1. Summary of “Don’t Blame the Eater”
By KimberlyMiksell
In the article,“Don’tblame the eater,”DavidZinczenkoarguesthatfastfood companiesare to
blame forthe nation’sobesitybymarketingunhealthyfoodchoicestochildren. The authorsympathizes
withobese childrenbecause he usedtobe one,himself. Mr.Zinzenkostatesthatfastfoodindustries
are, “marketingtochildren,aproductwithprovenhealthhazardsandno warninglabels”,andindoing
so are makinghuge profits. Soif these companiesare beingsuedbycustomersbecause of theirhealth
problemsbroughtonbyconsumingunhealthyproducts,the fastfoodcompaniesprobablydeserve it.
The author goeson to state that these companiesshouldtake the appropriate actionbyproviding
betternutritioninformationandprovidinghealthyalternativesontheirmenus. Eventually,Mr.
Zinczenkoenteredcollege andbeganworkingforahealthmagazine,turninghislife around. He started
livingahealthylifestyle andlostthe excessweight. Furthermore,the authorcame to realize that
nutritionisa personal responsibilityandthatconsumersneedtobe more informedabouthow many
caloriestheyare consuming.
In conclusion,Iagree withMr. Zinczenko’sattempttowarnconsumersabouthow unhealthy
fastfoodsreallyare. I foundthisout frompersonal experience. Istartedworkingat McDonald’sinhigh
school and continuedworking there forfifteenyears. A few yearsback,I startedhaving
gastroenterological issuesandwasupto nearlythree hundredpounds. Iwasworkinginan inpatient
pharmacyat the time andone day I startedhavingchestpainsand collapsed. Ithoughtitwasa heart
attack! The EMT’s rushedme to the emergencyroomandaftersome tests,theyinformedme thatIhad
fifteengallstonesandthatmygallbladderwouldhave tobe removedbysurgerybefore itburst. After
the surgery,at my postopappointment mydoctorput me on a low fat dietandadvisedme against
eatingfastfood. He saidthat my gallstoneswere mostlikelycausedfromthe McDonald’sfoodthatI
ate dailyforfifteenyears. He said fastfoodisveryhigh incholesterol,the stuff thatcausesgallstones
and blockedarteries.