In the Defense of Fat People
Our culture is obsessed with weight loss: captivated with diet pills, fad-diets, fat-free, sugar-free, and the hit TV show The Biggest Loser. Yet, we are the biggest generation America has ever seen. This rising trend of obesity in America has been labeled as the Obesity Epidemic. As obesity is becoming increasingly common, it is still not becoming more accepted. In our society, fatness is synonymous with laziness. The underlying message is that if you are fat, it is your fault. A common view is that people “choose” to be fat, but no one truly wants to be in the 1/3 of obese adult Americans. With this high rate of obesity, surely there is a larger force in motion than just the individual willpower. We are quick to slap the hand of those who chose unhealthy food, but don’t give any thought to those who are providing the choices. It is time we repoint the finger. The problem is more deeply rooted and complex than simple day-to-day choices. It is cause by years of misplaced subsidies and bliss points—which are a sneaky alteration to foods we eat every day. There is not one driving force of the Obesity Epidemic, but rather many working in conjunction against our favor as a nation.
A subsidy is a grant given by the government to assist an industry or business. One of the US Government’s most subsidies crop is corn. Corn is a special crop because the carbon makeup of the plant can be manipulated and has almost endless applications (within and outside of the industry of food). Corn can be manipulated into corn syrup, which is a staple ingredient in processed foods we eat today—the biggest culprit being sugary soda. Soda, a highly commercialized beverage of choice for many Americans, is a prime example of ways in which the government is subsidizing junk. With literally zero nutritional value, Soda is the equivalent of drinking liquid candy. Yet, it is made cheaper and more accessible due to the government funding of one of its major ingredients—corn. Pop is not the only junk with corn in it; most processed food in the grocery store contains this mainstream grain in some form. It is practically unavoidable. If we want to solve the Obesity Epidemic, one of the steps that we can take is to end corn subsidies and instead, subsidize a larger variety of produce.
These processed foods we find lining our grocery store shelves with “magic” corn in them are oh-so-delicious. This is because they were manufactured in lab to be irresistible to humans’ natural cravings; food is built in labs to be as addictive as possible. In order to do this, scientists find the bliss point of the food product. The bliss point is the distinct amount of salt, sugar, and fat that maximizes palatability. Brands are pumping their food with these calculated ingredients. This results in foods with lots of calories, but not a lot of nutrition. As nutritionists have coined the term: empty calories. People are going to the store and seeing processed, tasty food in plastic packages. The food is not filling because it has little nutrition, yet the taste leaves consumers wanting more; they were optimized to hit the “reward center” of endorphins and dopamine just right. However, the consumer is ultimately being cheated because they are in taking massive amounts of calories without reaping nutritional benefits. The worst part is that these foods are made accessible because the are indirectly subsidized by the government.
There is the argument that people can practice self control to completely avoid these fattening processed foods. However, that is much easier than it sounds. People have the option to buy fresh veggies from the store, but it is hard to compete with food that was built to be addictive. This proves especially trying when that food is often more affordable than expensive wholesome groceries. Individuals should be held accountable to some extent for their diets, however, subsidies and modern food taste engineering sets the odds against them. In order to bring the alarming Obesity Outbreak to a halt, we need to reconsider the ways that we grow, produce, and sell food. The U.S. government shows more support for large food corporations than the health of the citizens with current corn subsidies and by promoting empty calorie foods to fill the nation’s shelves.
A subsidy is a grant given by the government to assist an industry or business. One of the US Government’s most subsidies crop is corn. Corn is a special crop because the carbon makeup of the plant can be manipulated and has almost endless applications (within and outside of the industry of food). Corn can be manipulated into corn syrup, which is a staple ingredient in processed foods we eat today—the biggest culprit being sugary soda. Soda, a highly commercialized beverage of choice for many Americans, is a prime example of ways in which the government is subsidizing junk. With literally zero nutritional value, Soda is the equivalent of drinking liquid candy. Yet, it is made cheaper and more accessible due to the government funding of one of its major ingredients—corn. Pop is not the only junk with corn in it; most processed food in the grocery store contains this mainstream grain in some form. It is practically unavoidable. If we want to solve the Obesity Epidemic, one of the steps that we can take is to end corn subsidies and instead, subsidize a larger variety of produce.
These processed foods we find lining our grocery store shelves with “magic” corn in them are oh-so-delicious. This is because they were manufactured in lab to be irresistible to humans’ natural cravings; food is built in labs to be as addictive as possible. In order to do this, scientists find the bliss point of the food product. The bliss point is the distinct amount of salt, sugar, and fat that maximizes palatability. Brands are pumping their food with these calculated ingredients. This results in foods with lots of calories, but not a lot of nutrition. As nutritionists have coined the term: empty calories. People are going to the store and seeing processed, tasty food in plastic packages. The food is not filling because it has little nutrition, yet the taste leaves consumers wanting more; they were optimized to hit the “reward center” of endorphins and dopamine just right. However, the consumer is ultimately being cheated because they are in taking massive amounts of calories without reaping nutritional benefits. The worst part is that these foods are made accessible because the are indirectly subsidized by the government.
There is the argument that people can practice self control to completely avoid these fattening processed foods. However, that is much easier than it sounds. People have the option to buy fresh veggies from the store, but it is hard to compete with food that was built to be addictive. This proves especially trying when that food is often more affordable than expensive wholesome groceries. Individuals should be held accountable to some extent for their diets, however, subsidies and modern food taste engineering sets the odds against them. In order to bring the alarming Obesity Outbreak to a halt, we need to reconsider the ways that we grow, produce, and sell food. The U.S. government shows more support for large food corporations than the health of the citizens with current corn subsidies and by promoting empty calorie foods to fill the nation’s shelves.