Gaining Weight: Kilos of Responsability

In 2003, the parents of two teenage girls sued McDonald’s claiming that the food chain was responsible of their kids’ obesity. The suit was dismissed by the federal judge that was in charge of that case because of the lack of arguments. According to CNN news, judge Robert Sweet said during the trial that “the complaint failed to allege the McDonald's products consumed by the plaintiffs were dangerous in any way other than that which was open and obvious to a reasonable consumer”. The concern here is if people are supposed to know the basic things about nutrition, health, and food, or if fast-food franchises -and the different institutions and places children assist, like schools for example -should change their products into healthier ones or have the obligation of giving specific data to their customers about the food they’re selling. ¿Who’s responsible for an individual’s obesity? ¿Himself, or the places he eats at? ¿Is it the government, the society, or his own family?

Kids from 6 to 8 years old spend most of their time at school, so this is a very influent environment for them. Schools are aware of the problematic situation that kids’ health is passing through so they try to give them the very best. Since elementary school, children are taught about nutrition: it is common for teachers to give assignments about the nutritional pyramid, planning a healthy menu, bringing a healthy dish to the classroom for an outdoor learning picnic, etc. Earlier this year, members of the National Congress in Mexico approved a law against child obesity: no fast food or junk food can be sold at schools. Instead, schools can sell food with higher nutritional value and less fat and calories, all of this plus the exercise that is mandatory for gym class.

The family is another important surrounding for kids. It is known that eating habits are learnt and that’s why it is common to see thin families and fat families. Who eats properly will teach his kids to do the same, and vice versa. It is important that doctors offer or give counseling about this matter to soon-to-be parents in order to avoid obesity as strongly as other health problems are attacked and prevented. The government could also take part on this by organizing campaigns to give people that have fewer economic possibilities free counseling about eating habits, or approve laws to give specific diet instructions as part of the regular medic exam for every patient.

Fast-food chains are all around the globe, and in most countries at least one restaurant of that kind is standing at every corner. Executives could design strategies to mention nutrition facts, implement an alternative healthier menu, etc., that could work even as merchandising. What is true about restaurants like McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr., Burger King, and others, is that their advertising is very tricky showing appetizing images, toys, fun, and sometimes even sex is implicitly used in their commercials in order to drag kids to their food. Someone could say that “as cigarettes commercials were banned because smoking causes cancer, also fast-food commercials should be banned too because it causes obesity”, That might be a reasonable argument, but it is commonly known, and if it isn’t then it is a well-known urban myth, that fast food contains a very high percentage of fat, salt, carbohydrates and conservatives which, if consumed constantly, cause serious cardiovascular, liver, pancreas, renal and colon problems besides obesity, and I think that if a kid has access to fast-food advertising in a country like the US is because he also has some knowledge about it.

Whatever causes obesity has, I think that no one is responsible of a kid’s obesity. Every different factor is part of the sum that equals “if we do this, it is more likely that the kid will be…” Yes, I think kids must be taught about nutrition at school and at home, and that fast-food restaurants must take some of their social commitment and canalize it into warning the kids about nutrition facts, healthier alternatives, etc. because that way they would be saving money that goes as donations for organizations that fight diseases that sometimes are developed because obesity. People need to be more conscious and figure out for themselves which are the problems they’re facing and do something about it. But no matter who’s at fault, at the end all the responsibility will decay on the kid’s shoulders because he is the one who has the last decision. A kid could be taught how to eat one way or another, and be told all the pros and cons about fast-food, but he is the one that is going to decide if listening and take care of himself or not.