Food Restrictions and Bans

Americans today are more unhealthy, overweight and obese than ever. Many people and places are trying to get Americans healthy again. New York City is one and many place in the United States that has put restriction or bans on certain types of food products, or the amount of a product that can be sold. This topic is extremely controversial because some people think it is unfair to take tell us what we can and cannot eat, while others think it is fair because the bans are bettering our people and helping us become a much healthier country again. I believe it is fair, because of the amount of obese and overweight people in the country, and their terrible diets are the reasons for it.

To begin with, these bans are not random, they have good reasons behind them. In the article Sugary Drinks Over 16-Ounces Banned in New York City, Board of Health Votes, it states “ City health officials called for the ban to combat the obesity epidemic.” This is telling us that the amount of people who are obese has become an epidemic. I know from this that they are making these bans for the health of our citizens, and not to take our rights away. Next I quote the article Food Politics which explains “ A recent study in Pediatrics compared obesity rates in kids living in states with and without restrictions on the kinds of food sold in schools. Guess what- the kids living in states where schools don’t sell junk food are not as overweight.” The article is explaining that these food restrictions do in fact work. With more kids being healthy, obesity will not be as big of a problem in the future. Banning food that is is extremely unhealthy not only helps out the adults of today but as well as the adults of tomorrow.

Next these bans are going to greatly improve the wellbeing of our citizens bodies, and help us make the right choices when choosing our food, or beverages. The bans don’t force you not to eat certain things, but it makes them more difficult to obtain. Once again I quote Food Politics who says “Regulations make it easier for people to eat healthfully without having to think about it.” The article is stating that bans make it easier for us to make the healthier decisions when picking our meals. The reading Should the Government Regulate What We Eat? explicitly says “ In December of 2006, New York City’s Board of Health voted to become the nation’s first city to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants. The new law, which officially went into effect in July of 2008, aims to eliminate the artery-clogging fat used in the preparation of food items around the city, including pizzas, French fries, and various baked goods.” Artery- clogging fat is not something that can be healthy! This ban is extremely important because it deals specifically with the health of the heart. Clogging arteries leads to heart disease, which is one of the biggest killers among United States citizens. Making bans or restrictions on our food items is completely fair considering the amount of lives being taken, and not to mention the heartbreak that happens when a person dies from having a bad diet.

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