Childhood Obesity in the U.S.- Revised 2

I am concerned about the relationship between Childhood Obesity and fast food, such as french fries or hamburgers from McDonald's. McDonald's offers consumers a special meal for children called Happy Meal comes with toys which children are attracted. I agree with the Ban of Toys on Happy Meals in California.

The first reason for the ban on toys in Happy Meals is that children want to eat more and more after eating the fast food. When my daughter was an elementary student, she used to say frequently, "I want to eat French fries."   At the begging, her purpose nagging me buying French fries might get a free toy in Happy Meals, but it seemed to be addictive after asking me repeatedly, so I avoided buying her French fries. USA Today, a magazine, reported, " Because junk food has been shown to have addictive qualities, information and education are keys   to changing attitudes, just   as with the campaign   smoking" ("Toy Story: San Francisco Bars")

Second, children are addicted to collecting toys; there are a lot of characters in a series of cartoons. Children want to eat the Happy Meals with their high calories, high fat and high sodium, repeatedly to get more toys, so it risks children's health. The ordinance, the legislative Board   of Supervisor, said, "Restaurants will be allowed to offer free toys, trading cards, admission tickets, or other treats only   with meals   containing fewer than 600 calories, fewer than 640 milligrams   of sodium, less than 35 percent   of calories     from fat, and less than 10 percent saturated fat"("Happy Meals Ban: No Toys   for You").

Finally, I point out that the TV advertisements on Happy Meals in McDonald's used the attraction of toys to impress children the Happy Meals even though a hamburger, French fries, nuggets, and soda harm children's health. Elizabeth Fuller says, "Customers have bought about 20 million McDonald's Happy Meals since they were first introduced in 1979. The most popular toys in McDonald's history were the Teen Beanie: more than 100 million were given away from Happy Meals" ("Happy Meal Ban:"). The facts indicate that many children have been consumed Happy Meals because the free toys attracted children although they are unhealthy food for children.

Overall, McDonald's should stop giving free toys with Happy Meals because it comes to unhealthy food and leads children to a high-risk symptom like childhood obesity. That's why parents sometimes would consider whether they should buy the Happy Meals or not. However, free toys are attractive and satisfied their feelings. On the other hand, their because of the total calories. I suggest that the fast food restaurants should provide the menus which replace low calorie and healthy meals, such as vegetables, fruits, or baked potatoes if McDonald's wants to keep giving toys to kids.

In addition, Michael Moss, a journalist of New York Times, points that the junk food is a legalized type of narcotic which is deliberated with manipulating three key ingredients- salt, sugar, and fat.   According to a book, "Salt Sugar Fat", Moss also alleges that human beings' health issues, such as obesity, heart disease or diabetes, are directly associated with the ingredients, salt, sugar, and fat.

My younger daughter, seventeen years old, likes pizza. I realized that it is not only palatable but also fatty is consisted of fats, salt, and sugar.   As getting older, I'm not likely to eat junk food or fast food like pizza, but my daughter sometimes wants to eat them. It might be hard for her to stop eating all of them. However, knowing and considering how much calories, sugar or salt the food we eat contains is very important to all of us. Since my daughter knew how much sugar is included a bottle of soda, she has never drunk them even though she prefers to drink soda whenever she eats a piece of pizza. 

 Works Cite

"California Town Bans Toys in Happy Meal." N.p., 29 Apr. 2010. Web. 29 May 2015.

Fuller, Elizabeth. "Happy Meal Ban: No Toys for You!" Christian Science Monitor 4 Nov. 2010: n. pag. EBCO Publishing. Web.

Moss, Michael. Sugar, Salt, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us. N.p.: McClelland & Stewart, 2013. Print.

O'Callaghan, Tiffany. "California County Bans Toys in Happy Meals." Time Magazine n.d.: n. pag. Web.

"Toy Story: San Francisco Bars Happy Meal Treats for Tots." Usa Today n.d.: n. pag. EBSCO Publishing. Web. 26 May 2015.