...John Reid Writing 150 February 2016 The Unstable Food Pyramid In the seventh grade I took a cooking class where I learned basic recipes and life skills. In this class I had my first introduction to the food pyramid made by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1992 (Godoy). I spent hours memorizing the ins and outs of a pyramid that was supposed to guide my dietary habits and ultimately lead me to a healthy lifestyle. This life tool (known as the food pyramid) showed me how many servings of grains, fruit, vegetables, meat, milk, and sugars I should consume daily. Even now I know that I am supposed to eat oils, sweets, and fats sparingly, and have three to five servings of vegetables each day. A year after engraining these numbers into my brain, I learned that all of my studying was in vain. During my eighth grade year the USDA introduced a new online program called MyPyramid. That program was only used for five years, and in 2010 (before I had even graduated from high school) the USDA slightly modified their food patterns. This is when the new MyPyramid was shaped into the newer and “better” MyPlate. My mind was bewildered as to how there could be so much change in an area that should have remained constant throughout one’s life. I began to wonder to myself “Are the current guides actually helping us, and should we be following them?” In order for the food guides to help us they should be more focused on three things: scientific basis, consistency, and personalization...
Words: 2579 - Pages: 11
...Are you always thinking to yourself how you need to lose weight? Did healthy eating and exercise come to your mind or was trying a diet pill what you thought about? Everyone wants to lose weight, but no one ever wants to lose weight the healthy way. People just want to find a quick and easy way to lose weight fast. Regardless of any harmful side effects that can result later down the road to their body. Metabolism disruption, dehydration, and addiction are just a few of some serious health problems that can occur. When people choose diet pills over healthy eating, they never consider those harmful effects on their body that can result from their quick fix. One harmful effect is Metabolism Disruption. Metabolism disruption is one of the possible dangers of taking weight-loss pills. Metabolism is the body's process of converting food and water to energy. Diet pills are made to suppress a person’s appetite, meaning you will not want to eat a lot. In doing that you will be limiting your calorie intake; as an end result, slowing your metabolism down. With fewer calories consumed, your metabolism slows down and becomes sluggish. This causes you to lose lesser and lesser weight over a period of time. It can also cause your body to go into starvation mode. When your body is in starvation mode, meaning you do not consume enough food to provide your body with the essential nutrients it needs daily, your body will slow your metabolism down to conserve energy. Slower metabolisms need less...
Words: 971 - Pages: 4
...What is health education? Health education is making people aware of what health problems exist and how to prevent, deal and live with them. Health education is really important in order to keep us up to date with our health. The World Health Organisation says that health is defined as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. The three types of health education that I am going to talk about are mass media, 2 way communication and social marketing. Chegg textbook says that "Mass media consists of the various means by which information reaches large numbers of people". This could be through things like social networking sites, TV advertisements, national campaigns and many more. An example of health campaigns through mass media and adverts is Change 4 Life, mass media is a major part of their campaigning as they wouldn't be as bug of an organisation as they are now without it. As the media and content reaches a larger audience, it is more likely to affect or change their opinion or attitude towards the subject matter. Although mass media reaches large amounts of people, it cannot offer personal help or support. Mass media is good for organising events of spreading news quickly, mass media isn't so good at offering two way information- which is basically an actual conversation, with both sprite involved. Mass media also isn't very good at providing solutions to certain problems because where it can't use...
Words: 3035 - Pages: 13
...either my eating habits are going to have to change or the exercising would stop. It becomes a mental strain when results are not met and the exercise has become more difficult. Healthy eating habits and the right fitness regime lead to a healthier lifestyle. Obesity is problematic here in the United States. According to the CDC over one third of adults in America are obese and 17% of children between the ages of 2-19 are obese (Overweight and Obesity, 2013). Studies have shown that America is not healthy. It said to cost Americans 150 billion dollars and 10% of medical costs (Overweight and Obesity, 2013). Contributing factors have been said to be the foods we intake, the convenience of the type of foods that are available, and the food portions have been increased. Obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer (Overweight and Obesity, 2013). With obesity being an epidemic in America our physical activity has lessen too. When I was growing up I remember always being outside. Now a days, it is rare you see kids playing in the neighborhood. The sedentary lifestyle is among us. We are finding kids inside the house playing video games or adults not wanting to exert energy by simply walking. Times have changed from 15 years ago so much that overweight and laziness have become the norm (control, 2013). Knowing the harms associated with obesity I have armed myself with valuable knowledge. I have taken certain steps to keep my lifestyle healthy. Currently...
