The Growing Health Crisis in the United States

Vocabulary Review

Carcinogenic (adjective) – able to cause cancer.

Example: Cigarettes contain carcinogenic chemicals.

Artificial (adjective) – not natural and made by humans.

Example: The juice contained artificial colors and flavors.

To be at fault (phrase) – to be responsible for something bad that happened or a mistake.

Example: The company was at fault for the oil spill because it didn’t follow safety rules.

Insight (noun) – a deep understanding or clear view about a situation or problem.

Example: The psychologist gave valuable insight into why people make unhealthy choices.

To derive (verb) – to make or create something from something else.

Example: Many English words are derived from Latin or Greek / My shirt is derived from cotton.

Petroleum (noun) – a thick, black liquid found underground that is used to make gasoline and other products.

Example: The country’s economy depends heavily on petroleum exports.

Dye (noun) – something that is used to add color to a food or drink.

Example: The red blue dye in my blueberry juice made my tongue blue for hours.

Preservatives (noun) – chemicals added to food to keep it fresh for longer.

Example: Many people try to avoid foods with artificial preservatives.

Laboratories (noun) – special rooms where scientists do tests and experiments.

Example: My friend is a scientist and she invited me to come visit her laboratory and see what she does.

Recipe (noun) – The ingredients needed to cook something.

Example: My grandmother gave me her secret chocolate cake recipe.

Steroids (noun) – Chemicals that are used to make muscles grow faster.

Example: Some athletes take steroids to improve performance, even though it’s illegal.

Notorious (adjective) – famous for something bad.

Example: In the 1990s, New York City was notorious for all kinds of crime and danger.

Stereotype (noun) – a common, generalized and often inaccurate idea or belief about a group of people - these are sometimes offensive or rude.

Example: It is a good idea to not believe the stereotypes that you hear about people, such as "All Americans are rich and fat."

Crisis (noun) – a serious problem that needs immediate attention.

Example: The company faced a financial crisis after losing its biggest client.

Widespread (adjective) – existing or happening in many places or among many people.

Example: There is widespread support for banning plastic bags in the city.

The Growing Health Crisis in the United States

A common stereotype about Americans is their deep love of fast food, unfortunately though, in recent years, the obsession with big macs, coca-colas, and pizza has turned into a public health crisis. According to a recent survey done by the CDC (Center for Disease Control), nearly 70% of Americans are categorized as obese. In fact, obesity has become such a widespread issue that it is now legally recognized as a disability in the United States. That might seem shocking, but with gas stations selling 3.7-liter cups of soda, and the average meal being 480% larger than the average European’s meal, it’s not really so surprising.

As shocking as the American portion size might be, it isn’t even close to being the biggest problem. American farms are notorious for their use of hormones and steroids in order to make the animals grow faster and larger. Although this helps lower the costs of meat production, a lot of these chemicals (such as ractopamine) are banned in most countries, due to health risks like heart disease, cancer, infertility, and sudden death, they have even been linked to behavioral changes such as increased aggression. So if you’re planning on going to the USA, you might want to consider becoming a temporary vegetarian.

We all know that fast food is bad, but in America it’s probably worse than you think. Recently, fast food chains have been producing addictive flavor chemicals in laboratories and adding them to their recipes. Dominoes uses something called “engineered salts” in their U.S. restaurants to make people become addicted to their food and unable to stop eating. These types of chemicals are banned in most countries but because the American regulations are much more lenient, they are still permitted. The unfortunate result is a nation of people that are addicted to unhealthy and fast foods.

If that isn't bad enough, Americans also consume countless artificial ingredients, including carcinogenic food dyes and preservatives. For example, the bright colors of candies like M&Ms may look fun, but some of their colorings are derived from petroleum (the same stuff used to make gasoline). While many of these dyes are banned in Europe, there are still no restrictions for these in the U.S. That’s also why candies and sodas are much brighter in the USA than they are in Europe and Asia.

Overall, the American diet seems to be less about food and more about a dangerous chemical experiment. But this insight into America should not only be shocking, but also a warning about how dangerous food habits can be and how hard it can be to change them. But who do you think is at fault here, the people eating the food, or the government and big businesses putting addictive, dangerous chemicals in their food?

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think portion sizes are so big in the U.S.?

• Should countries ban harmful food additives, even if they make food taste better?

• How does fast food and today's fast paced culture affect people’s daily habits?

• Do you think obesity should be considered a disability? Why or why not?

• Should the government be responsible for the health of a nation?

• How can individuals and schools help promote healthier lifestyles?

• How is food culture different in your country compared to the U.S.?

• is it cheaper to cook your own meals or to eat fast food in your country?

• Do you think you can eat healthily without always cooking meals at home?

• How often do you eat fast food or junk food?

• What's your favorite comfort food?

• Do you think we should give kids candy as a reward?

• How can we make a country healthier?

• Should fast food and junk food companies have to pay for a portion of the nation's healthcare?