Why America has to be fat (Phuong Nguyen)

The article “Why America has to be fat” by Michael S. Rosenwald discusses reasons for American’s obesity. The main point is that America’s economy need American to be fat so that firms can make profit. It is said that “a lot of money is being made, and to be made, in feeding.” Therefore, in those industries, the future of those firms depends on prevalence of obesity.

Specifically, there are three reasons for the problem. First of all, changes in the workplace make people to burn fewer calories. People don’t have to do so much manual work as before. Second, people don’t want to give up their free time nor pay to exercise. Third, advances in technology provide shorter time to prepare and consume food. All these factors make America fatter and fatter.

The writer also points out some economic costs of the issue. It could bankrupt the health insurance industry, so the burden would fall on US firms and American taxpayers. The most important, “shorter life spans will more quickly take millions of educated people out of the workforce.”

The article points out a very hot problem at present as well as a surprising reason for it. It makes people to think about the issue from a new and interesting perspective.