Article I wrote "You Are What You Eat"

 

Abstract

This paper will take the position that junk food should be banned. It should be

banned because of its many consequences; however, this paper will focus on obesity,

depression, and poor oral health. Some argue that eating unhealthily is convenient

and saves time, however, these are not justifiable reasons.

 

You Are What You Eat

 

In the past, people had to prepare homemade meals before going to work. Today, however, it is increasingly common to find people doing the opposite, opting out of cooking and instead choosing to purchase a quick meal for their lunch break. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as time or convenience.

In our post-modern society, many people experience quite hectic schedules with little free time, thus causing most to buy lunch. Unfortunately, many people can only afford the bare minimum. Although they may be exposed to both healthy and unhealthy options, they will often choose the latter simply because of the price. What they don’t necessarily realize, however, is the price they will have to pay if they continuously eat unhealthy junk food. Junk food should not be allowed because it leads to a higher risk of obesity, depression, and dental distress.           

Eating junk food should not be allowed because it leads to a higher risk of obesity. Obesity is when your body has too much fat. Obesity can cause a lot of damage to your body.

People with severe obesity are more likely to have other diseases. These include type 2

diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and many more. Combined with obesity, these

diseases lead people to have a lower quality of both health and life. In some cases, these can lead to disability or early death.

Eating junk food shouldn’t be allowed because it leads to a higher risk of depression. Eating junk food increases the risk of becoming depressed, a study has found, prompting calls for doctors to routinely give dietary advice to patients as part of their treatment for depression. In contrast, according to HealthyDay News, those who follow a traditional Mediterranean diet are much less likely to develop depression because the fish, fruit, nuts, and vegetables that diet involves helps protect against mental health problems, the research suggests.

Eating junk food shouldn’t be allowed because it leads to a higher risk of dental distress. Junk food is bad for oral health because of the added salt and sugar found in it. When people eat these foods, debris is more likely to stick to their teeth, causing a build-up of plaque. Bad oral health has also been linked to bad cardiac health. Oftentimes, the plaque we build up in our teeth is transferred to our bloodstream with daily activities like brushing teeth. Popular drinks such as soda pop can wear down tooth enamel. The sugars found in carbonated beverages will break down the enamel of their teeth. The food debris allows acids to build up along the surface of their teeth. Eventually, this causes tooth decay and cavities.

            People are correct in that eating junk food is definitely convenient and saves time. The time they would have spent cooking is instead spent with loved ones or doing enjoyable activities. However, this is only true for the short run. When we look at the negative health effects previously discussed, we can see that a lot of time is lost from our healthy lifespan as a result of our decisions.

Some may argue that eating unhealthily isn’t our decision, but rather forced on us because of a lack of finances or lack of availability. This is visible in poor communities such as Detroit, Michigan, where residents are living in food deserts and only have feasible access to unhealthy food. In this case, healthy food should be provided to the people by the government. By investing in healthy food for the community, they are preventing a variety of diseases and subsequent healthcare costs.

Whether it is our decision or not isn’t the question as the result remains the same. In the long run, eating healthy saves us time and is better for our health. Junk food should not be allowed because of its associations with obesity, depression, and bad oral health. Time and convenience are not justifiable reasons.