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Reahgan Julian

Professor Dunham

English II

06 July 2019

Are GMOS and overly processed foods killing us?

Even though Processed foods help busy families and provide convenience, obesity and

poor nutrition is a worldwide issue affecting millions of people from all age groups. The solution

to the problem starts with individual choices but also needs to include all aspects of society

including the government. The food industry uses several deceiving marketing tactics to promote

food sales despite the health concerns. Even the most innocent looking foods in the kitchen can

be packed with harmful ingredients.

The body has natural reactions to nutrients such as carbs, fibers, fats, etc. Varying from

food to food, there are differences in nutrition that affect all age groups. When comparing those

from a healthy source and those that are processed, or “immediate”, it has been found that we are

eating a diet filled with processed ingredients that is less nutrient, and that doesn’t offer health

benefits. All calories are not created equal, no matter where they come from.

There is a major difference nutrition wise between foods that are processed and foods that

are hyper-processed. There are the foods that were simply prepped for convenience, like chopped

vegetables and roasted nuts also that are less processed. Also including foods that were

processed at their peak freshness to ensure nutritional quality and tastiness, like canned beans
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and frozen fruits. And then there’s foods like packaged snacks frozen meals, and processed

meats all that fall under the category of hyper-processed. Hyper-processed foods like breakfast

bars and instant noodles can have several negative effects on your health. These foods introduce

foreign chemicals to the body.

Our food is killing us and the ways in which we are unknowingly, hosts in an exploding

health crisis. Fast food is far more than just the burgers, fries, and burritos served at chain

restaurants… it is also the toxic, human-engineered products found in every grocery store across

America. These are the things we eat everyday like cheese, chips, meats, and even those like

energy bars. The toxic ingredients found in these foods cause heart attacks, strokes, cancer,

obesity, ADHD, autism, allergies, and autoimmune diseases, etc.

Much like the other articles, researchers explain how even the most innocent looking

foods can often be the worst for us as they are packed with GMOS. These are Genetically

Modified Organisms, which is when genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and

artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The genes may come from

bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. They are man-made, toxic products the

human body is not made to consume and digest. Genetically modified foods have been linked to

sick, sterile and dead livestock, and when tested on lab animals, damaged virtually every organ

of the animal tested. This in return, makes us humans sicker, and we all know what happens

when we get sick…. we pay a doctor to take care of us. It’s a horrible game at our expense.

The overall goal of any food business is to advertise what is appealing to the consumers.

There are several marketing tactics that are set into place. Food marketers also help to identify

what consumers want, then giving it to them for a profit. In order to sell more, the tactic is to

make it appetize enough for those to consume more. Marketers are also closely involved with the
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process of producing the food. They also assist in providing the composition and looks of the

foods. Since marketers recognize that consumers enjoy the taste of sugar, fat and salt, marketers

have convinced food producers to add these ingredients to a wide range of food items. Setting

low prices on foods is perhaps the strongest marketing factor that has increased consumption.

Prices of foods, particularly processed, high-calorie foods, have been going down for decades

now. Transformed foods, particularly those with high concentrations of sugar and fat,

experienced the steepest declines. The price of food prepared away from home has also declined

significantly over the years. Studies suggest that prices of food items from vending machines

have declined fastest of all.

The food industry has responded to this insight by increasing portion sizes and packaging

of foods. This is profitable to food manufacturers and restaurants because people believe that

they are getting more value for their money when they pay a little more to get a much larger

portion, but the additional food comes at minimal cost to the food manufacturer. These larger

portion sizes increase caloric intake because consumers tend to eat what is presented to them

with little awareness of how satiated they feel. People are also influenced by the social norm that

they should leave that otherwise stop with a smaller portion. Evidence shows that supersized

portions even increase the consumption of food that tastes bad, such as stale popcorn. Marketers

create size labels that give the consumer an understanding of how much they have eaten.

Consumers tend to choose the 'medium' sized product when given options, so marketers have

responded by adding larger sizes, which have made the regular size that people used to consume

appear too small. However, size labels mask huge discrepancies between brands, because a small

size in one brand can be larger than the medium size from another bran, so this can confuse

perception of size.
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The rising concern of obesity is not just found in developed countries. Emerging

countries are also reporting increases in obesity rates as they become part of the global economy

and find their shelves stacked with brightly colored food packages and food advertising.

