What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of America? I am sure many beautiful things come to mind, yet we must look beyond the beauty and face the facts. Did food cross your mind as well? How about fast food? I mean, fast food may come to mind when considering the tremendous number of available options. Did you think about obesity and how it affects both adults and children? The frequent, dangerous, and expensive chronic disease is claimed to be “a grave public health threat, more serious even than the opioid epidemic,” and before I forget to emphasize the seriousness, “obesity accounts for 18 percent of deaths in America" (“Rising Obesity in the United States Is a Public Health Crisis”) Many of you may argue that we are responsible for the food choices we make, and I agree to some extent. However, it is time to realize that our food choices negatively affect our health and the environment. It is not too late to make a change; healthier food choices can improve human health and keep the environment safe. Additionally, we urgently require …show more content…
It is time to make a change and take control of our health and the health of our planet. An article on the WHO website states, "A healthy diet is the foundation for health, well-being, optimal growth, and development" (World Health Organization: WHO, “Healthy Diet”). Instead of planting nuts, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that are needed for a balanced diet, we use over one-third of the world's croplands so we can feed the many cows needed for the meat industry. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions will rise and eventually destroy the environment. For this reason, we should start educating ourselves and those around us on the importance of healthy eating and exercise and push for policies that make it easier for everyone to access healthy food