RUNNING HEAD:​ ​Changing the World One Healthy Meal At A Time 1

Changing the World One Healthy Meal At A Time

Lexie Juelch

Arizona State University

Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 2

Abstract

In the essay conducted below, it is formatted to provide ideas and supporting examples on the

topic of obesity and the need for education of the causes of it. Many children and young adults

would greatly benefit from knowing how they are affecting their bodies by what they are

consuming. Most lack the knowledge of these basic facts and should be informed instead of left

in the dark. A lot of factors tie into results of obesity, such as income level and availability of

certain foods. This essay provides examples of these causes and tries to influence educational

leaders to be aware of this issue. Obesity is a very common issue in today’s society, greatly

affecting the health of millions of people in America. Changes need to start being made now

before these rates increase even more, such as the idea of these education classes. Our

government has started to come up with a few ideas such as taxing sugar or removing soda from

restaurants, but these ideas need to be put into action so we can see if some form of improvement

occurs. Starting with the simple task of incorporating healthy eating classes in middle and high

schools would start contributing a lot to decreasing these growing rates. This essay gives reasons

and examples why people are struggling to achieve a healthy diet as it is and how these classes

can be informative and provide alternative options to be able to improve overall health.

Keywords: o​ besity, health risks, change, healthier choices, government taxes

Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 3

Changing The World One Meal At A Time

The major problem contributing to the increase in obesity rates is lack of education

people receive about food. Not very many people receive any form of basic food information or

tips unless they are searching for it themselves. People do not know what they are doing to their

body by eating unhealthy, but they do not know any better. No one has guided them on what

their daily diet should consist of. If more classes and information sessions were available and

people were told what they were doing wrong and what they could fix, the health of this country

would be improved. For example, if middle schools started introducing the topic and high

schools taught more about the basic rules concerning a good diet and what that consists of, it

could make a very big difference in our country. Although some people may take this

information and do nothing with it, most will at least be left with a basic understanding. It will

stay in the back of their minds the next time they go grocery shopping or go out to get food,

having some effect on their shopping experience. This will at least make them more conscious of

what they are putting into their body and possibly think twice before buying or eating highly

processed or other unhealthy foods and drinks. Basically, the idea of providing more information

on the topic of health is to plant a small seed in people's heads that will hopefully grow larger

into healthier life choices.

A problem disabling people from applying any provided knowledge could be the prices

of food. If one does decide to follow a healthy diet as a life choice, it can be quite costly. Food

choices are massively influenced by income, though of course there are other factors at play like

knowledge and skills (Keating, 2017, para. 5). Fresh produce and natural foods are a lot more
Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 4

expensive and are typically portioned in smaller sizes. You can find huge portions of so many

processed foods for a very reasonable price, but this is definitely not the same situation for

healthier foods. For example, in a study done by Terry Hawk (2016), the average price of fresh

food was $2.16 per 100 calories, whereas processed foods cost $0.69 per 100 calories. With this

noticeable price difference, how are people (particularly middle and lower classes) expected to

have a healthy diet when they can barely afford it or cannot afford it at all? The food system is

doing the opposite of what it should be doing. It should be promoting the sales of fruits and

vegetables, not promoting fast food chains and highly processed, highly fattening foods.

Fast food places are another encourager of this unhealthy diet many people seem to be on

or do not know they are on because of lack of education. Fast food restaurants are pretty much

on every corner and are promoted on thousands of billboards and TV commercials. It is no

wonder so many people eat at these places on a regular basis. They are highly available and

convenient even though they are unhealthy on many levels. “Fast-food meals are "almost always

high" in calories, fat, sugar, and salt”​ ​and “processing destroys many of the nutrients and is the

primary contribution to most of the chronic degenerative diseases many experience today”

(Mercola, 2014, para. 2-5). These food items are also always on people’s minds because they see

them any direction they turn. Fast food places are so affordable to almost anyone, especially low

income families. This comes back to the previous point of the destructive food system in this

country. These food chains should not be as heavily available and affordable as they are.

Unfortunately, there are many people supporting their production and growth, perhaps because

they do not know any better. As a country, we should be looking out for our citizens by banning

or limiting these unnatural foods as much as possible and providing examples for alternative,
Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 5

healthier options. They should be made less available to encourage people to buy at least

somewhat better foods for themselves. Although the government has started this process by

taxing sodas or other high sugar drinks, more needs to be done to make an impact and a greater

change (Lee, 2013, p. 14 ).

Some people may have a different view on the issue of obesity. They may think it is

one’s own fault for becoming so overweight or for making bad food decisions. They may think

that it is not up to the government or school educators to aid these people. However, many

people are helpless and ignorant to the topic of healthy eating. They do not know what they are

doing and need some guidance to help them. Concerning the government’s actions, there has

been recent discussions about adding a sugar tax or removing sodas from restaurants. Many

people do not agree that the government should step in on these matters. “Slapping a sugar tax on

this problem ignores its inherent complexity, allowing officials to claim that they are doing their

part without addressing the pressing underlying elements” (Albert, 2017, para. 5). They think

that it is one’s choice to make decisions about what they choose to consume, but when rates of

death due to obesity and many other diseases and cancers are also increasing, it seems as if some

laws and required education classes could be very helpful. Obviously, people do not make very

good decisions concerning their own health so maybe some restrictions and more awareness

would best benefit them.