Practically overnight, countries such as Saudi Arabia have gone from being undernourished to

boasting one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world.

There is a growing concern, but limited evidence, that price promotions contribute to a

poor diet and the social patterning of diet-related disease. Price promotions are commonly used

in store with the aims of boosting purchasing by reducing the price of products as well as

possibly stimulating impulsive purchases by increasing the prominence of items in store (e.g., via

tags and placement). There is a growing concern that such promotional activities by the food

industry may contribute to poor dietary intake particularly in individuals who are more socially

deprived.

More than 60 percent of the American diet consists of highly processed foods including

the innocent looking ones in the kitchen. For instance, most industrially produced breads contain

refined grains, sugars, emulsifiers, dough conditioners and preservatives synthetic vitamins. This

is true for just about anything we eat.

The world is overall becoming a fatter place. Obesity has been steadily rising for the past

thirty years. In the United States, the problem is pronounced: at the last count, 68 percent of U.S.

adults were classified as overweight and 34 percent as obese, more than twice as many as 30

years ago. Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight.

Globally there are more people who are obese than underweight – this occurs in every region

except parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

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Studies find that economic, political, and social globalization – as well as trade

liberalization specifically – influence the prevalence of overweight and obesity in countries

through increasing the availability and affordability of unhealthful food. Various sub-

components of globalization interact, leading individuals in countries that experience higher

levels of globalization to prefer, import, and consume more imported sugar and processed food

products than individuals in countries that experience lower levels of globalization. However,

overweight and obesity is not only an issue for high-income countries but also a tremendous

concern in many low-income, middle-income countries, or particularly third-world countries.

These countries are facing a “double burden” of disease. While these countries continue to deal

with the problems of infectious diseases and undernutrition, they are also experiencing a rapid

upsurge in noncommunicable disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight, particularly in

urban settings. It is not uncommon to find undernutrition and obesity co-existing within the same

country, the same community and the same household.

Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate pre-

natal, infant, and young child nutrition. At the same time, these children are exposed to high-fat,

high-sugar, high-salt, energy-dense, and micronutrient-poor foods, which tend to be lower in cost

but also lower in nutrient quality. These dietary patterns, in conjunction with lower levels of

physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity while undernutrition issues

remain unsolved.

Overweight and obesity, as well as their related noncommunicable diseases, are largely

preventable. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s

choices, by making the choice of healthier foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice
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(the choice that is the most accessible, available and affordable), and therefore preventing

overweight and obesity.

The studies also showed that sugar and processed food imports also play a significant role

in the increasing average BMI. A good example of one of these countries is Fiji, where there

were set trade agreements that increased imports of sugar and processed foods. In turn, the

average BMI for that country increased by 0.5 points.

Like all issues, there is a long list of solutions. in order to reverse this epidemic, all

levels of society will be needed to make a substantial difference—including the government.

 limit energy intake from total fats and sugars;

 increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts;

and

 engage in regular physical activity

Individual responsibility can only have its full effect where people have access to a

healthy lifestyle. Therefore, at the societal level it is important to support individuals in

following the recommendations above, through sustained implementation of evidence based and

population-based policies that make regular physical activity and healthier dietary choices

available, affordable and easily accessible to everyone, particularly to the poorest individuals. An

example of such a policy is a tax on sugar sweetened beverages.

Also, it is essential that we develop and implement policies (including laws and

regulations) to create healthier food and activity environments, and; secure increased and
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continued funding to reduce obesogenic environments and promote healthy eating and physical

activity.

Now, some would argue that processed foods provide individuals with more choices and

greater variety in their diet. By processing food, your favorite fruits, vegetables, and other

seasonal items are available year-round. It also gives individuals access to foods, such as

seafood, that may otherwise be geographically unavailable. Food processing allows key nutrients

to be sealed in right after harvesting. This in turn means that individuals get more nutrients from

the food they eat. Processed foods can also be fortified with additional nutrients such as

vitamins, minerals, and fiber to boost the health profile of foods. Individuals trying to optimize

their health can consume these foods to address their specific needs.

