Are restaurants and junk food producers responsible?

Discuss the March 2016 Eating Bull by Carrie Rubin.

(Note, Carrie Rubin's previous book The Seneca Scourge was book of the month in December 2012. :) )
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Re: Are restaurants and junk food producers responsible?

Post by Sarah_Khan »

I do not think they are responsible because we make our own choices. No one is forcing junk food down our throats when we decide to indulge in that type of food. I think a lot of people are just searching for someone to blame other than themselves.
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Post by afrakes »

The ultimate responsibility is on the consumer. But considering the prompt, does any responsibility also fall on a government? It's interesting to consider this point of view. Remember that Denmark proposed a failed fat tax/sugar tax on their goods fairly recently.
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Post by Annelore Trujillo »

I wouldn't say that they are responsible. They are not forcing people to go out and consume their foods. They are there as an option. This option does not cause obesity unless it is abused. I go out and eat at restaurants or buy junk food once in a while, but I am not obese. I don't really see how we could place blame on the restaurants and junk food companies when we are the ones that choose to eat the foods.
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Post by Gravy »

anneloretrujillo wrote:I don't really see how we could place blame on the restaurants and junk food companies when we are the ones that choose to eat the foods.
If you're going by this argument, drug dealers shouldn't be held responsible.
Not saying it's exactly the same, obviously it's not, but it is similar enough to warrant the argument.
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Post by Annelore Trujillo »

Gravy wrote: If you're going by this argument, drug dealers shouldn't be held responsible.
Not saying it's exactly the same, obviously it's not, but it is similar enough to warrant the argument.


I understand your point here, but I wouldn't say that we can hold dealers responsible for the addictions and problems the drugs cause. They are punished for selling items that aren't legal. If they weren't selling the drugs, their buyers would simply go somewhere else. It is the buyers choice to buy and use the drug. The same is true for restaurants and junk food companies.
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Post by Gravy »

I can concede to that point, but then it should be said that these companies should be held to higher standards. And that the food that's offered should be of a better, more nutritious quality.

It's pretty bad when these places want so badly to save a little bit of money that they'll serve horse meat! :puke-front:

The whole thing is a sad, sorry situation, that just serves as an example of the world we live in, and, until people get fed up with it, nothing will change.
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Post by Clifora »

It's probably the fault of the people more than the fault of the restaurants and junk food producers. The people should have self-control and know when they have eaten enough junk food. However, the restaurants and junk food producers aren't helping either - it is partially their fault.
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Post by fari30 »

While restaurants and junk food producers certainly contribute to it, they are not the sole cause of the obesity epidemic. Individuals must be aware of what they are consuming and the information must also be available. Additionally, other sources, such as lack of physical activity or overeating, are also definite contributors.
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Post by AuthoressofMystery »

bekkilyn wrote:While I don't believe any one single source is responsible for obesity, I do recognize how powerful the food industry has become and feel that they do have a greater responsibility in general due to holding that amount of power and influence.
I agree with you, bekkilyn. I feel that the food industry has a larger responsibility and should therefore take some action in making positive changes. However, I also think that we should better know what we are putting in our bodies and act accordingly.
We'll use PPG as an example. Would you drink anti-freeze fluid? Probably not, but, most people don't mind drinking the same poisonous ingredients (PPG, artificial dye, etc) found in a lot of popular sodas such as Mountain Dew, candy bars, even pasta meals and toothpaste. It may be "safe" in "smaller" amounts, but that is only if we are ingesting small amounts. Hard to do when so many foodstuffs and drinks list it as an ingredient. Then we have to take into consideration how long it stays in our system, and how it reacts with our bodies. Does it breakdown our immunities and leave us susceptible to Auto-Immune Diseases?
What do you think all these unnatural substances are doing to our bodies? How could our bodies not respond by rebelling against such unnatural ingredients?
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Post by AA1495 »

I don't think so. I know many fitness freaks who wouldn't touch junk food. It's about self control and determination.
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Post by zero_macabre »

I'm going to say that they indeed do play a part in the obesity epidemic, but they're not the ones who are mainly responsible. Honestly, I don't think it's anyone else's fault but the people. They should try to have discipline and stop themselves from eating to much unhealthy food. After all, they are the ones in control of their body, what they do, what they eat, and it is up to them to maintain their own body health. It would not be fair to push all the blame to the restaurants to the junk food producers just because they are the ones who sell the food.
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Post by Wasif Ahmed »

It is the customer's fault that he is not able to resist the temptation. Even if a customer does eat junk food regularly then he should work out also to balance the diet which no one does. Food outlets are just helping people to relieve their hunger and also make money in the process. It is a person's fault that he is over eating.
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Post by alwaysdaddygirl »

I only read the sample. No. No one is pulling a gun, to ate any type of food. Even if you live under a rock (like me), you know the dangers of bad eating habits. Blaming restaurants, etc would be stupid.


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Post by Camogirl217 »

PashaRu wrote:Admittedly, it has become more difficult to eat healthy in recent decades. But blaming restaurants and junk food is a bit of a cop-out. It seems people want to blame their problems on everything and everybody else these days instead of assuming a mote of personal responsibility.
I agree too! People would rather blame others than admit they're too lazy to diet or workout. If you want to be healthy and good-looking, you really have to work for it.
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Post by Vermont Reviews »

nkkimble1 wrote:no, i don't feel as if they are responsible for the obesity epidemic, plus who says it's an epidemic??? yes it is very prevalent nowadays but is it really worth calling an epidemic? we as humans are gonna to do what we want when we want and that goes for eating what we want when we want, it's not the restaurants or the junk food peoples faults its ours, we want to eat whatever and come up with excuses of why we can't exercise, or we were just born with some kind of abnormality that causes us to gain weight much more faster than the average person, either way we should try to eat as best as we can and make more time for exercise

I agree

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