Synthesis Essay On Fast Food

The United States prides itself on freedom. So much so, that it states in the first amendment that an individual has freedom to many vast concepts, such as religion or speech. Freedom also applies to simple daily decisions; a common example of this is deciding what to eat. However the decision of what to eat, or where to eat, is deceitful because it is not solely one's own. Instead the pressure of the food industry and their advertising tactics, manipulates consumer choices into things that earn them profit. Additionally this lack of freedom is seen from a young age when students are contained in classrooms most of the day. In this case, freedom is not an abstract concept, but physical in the lack of exercise children in school receive.

It is argued that what one person chooses to eat, another will pass up due to it being unhealthy. Although yes, only individuals can decide this for themselves, many surrounding factors influence the end conclusion. For instance the type of neighborhood one lives in. A study found on average there are three times as few supermarkets in poor neighborhoods, then there are in the average wealthy neighborhood (Source 2). Instead there are closely located fast food restaurants that offer meals for appealing cheap prices. Another source people in lower income areas opt for is the local convenience store; where there is no shortage of chips, candy and soda (Source 2). Around five to ten dollars per meal is a much cheaper price than what would take to transport someone to a store that is far away, and then purchase their groceries. For those who do have access to a grocery store, or choose to take the extra transit needed, the price of food is once again a driving decision factor. It was proven between 1989 and 2005, the price of fruits and vegetables in the United states increased by 75%, while the price for fatty foods decreased by 26% (Source 2). In terms of smart spending, there is an obvious choice as to what type of food is a better financial decision. The problem is, it contrasts what would be chosen as the healthier food option. The same situation is applied for packaged products that offer an original version, and then a healthier version. The product that has less sugar, salt, and more protein will be set at a higher price than its less nutritious counterpart. Leading price and the ability to access a proper grocery store to guide consumers to making unhealthy choices in what they buy or