In her article Can't Stomach It, Julie Guthman addresses today's "problem" with obesity. She tackles questions such as whether obesity is a disease and f people like Michael Pollan have done the public well with their writings. She brings up the point that shows like The Biggest Loser may have contributed to the recent thrust in dieting drugs, fitness center and other such good and services into the general public. She raises a question that got me excited at first but after thinking about it, it didn't really make so much sense to me. She asks " why are Pollan, Goodall and Nestle not fat? If junk food is so ubiquitous that it cannot be resisted. how is it that some people remain (or become) thin?
First off, Pollan admits that certain unhealthy foods do attract consumers but from what I have read he never blatantly writes that they are irresistible. And if he did say that then he would be wrong because everyone knows some one who does not eat junk food and unhealthy foods. Secondly, as much as we need food, I believe that it hasn't been scientifically proven that food is addicting. The fact that you may really enjoy a fruit by the foot does not mean that the next time you are given the opportunity to have one, you would uncontrollably need to have another one. Again, this proves that irresistibility is farce. Lastly, most people do value life. If that is the case then when on a normal checkup at the doctor you are given news of; high cholesterol, high blood pressure or any symptoms of early obesity, people should be scared to change. If people value unhealthy food over staying alive, and not breaking the hearts of their children, family and friends then they are just not the smartest people.
Is food actually addicting?
Why do people not fear for their lives when they consume so much unhealthy food?
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