

If there was a demand for "healthy food" then there would be someone who would open a business to fill that demand! People do not want tofu and beea sprouts, they want things that taste good!

Do you know what Forest Gump said? Stupid is as Stupid does. No one holds a gun to your head and says" Eat" The large food companies don't force you. The problem is the eater for putting more calories into his system then he burns.. Put the blame where it belongs , on the one who is eating and the person who is feeding him !! Not the food companies.

May be a little in the past but you can make just as unhealth meal at home. It your chose to eat it.

Many now are making a healther chose too but not beat home made meals.

no becaues they arent making you eat it, you are willing to go there and buy the food and eat it. they cannt make you stop you have to stop on your own

Only in that they are faster and easier for the vast majority of the public to use. Case in point I had a take out pizza, when I could have just made some thing at home instead. So where is the blame on them in this case.

I believe that people need to make the right choices for themselves, however, I think that the companies do have some of the blame.

i know what you mean and know what you mean by like all of it!! I agree


especially the thing where no one forces you to buy fast food. you know what your eating no one goes into mc donalds and goes i'm eating healthy today no they say i'm going to need to work out after this. we can't control fast food places but we can control ourselves or should have the will power to otherwise we need serious help. most fast food places now offer salads and fruits i don't think their really that great or healthy but it's better than super sizing it and don't forget my diet coke. i hate that does drinking a diet coke and eating the greasiest thing ever all in one meal make any sense