Processed foods can make people’s lives easier by providing a lot of convenience.

Prepackaged foods can reduce meal preparation time. A quick meal can be thrown together using

these items rather than ordering out. Food processing extends the shelf life of food which means

that food lasts longer with less waste due to spoilage. Further, processed foods are ideal for

travel. Whether it’s a vacation or lunch at work, you can pack items and not have to worry about

food storage. Processed foods can also be wallet-friendly, and they taste good.

Processed foods do tend to be less expensive than most fresh foods. In part, they're that

cheap because the U.S. government subsidizes the producers of corn and wheat, the main

ingredients in those packaged snacks, which helps keep crop prices low. In addition, lean meats

and fish, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, are highly perishable items, and there's a cost

involved in delivering them unsullied to your stores before they even make it to your table.
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Some may also argue that biotech can make food healthier, giving greens a greater

concentration of nutrients, reducing starch in potatoes or lowering the saturated-fat content of

cooking oils. Studies suggest genes introduced into GMO tomatoes can increase their natural

production of antioxidants that might help prevent cancer or heart disease. Improving the

nutritional values of foods can be particularly significant in boosting diets for developing

countries.

All living things contain DNA, and all DNA consists of the same four building blocks,

known as nucleotides. By moving a piece of DNA from one organism into another, scientists are

not introducing a "foreign" substance. The new gene merely prompts the modified organism to

express a desired trait. Companies that wish to release a GM seed or the product of a GM crop

are required to test the safety of that product. If the product is made from an organism containing

a known allergen, it must be tested for safety.

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Work Cited

Fuhrman, Joel. Fast Food Genocide: How to Win the Battle against Processed Food and Take

Back Our Health. Harper One, 2017. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat01128a&AN=scc.b1807507&site=e

ds-live.

Goldstein, M. (2018, December 11). The United States has an Epidemic of Processed Food —

and it’s Killing Us. Retrieved June 23, 2019, from Medium:

https://blog.usejournal.com/the-united-states-has-an-epidemic-of-processed-food-and-its-

killing-us-bb3a9a9a0547

Hendel, A. (2018, September 10). Are Processed Foods Killing Us? (C. Roberts, Editor)

Retrieved June 23, 2019, from Health Central:

https://www.healthcenteral.com/article/are-processed-foods-killing-us

Jo, Amanda. GMO Foods Are Killing Us. 28 May 2013. Electronic. 23 June 2019.

<https://www.elitedaily.com/life/gmos-are-killing-us>.

Montell, Amanda. Processed Foods Aren't Killing You—Hyper-Processed Foods Are. 12 June

2019. Electronic. 23 June 2019. <https://www.byrdie.com/what-are-processed-foods>.

Nakamura, Ryota. “Price Promotions on Healthier Compared with Less Healthy ...” American

Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Mar. 2015, www.researchgate.net/profile/Eva_Almiron-

Roig/publication/274397313_Price_promotions_on_healthier_compared_with_less_healt

hy_foods_A_hierarchical_regression_analysis_of_the_impact_on_sales_and_social_patte

rning_of_responses_to_promotions_in_Great_Britain/links/5583eb4c08ae89172b8619ff/

Price-promotions-on-healthier-compared-with-less-healthy-foods-A-hierarchical-
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regression-analysis-of-the-impact-on-sales-and-social-patterning-of-responses-to-

promotions-in-Great-Britain.pdf.

“Obesity and Overweight.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization,

www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.

Segran, Grace. “Is Food Marketing Making Us Fat?” INSEAD Knowledge, 21 Oct. 2013,

knowledge.insead.edu/business-finance/marketing/is-food-marketing-making-us-fat-2187.

Tracy Kuo Lin, et al. “The Effect of Sugar and Processed Food Imports on the Prevalence of

Overweight and Obesity in 172 Countries.” Globalization and Health, no. 1, 2018, p. 1.

EBSCOhost, doi:10.1186/s12992-018-0344-y.