Hutchins 1

Sara Hutchins
Professor Saul
English 1010
8, December 2011
Annotated Bibliography
Matz, Judith. Recipe for Life. Psychotherapy Networker Inc. sks.sirs.com
Jan/Feb 2001, Vol 35, No.1 pg.18+. 21 November 2011.

In the article, Recipe for Life, author and psychologist Judith Matz brings to light the
topic of overeating by explaining her experiences as well as a successful and psychological
solution known as attuned or intuitive eating. Her view is that in todays culture what has
happened is that our internal regulation systems, that essentially tells our bodies when we are full
have become compromised and in turn it becomes easy to overeat as those signals lose their
sensitivity. It is her belief that attuned eating, which she explains to be, The regulation of food
consumption according to the internal cues of hunger and satiety is a viable solution to stop
overeating, emotional eating, and other weight issues. Through research and her own treatment
of patients she has found this method to have a positive outcome with improved health, increased
pleasure and enjoyment of food, decreased food anxieties, and better coping skills with the way
it trains people to recognize and strengthen those hampered signals by asking simple questions
such as, Am I truly hungry? and doing away with the deprivation of bad foods. Matz
concludes by quoting a famous quote by Gandhi which reads, We must be the change we want
to see in the world.

This article, Recipe for Life, written by Judith Matz is very well written and is incredibly
detailed. The information she gives is very believable because she gives case studies and is a
trained psychologist, giving us a sense of security with her text. Her solution is not one I have
every really heard of before which makes it intriguing and it is also physiologically natural
because it deals with internal regulation. This article is informative and gives insight to solutions
in dealing with overeating, etc. making it exceptional for my final project.

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Annotated Bibliography
Shannon, Brownlee. Lets Stop Being Passive about Fighting Obesity. TIME. ideas.time.com
15 November 2011. Web. 21 November 2011

In the article, Lets Stop Being Passive about Fighting Obesity, author, journalist, and
acting director of the Health Policy program at the New America Foundation, Shannon Brownlee
sheds light on the similarities between the past smoking epidemic and todays obesity epidemic.
Brownlee starts off by quoting the February 2010 American Journal of Preventative Medicine,
in saying, Obesity is a massive problem in the U.S. It rivals smoking in terms of its health
hazards. Brownlees view on the matter is that if obesity were to be viewed in the same
destructive, unattractive, and harmful way that smoking is viewed, perhaps people would
collectively change their perspective and be more willing to institute greater changes and
penalties for those who are overweight. She believes that measures such as higher insurance
premiums and higher taxes on food, which have been successful in the same way for smokers
and cigarettes, could change the acts of millions of people whether they are skinny, overweight,
or morbidly obese, and perhaps effectually put a dent in the rate of obesity. She mentions
alternatively that, The American public tends to protest that the measures are too draconian or
infringe on personal liberties or unfairly demonize people whom are overweight. Brownlee
talks about how society views smoking as distasteful and disgusting, but view obesity as
something that cannot be helped and are more likely to blame society. Brownlee thinks that
perhaps the mindset should be similar to that of the perception taken with smoking. Shannon
Brownlee concludes the article by saying, The war on smoking worked because it made
smoking shameful and the public health measures needed to fight it permissible. It may take an
even tougher approach to combat obesity, beginning with the recognition that its bad for all of
us.
Shannon Brownlees article is well written, and effectively compared smoking with obesity, two
things I had not previously considered or taken into account to compare. Her article is detailed
and she shows the readers different facets of obesity and smoking, offering some hard but
reasonable solutions that have been used successfully in the past. Her information and opinion is
going to be very helpful in my final project.

