The U.S. likes having a good reputation internationally but having the highest obesity rate in the world diminishes this reputation. The number of obese and overweight people has increased significantly in the recent decades, giving the U.S. this high rate. Obesity has spun out of control and I support government action that will improve the health of the country. The national government  passed a law in 2010 stating that all chain restaurants with more than 20 locations must post the amount of calories in their food on their menu. This was an important step because portions are typically bigger at restaurants than at home. Customers were previously unaware of the calorie counts of food they were eating. Restaurant go-ers can easily consume more than 1,000 calories solely from an entree at a restaurant, and dinning out is a contributing cause of obesity.

This healthcare reform law is helping citizens have the ability to be able to control the calories they intake at restaurants. The law is a good tactic because it doesn’t restrict the foods that restaurant sell but it shows people what they are eating, which they should have the right to know. Advocates of federal government food action argue that careless food marketing has a huge influence on children’s eating habits and are recommending that the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity is right to pressure companies to display food advertisements more responsibly. I agree with this because food marketing displays have a great impact on the food that children eat. The advertisements feature children eating unhealthy foods and show the smiles on their faces.  This marketing has created the stereotypical “kid food” such as hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, fries, and soda. If companies show children being healthy, happy, and eating healthier foods it would inspire children to eat healthier. This step would not control what the businesses sell, for that would be against their rights, but it would force companies to advertise the healthier items they have on their menus as well. Food companies that argue that they should have more control over advertising, would simply be suggesting that they don’t care about the health of our nation, specifically our children. The children are the future of our country and good health is essential for success.