Words: 695 - Pages: 3
... On Health In today's society, fast food has become a large part of many American's lives. With the rising numbers of obese people, it is hard not to draw a correlation between the increase in fast food and obesity. Most obese people don’t want to be obese and wish they could lose weight, yet they continue to struggle with their fast food intake and obesity. This is due to the advertising done on the consumers, the highly addictive food itself, and most importantly, how advertising and addiction combine with children to form habits that are kept once they become adults. These factors are the reasons that fast food restaurants are to blame for the rising obesity and health risks across America. The government needs to step in and place regulations on these fast food restaurants so they will stop taking advantage of people's weaknesses. Before it can be gone into detail about how fast food companies are to blame for people over eating their food, it first must be proven that fast food is indeed the main problem causing today's obesity in America. It is known to many people how the number of fast food restaurants in America has increased tremendously over the past several decades, but it is difficult to calculate by how much due to the lack of historic statistics. Also, it is difficult whether or not to categorize certain restaurants as fast food. Although, a good way to get a feel on the growth of the fast food industry is to take a look...
Words: 2650 - Pages: 11
...people would see the label on the packed food, they will be confused because they will not understand some of the names of the chemicals. If people realize that the food that they eat every day is harmful to our body because the amount of sugar that is being dumped in the food, they will stop eating that kind of food and start to eat healthy fresh organic food. The food that we eat on a daily basis will affect our long-term health specially the students; also, the food industry does not care about people’s health instead it cares only for money. In this paper, I will show that food industry is destroying people’s health on one hand by putting an enormous amount of sugar and on the other hand making low-fat products. What are the people really eating? Once in my human biology class Dr. Walter Hoeh said: “The food that you eat every day will not kill you now but it will kill you after twenty to thirty years from eating the food, however, eventually you will die from the food.” He explained how food affect us, when we heard the explanation we were shocked because we buy food without reading the ingredient. When you eat processed food it tastes delicious and you crave for more, but you are only eating sugar and harmful fats and that type of sugar and fats are harming the human body. According to Ms. Epel in the skinny of obesity episode 2, she said:” I'm suspicious a anything that says low-fat diet because you know that that means that they had to compensate with a lot these added sugars...
Words: 1744 - Pages: 7
...Kenetta Cannon General Psychology Mr. T. Rykala 10/23/13 Embracing Natural Beauty Eating disorders has been a part of society for a great deal of time. Eating is a part of society because we eat when we are hungry, we eat when we see others eat, and we eat and share food to show we care. There are many contributors that lead to eating disorders. The media is one but, whether there are televisions, radios, or magazines some people will still find ways to consider themselves being not beautiful enough. People cannot handle the pressure of certain circumstances in life especially those from childhood, so they find other addictive ways to deal with the pressure. Even in adulthood factors such as abusive marriages and careers can cause eating disorders. People who suffer from eating disorders are no different from people who suffer from drug, alcohol or sex addictions. Not all people who are anorexic or bulimic have had traumatic experiences in their youth, but at some point in life situations became too stressful, whether it is a career, an event such as divorce or bullying from love ones or associates. People find unhappiness within themselves when they are repeatedly told they have physical flaws. Everyday both boys and girls suffering from eating disorders are slowly killing themselves because they are constantly told you are ugly, you are weird, or fat, too thin too tall; the list could on. This type of slow suicide is the last resort of escaping...