There are people who say that fast food restaurants can be those healthier foods available

or they are the cheap option for those who cannot afford much. “Fast food restaurants have

vastly expanded their menus for a variety of reasons including health concerns and demographic

shifts” (Buchholz, 2006, para. 12). Although fast food has improved somewhat over the last
Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 6

several years, it is still nowhere near being a healthy option. There are now healthier options on

the menu but these are not the healthy options someone should be living off of everyday. “I

would also argue that food processed to the point of not decomposing after more than a decade is

not actually ​real food​ and shouldn't be consumed....” (Mercola, 2016, para. 2). People need to

realize the point of what Mercola is saying. A healthy diet should not and simply cannot be

classified by consuming fast food on a regular basis.

Another argument, concerning the idea of education classes, could be people saying the

money going toward these classes and financing teachers could be used in other departments

within schools to make them stronger. Many may not see these classes as as much of a need as

they actually are. They may think other classes should be more supported and enhanced for their

own or their children’s education. Although, yes some departments within schools have low

budgets as it is and could use some help, the topic of nutrition and taking care of your body

seems most important. Without a healthy body, no one can perform tasks like actually exceeding

in school because their health is so poor prohibiting students from performing to the best of their

abilities. Health is and should be shown to be the most important thing in one’s life and these

nutrition classes would express this important idea.

Moving forward, let us look at what can be done. School educators need to be more

aware of how little an individual knows about taking care of their body and eating right. They

need to develop some type of solution to fix this problem, such as adding in nutrition classes in

schools as a required class. Educators have the power to decrease obesity rates by providing

these classes. Kids and young adults most likely will not research and find out this type of

information on their own, so it is for the best interest of these young adults and our society as a
Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 7

whole for schools to take action and demand this. With the information learned in schools ata

young age will give these individuals the opportunity to fix their diets before it even becomes an

issue and inplant good eating habits early in their lives that can stick with them throughout their

later years. Also, students can then go and spread the information they have learned to their

families and other people around them, who may also not know anything on this topic. In

general, more awareness needs to be provided for this serious topic that only seems to be

becoming more and more of an issue in society everyday and middle and high schools seem to

be a productive place to start.

Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 8

References

Albert, V. (2019). Why both sides of the sugar tax debate have it wrong. In ​Opposing

Viewpoints Online Collection​. Detroit, MI: Gale. (Reprinted from Why Both Sides of the

Sugar Tax Debate Have It Wrong, ​In These Times,​ 2016, August 19) Retrieved from

http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/apps/doc/VOCLIN830788986/OVIC?u=a

suniv&sid=OVIC&xid=18657e8c

Buchholz, T. G. (2006). Fast food should not be blamed for obesity. In L. K. Egendorf (Ed.),

Opposing Viewpoints​. ​Food.​ Detroit, MI: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from ​Policy

Review​, 2004, 45-59) Retrieved from

http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/apps/doc/EJ3010432221/OVIC?u=asuniv

&sid=OVIC&xid=21e3b213

Cohen, Martin (19 Feb. 2018).“It’s poverty, not individual choice, that is driving

extraordinary obesity levels.”, The Conversation, ​Opposing Viewpoints in Context,​

link.galegroup.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/apps/doc/OVQLNN510380771/OVIC?u=asuni

v&sid=OVIC&xid=b05e56da. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019.

Hawk, T., & Drewnowski, A. (n.d.). ​Trends in prices of fresh vs. ultra-processed foods: Analyses

of Seattle-King county prices from 2004-16(​ Unpublished master's thesis).

Keating, D. (2017, October 02). Food expert: There is a link between poverty and unhealthy

diets. ​Euractiv. ​Retrieved from

https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/interview/professor-there-is-a-link-betw

een-poverty-and-unhealthy-diets/
Changing the World One Healthy Meal at A Time 9

Kenner, R., Pearlstein, E., Roberts, K. (Producers), & Pearlstein, E., Roberts, K. (Writers), &

Kenner, R. (Director). (2009). ​Participant Media & River Road Entertainment present : a

film by Robert Kenner ​[Motion Picture]. United States: Magnolia Home Entertainment

Lee, A., Mhurchu, C. N., Sacks, G., Swinburn, B., Snowdon, W., Vandevijvere, S., Neal, B.

(2013). Monitoring the price and affordability of foods and diets globally. ​Obesity

Reviews,​ 14, 82–95. ​https://doi-org.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/10.1111/obr.12078

Mercola, J. (2016). People should not eat fast food. In R. Espejo (Ed.), ​At Issue​. ​What Should

We Eat?​ Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from McDonald's Shuts

Down Employee blog Advising Workers to Avoid Fast Food..., ​Articles.Mercola.com​,

2014, January 8) Retrieved from

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&sid=OVIC&xid=5a2fa373

Richardson, J. (2009). ​Recipe for America: Why our food system is broken and what we can do

to fix it​. Brooklyn, NY: Ig Pub.

Schwarz, M., Gray, E., Pollan, M., Jacobs, D. R., German, J. B., Mills, D. E., Willett, W., ... PBS

Distribution (Firm),. (2016). ​In defense of food: An eater's manifesto.​

Thompson, J., Manroe, M., Vaughan, L. (2017). ​Science of Nutrition​. Place of publication not

identified: Pearson.
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Revision Statement

Revisions were done to this essay to better fit the requirements of the writing project. The

original submission of the persuasive essay had some major structural errors in which they were

fixed during the revision. Along with structural changes, arguments and ideas were reevaluated

and reformed to provide a stronger form of persuasion. Specifically, the essay did not have one

main topic and an argument for it. There was a topic but many subtopics branched off of it. This

error was changed in the revision process and now has one central focus. The revisions done to

the essay show more of an understanding of the project and are now closer to the actual

expectations. The revised essay provides a stronger and more specific argument on how obesity

rates can be decreased in America and how educators and can make this change.