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Annotated Bibliography
Bittman, Mark. A Tax on Fat. International Herald Tribune. 06 Oct 2011: 7. SIRS Issues
Researcher.
Web. Nov 21 2011.
A Tax on Fat, is an article written by Mark Bittman from the newspaper International
Herald Tribune. Bittman is an author, journalist, and food enthusiast who has worked for
Cooks, magazine as well as written his own books and used to write for, The New York
Times, and other reputable news sources. Bittman believes that putting a tax (which is being
implemented in places such as Hungary and Denmark) on unhealthy food is the beginning of
leading the U.S. down a more healthful path and perhaps a more economically stable one too. He
begins by saying, Well lookee here: The inevitable move toward taxing unhealthful foods to
raise income and discourage damaging diets has begun. In Denmark, Bittman believes that there
are three reasons the tax is being implemented such as; to generate more income, taxes being put
to good use (progressive tax structure), and lastly social engineering which is described as
being the manipulation of the social position and function of individuals in order to manage
change in a society. Such taxes, Bittman believes, Theyll become a trend, and can
progressively solve a lot of problems, such as obesity, control health expenses, which will in
turn, help control the economy. Bittman has been advocating similar ideas for taxation on
unhealthful foods and is hopeful that such change will catch on ending with, Well see similar
taxes implemented throughout Scandinavia, and countries as diverse as France and Romania are
already considering them. When we can say the same of the United States, which needs these
taxes more than any country in the world, itll be time for a serious celebration. Perhaps a few
rounds of Danish?

Mark Bittmans article, A Tax on Fat, brings attention to the fact that although the United
States is growing increasingly concerned with the obesity epidemic, it is not implementing
obvious solutions that other nations are. This article is filled with information that makes one
wonder why the United States isnt doing the same, and offers the obvious solution of taxing
unhealthful foods (which would be evaluated). It is an interesting solution and would be a great
addition to my final project because of its merits.

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Annotated Bibliography
Wilson, Johnnie E. Obesity Threatens National Security. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta,
GA). 09 Feb

2010: A. 11. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 21 Nov 2011

In the article, Obesity Threatens National Security, Retired General and Executive
Advisory Councilman, Johnnie E. Wilson explains how the obesity epidemic is adversely
affecting the nations security. Obesity, it turns out, in the No. 1 reason why applicants fail to
qualify for military service, and it is posing serious health problems within the service. Wilson
refers back to a report by, Mission: Readiness, in which it reports, An alarming 75 percent of
all young people aged 17 to 24 are unable to join the military, not all of them from obesity, but
it was found that obesity was the number one reason. He argues that to properly defend our
nation, the military services will have to be at tip-top shape and will need to be physically able to
train rigorously and will need stamina to succeed as well as endurance, something that is
important in surviving certain situations. Wilson stresses that the place to start was in schools
when children are young and healthy habits and proper nutrition can be adequately met. Today,
retired admirals and generals are calling on Congress to support at least $1 billion per year in
new funding that will help improve nutrition standards for meals served in school. He mentions
how both Republican and Democrats are beginning to listen, realizing the implications of a
weak, sick, and defenseless nation. Wilson concludes the article by saying, We all have a roll to
ensure that our children have the change to live healthier lives. For those of us who have
dedicated our lives to protecting our country, this is a national priority.

In the article, Obesity Threatens National Security, Johnnie Wilson expresses his concerns
about the state of our national security when so many people trying to join the military are being
turned away because they are overweight. This article poses an interesting question, one that I
dont think a lot about. When you think of obesity you think of illness and health care costs and
diets, but this poses a new question about the nations safety if we are not fit to protect ourselves,
and that is why this is a great article for my final project.

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Annotated Bibliography
Robbins, John. The Food Revolution. 2001 Conari Press.
Book. 21 November 2011.

The Food Revolution, written by John Robbins, a bestselling author, founder of

EarthSave International, and chairman of Youth for Environmental Sanity is a book about how a
persons diet can save their life as well as heal the planet. In chapter one titled, What is the Food
Revolution? Robbins begins by introducing himself as the son of the creator of Baskin Robbins
ice cream, and the future he was unwilling to participate in. He believes that through decreasing
meat consumption, chemical consumption, and engineered foods will begin a revolution. The
truth is, most people care about world hunger, they are deeply concerned about global warming,
they abhor cruelty to animals, they know the planet is in crisis, they sense much of the food we
eat in this society is unhealthy, they are alarmed about the uncertainties of genetic engineering,
and they are looking for ways to express their caring and concern. His objective is to help
people become more aware of their behavior and awareness to stop the cause of disease and to
ultimately create healthier people and heal the earth form the damage and reverse the toll we
have taken. Perceptions are changing, being healthy is no longer considered to be so strange, and
those who eat food that cause diseases are starting to look at what they are doing, differently.
Robbins believes it is time to adopt healthier lives and Earth-friendly lifestyles, he concludes the
chapter by saying, May all be fed. May all be healed. May all be loved.