Words: 968 - Pages: 4
...Kenetta Cannon General Psychology Mr. T. Rykala 10/23/13 Embracing Natural Beauty Eating disorders has been a part of society for a great deal of time. Eating is a part of society because we eat when we are hungry, we eat when we see others eat, and we eat and share food to show we care. There are many contributors that lead to eating disorders. The media is one but, whether there are televisions, radios, or magazines some people will still find ways to consider themselves being not beautiful enough. People cannot handle the pressure of certain circumstances in life especially those from childhood, so they find other addictive ways to deal with the pressure. Even in adulthood factors such as abusive marriages and careers can cause eating disorders. People who suffer from eating disorders are no different from people who suffer from drug, alcohol or sex addictions. Not all people who are anorexic or bulimic have had traumatic experiences in their youth, but at some point in life situations became too stressful, whether it is a career, an event such as divorce or bullying from love ones or associates. People find unhappiness within themselves when they are repeatedly told they have physical flaws. Everyday both boys and girls suffering from eating disorders are slowly killing themselves because they are constantly told you are ugly, you are weird, or fat, too thin too tall; the list could on. This type of slow suicide is the last resort of escaping...
Words: 968 - Pages: 4
...General Psychology 10/23/13 Embracing Natural Beauty Eating disorders has been a part of society for a great deal of time. Eating is a part of society because we eat when we are hungry, we eat when we see others eat, and we eat and share food to show we care. There are many contributors that lead to eating disorders. The media is one but, whether there are televisions, radios, or magazines some people will still find ways to consider themselves being not beautiful enough. People cannot handle the pressure of certain circumstances in life especially those from childhood, so they find other addictive ways to deal with the pressure. Even in adulthood factors such as abusive marriages and careers can cause eating disorders. People who suffer from eating disorders are no different from people who suffer from drug, alcohol or sex addictions. Not all people who are anorexic or bulimic have had traumatic experiences in their youth, but at some point in life situations became too stressful, whether it is a career, an event such as divorce or bullying from love ones or associates. People find unhappiness within themselves when they are repeatedly told they have physical flaws. Everyday both boys and girls suffering from eating disorders are slowly killing themselves because they are constantly told you are ugly, you are weird, or fat, too thin too tall; the list could on. This type of slow suicide is the last resort of escaping the reality that, people...
Words: 963 - Pages: 4
...of the coverage of the documentary, and state briefly the “take away” message it gives. “Super-Size Me” is a an experiment created by Morgan Spurlock where he sets out an investigation to understand and prove how quickly and harmful fast food could be on a person’s body, health, and wellbeing. The primary concept revolves around eating nothing but McDonald’s food for a period of 30 days for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This meant that any food not on the McDonald’s menu was not allowed to be consumed during this process. As Morgan Spurlock was lying around at home watching the news, he came across a report on two teenage girls whose parents had sued McDonalds, blaming MacDonald’s for their girl’s obesity problem. This news impulses him to pursue an investigation and experience hands on the cause and effect that resulted from eating McDonald’s food. In the documentary, Spurlock begins as a very healthy person. In fact, his health was above average. He weighed about 185lbs and his body fat was less than below average at an (11%). His cholesterol was under 200 which for his height, (6 feet and 2 inches) he was considered a healthy individual. In preparation to begin, Spurlock informs three doctors from three different specialties to embark with him in his journey of 30 days. It consisted of a cardiologist, gastroenterologists, and a general practitioner. The doctors all tested him in detail making sure his blood tests and levels were in great standing right before...
