Evil Clown | Teen Ink

Evil Clown MAG

By Anonymous

     The United States of America has become the most overweight nation in the world (per capita) during the last 30 years. Busting waistlines give only a superficial idea of the impact our diet is having on our bodies.

Layers of fat put pressure on internal organs, especially lungs and heart. Clogged arteries also create problems. It all adds up. You end up taking shorter breaths because your lungs are unable to expand fully, less oxygen can flow to your heart because of the small passageways, and your unhealthy heart is left with nothing to pump. If people continue their poor eating habits, obesity will surpass smoking as the leading cause of preventable deaths in America. For having so much pride in our nation, our people as a whole don’t have much to show for it.

Ray Kroc may be accountable for the beginning of the madness. Observing the success of the McDonald brothers’ Speedee Service System and dreaming of its potential, Kroc bought the business in hope of developing his own fast-food chain. Little did he know, he was about to unleash an empire. The appeal of grabbing food on the go caught on quickly as one McDonald’s led to two to three - and now there are 30,000 restaurants around the globe with 2,000 opening each year. The restaurant stresses the importance of making the customer happy, which seems hypocritical when Happy Meals serve heart disease and clogged arteries with a toy.

Ironically, our role models in magazines and on TV have slimmed down. In Marilyn Monroe’s time, her curves were idolized and coveted by every woman in America. Now the ideal woman is 5' 5", 110 pounds - a drastic difference.

School cafeterias aren’t helping the problem. Salad dressing packets, at 220 calories, condemn a meal when added to deep-fried chicken. In that case, even the bed of lettuce can’t save you. Cafeteria lunches often contain more than 1,000 calories. Following the recommended 2,000 calorie per day diet, that’s half of your daily allowance.

Lunch menus with fruit and vegetables have been implemented in correctional schools. These students have experienced better moods, higher grades, and better attention in class. The best part about these plans, though, is they cost about the same as the fattening menus. Schools have not implemented these practices, however, because they are persuaded by the name-brand companies to keep their foods in schools so students will recognize their brands. Exploiting students is against everything schools say they are about, and it causes major distractions in the learning environment.

When 96 percent of our children can recognize Ronald McDonald, we should know we have a severe problem. Drastic actions must be taken - and fast.



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This article has 6 comments.


i love this so much!

on Mar. 8 2011 at 11:01 am
shmexybeast15 BRONZE, Paso Robles, California
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that is why they call it the present.

I think that it was a great article.  I say that ya it's not good that people don't do anyting about it, and that it isn't healthy.  Then again it's their choice to live that way.  If they want to live like that then let them.  let them decide when it's best to give up that life style not you.  If anything it's like I say you can't fight peoples battles for them they have to learn on their own or they will never learn the correct way.

ScienceKid said...
on Mar. 6 2011 at 6:06 am
I know this to be true. The last time I went to Costco, I noticed that there were, like, over 40 obese/overweight people! 66% of ALL people in America are either obese or overweight!!! (I, being a skinny beanpole, am in the minority.) Fries are the most commonly eaten vegetable in this country!if people are obese, why don't they do anything about it!? C'mon, America!

Em[ily] said...
on Nov. 18 2010 at 1:47 pm
Wow  this is PATHETIC! How can America be so foolish!? GREAT article though!

on May. 26 2010 at 10:16 am
float_away SILVER, Pheonix, Arizona
6 articles 2 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love moderately, long love doth so." ~Shakespeare

thats crazy and insane... and rediculus. there is no excuse for our nation now. 

*sigh*


Bethani GOLD said...
on Mar. 23 2010 at 11:41 pm
Bethani GOLD, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
10 articles 0 photos 508 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is perfect until you sit back and realize how boring it is without risks.

some of this information such as the model difference, I didn't know about. thanks for a great article!