Eathing Habits and Food Culture Negativity

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Eating Habits and Food Culture in the United States
Being an ethnically and culturally diverse environment, the United States (U.S.) has experienced a myriad of changes in its food culture. An increasing level of immigrant groups has brought about immense pressure on the food system as it seeks to satisfy the population (Kulkami 190). A conglomerate of culture impacts diet quality, eating habits, food choice, and physical health. Alternatively, corporations in this sector have sought ways of solving this conundrum, and to say the least, they have not been the best methods that gear towards improving people’s health. For instance, there has been an upsurge in health-related outcomes such as the development of chronic illnesses and excessive weight gain (Alakaam et al. 105).
Giant corporations have had their hand to this result with companies instituting measures to enhance their sales with disregard for the ingredients and content of their products. To this end, one finds an unacceptable level of calories in the foods coupled with the fact that they are relatively affordable to the masses. Such a position is an indirect justification to Pollan’s assertion that “the Western diet is fast, cheap, and easy” (425). Eating habits and food culture in the U.S. gain traction because of the adverse health consequences to its citizens and therefore, concerned stakeholders particularly, government agencies ought to articulate better policies including marketing procedures for companies to ensure that its population is healthy.
The most evident health consequence of the ensuing dietary habits of American citizens is excessive weight and obesity. The fast-food industry takes a significant share of this blame considering that its products are cheap and more importantly, concentrated with fat, sugar, and salt. These ingredients are facilitators to tremendous levels of addiction as they alter people’s taste glands and consequently, the individual strays away from the taste of healthy foods. As a result, there is an insurmountable level of the obesity crisis. To this end, approximately, 40 million adults, which is about a quarter of this specific population is regarded as obese. These are clinically defined cases meaning that this matter should be regarded with the gravity that it deserves. Besides, Moss states that the number of kids that are considered as obese has “more than doubled since 1980” and “had shot past 12 million. Estimations indicate that this number will soar higher with time. It becomes a dangerous proposition considering that children are the future of the nation.
Surprisingly, even though it may not be surprising per se, some companies involved in this saga do not perceive it as a major problem. An excellent example is that which is amplified by the head of General Mills, Stephen Sanger. In his speech at one of the industry’s high-end meetings, Sanger snared “Don’t talk to me about nutrition” in a typical consumer’s voice. Instead, he revealed the role of taste, which to him was the customer’s primal concern. In his subsequent sayings, he claimed that their company wa...