Words: 3662 - Pages: 15
...their meals outside at fast-food restaurants or cafeterias instead of having home-made food. According to a research, 70% of the young children eat fast food frequently in the California, USA (Driscoll, 2013). That type of food is called ‘Junk Food’, which contains high amount of calories and less essential nutrients that are necessary for our body (Anonymous, 2014). Pizzas, hamburgers, soft-drinks, chips, candies etc. are some of the examples of the junk food. Excessiveness in anything is bad, and so is the in-take of junk food. This essay will be discussing about several causes and effects of eating too much junk food on our lives. To start with, junk food’s appealing price and delivery services are causes that motivate people to eat junk food a lot. Junk food prices are comparatively less than that of a healthy food. In a study it is shown that junk food costs $1.50 less per day than healthy food or approximately $550 per year (Polis, 2013). Another leading cause is it is ubiquitous that means it is almost available everywhere. Places like shopping centres where chocolates and candies are placed near the counter or the soda coolers at every exit point of the stores or even fast-food stores within the petrol stations make junk food easily accessible to us (Yum, 2012). Moreover, the junk food is mainly targeting the areas where low-income people live. In a research, it was found that more fast food was consumed in low-income neighbourhood that had fast food restaurants closer (Adams...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...Fighting to End Obesity Everyone knows someone like Mary; she is a woman who many consider to be beautiful, smart, successful, and has a great personality. Each person she comes in contact with admires her and who she is as a person, but Mary has a problem; she cannot run and play with her children nor do most things that an average sized adult at her age would be able to do. The reason she cannot perform these tasks is because she is obese. Mary is three times heavier than what is believed to be typical standards for her age and height. She often has trouble breathing, swollen feet, as well as an extensive list of other medical conditions that affect her well-being; therefore, is constantly on medication to ensure that she stays alive. Upon reflection, one may actually relate in some way or another to this story either by knowing someone in her position or even connecting directly on a more personal level. People like Mary are now deemed to be, what the United States declares, an average statistic in Americans today. Evidently, obesity is becoming a growing problem which appears to be worsening each year. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 1/3 of Americans are obese (Adult Obesity, 2011). In the United States alone the amount of adults who are statistically obese, whose BMI also known as body mass index, (the body weight in kilograms divided by the square of the body height in meters, is greater than 30%) has increased from no states to...
Words: 2899 - Pages: 12
...breast cancer. Also if people are frequently having breast screening it has increases life expectancy because in research, it states that women that had screening have a better chance of living longer and those who did not have breast cancer would have passed away at the age of 70 or older because the cancer was not detected before it started to develop. Medical intervention can improve the quality of life because by having breast screening it benefits more the person’s health because the breast screening does not harm the body and it is very effective on finding the cancer in its early stages which makes it easier on treating it therefore it improves the quality of life because people are more people are surviving breast cancer and living a healthy...
Words: 3334 - Pages: 14
...In the documentary super-size me Morgan Spurlock states "We live in toxic environment where we are almost guaranteed to get sick." One of possible cause of our sickness is in part due to what we consume on a daily basis. Since American society has become accustomed to a lifestyle that effected was the way we eat. Which eventually led to Americans becoming accustomed to eating unhealthy fast food. Corporations saw this growing culture and took advantage of this in order to make a profit. Eventually they began to disregard the consumer's health in order to keep making their money. Since fast food corporations weren't educating people about their products, Spurlock's documentary decided to do so. His documentary "Super-size me" was made to show...
Words: 1778 - Pages: 8
...To me, compulsive overeating is a disease where a person has no control over their food intake. It's a constant eating, a wanting for a more and more. You can't get enough, sort of like a junkie looking for the next high. That is my relationship with food. And I have no control. People that suffer from Compulsive Overeating have what can be labeled not only as an eating disorder, but also as an addiction and even more so as an illness. There are many reasons why people become addicted to food, many using eating as a way to cope with problems or stress in their lives. Eating can also help them conceal their emotions, to fill the emptiness that they feel inside. Food is used as a narcotic to not deal with their feelings or emotions. The tendency for people with this eating disorder is overweight because of the abnormal eating habits. People that do not suffer from the epidemic can and won’t empathize with the victims because of the common stereotypes, stereotype such as greed, gluttony or lack of disciple. Simple suggestions to a sufferer such as “Just slow down or go on a diet” are equally insulting as telling a person suffering from Anorexia to “eat something”. Not only are the words hurtful, but this disorder will negatively bleed into the body and causes health risks. A sufferer with this Compulsive Overeating disorder is prone to high blood-pressure and cholesterol, can develop kidney disease or kidney failure, arthritis, deterioration of the bones, strokes, heart attacks,...
Words: 17730 - Pages: 71