The Food Revolution is an in-depth book about we need to change the way we think, the way we
eat, and the way we perceive. John Robbins is very detailed in this chapter, sharing parts of his
past to connect the reader to him and he goes off to talk about the food industry and how it has
changed, both good and bad. It is an interesting work of what we can do to change and become
healthier, happier, and how to make sure future generations will get to do all of the things we get
to. This chapter/book has a lot of great information and gives me great facts to go off of for my
final project.

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Analysis of Sources
Recipe for Life, is an article written by Judith Matz, a psychologist who believes that a
method known as attuned eating or conscious eating is the answer to overeating, emotional
eating, and eating disorders. She argues that in todays society we have lost our ability to listen to
the internal cues that tell us when we are hungry or no longer hungry, causing overeating. But
through intuitive eating we can reclaim our ability to sense those internal cues. The prognosis
for losing weight and keeping it off as a result of dieting is bleak indeed, yet there's another way
a Zenlike way of eatingso natural, so intuitive, even so commonsensical that it's almost too
obvious. Still, it took a consciousness-raising movement to reclaim the idea of eating in response
to internal cues of hunger and fullness, rather than following external rules and prohibitions that
almost inevitably lead to overeating. He objective is to teacher her clients how to control their
eating habits through attuned eating, thereby decreasing emotional eating, overeating, and
disorders that are associated with food. This article is persuasive because Matz introduces a
solution to overeating that a lot of people take for granted or have not really considered as a
solution. She uses logos by introducing a compelling argument that is logical because it uses our
internal capabilities rather than some outside source that does not know anything about our
bodies. Pathos is used by giving the reader hope that perhaps they too could use this method as a
solution to their eating woes. Matz appeals to ethos by using her own case studies to inform the
readers as well as other psychologists, explaining her vocabulary and using examples to explain
her views and solutions.
In the article, Lets Stop Being Passive about Fighting Obesity, author Shannon
Brownlee argues that obesity is comparable to smoking and how over the years we have made
great strides in reducing smoking, but in recent years obesity has taken center stage as the new

Hutchins 7
health threat. In past and present, to reduce the rate of smokers people have become more willing
to impose penalties such as higher insurance premiums and higher taxes on cigarettes, but in turn
those same people are reluctant to impose similar penalties on those who are obese, blaming that
on societal woes, and sourcing smoking as a personal choice. What it really boils down to is our
willingness to blame the smoker, and even shame him or her. Smokings gross, we tell them.
Just cut it out. If you are obese, we are more likely to blame society. This article is persuasive
because of the authors ability to use logos, ethos, and pathos to get her point across. Brownlee
uses logos in explaining how obesity is comparable to smoking in its health threats and physical
danger, also using history to help the reader gain knowledge of a time frame, and also defining
larger words to help us understand her writing. Brownlee uses ethos by using correct grammar
and is sincere in her presentation of the subject, showing her readers that she is reliable and
passionate about the topic. Pathos is used in Brownlees article with how she engages an
emotional response by comparing smoking with obesity, concerning the reader and forces a
deeper thought that perhaps being obese is the new smoking, and even alarming the reader with
the similarities between the two.
In Mark Bittmans article, A Tax on Fat, he begins by informing readers of a new tax
that is taking place in far off countries, Well lookee here: The inevitable move toward taxing
unhealthful foods to raise income and discourage damaging diets has begun. Last month,
Hungary, almost unnoticed, began taxing foods with high levels of fat, salt and sugar. And earlier
this week, Denmark instituted an excise tax on foods high in saturated fat. Bittman believes that
the United States should follow the example and start taxing unhealthful foods to help curb the
rate of obesity and perhaps even change the thought process of people buying these foods that
are making them sick, unhealthy, and overweight by imposing a tax. In formulating this kind of a

Hutchins 8
tax, people would be asked to ask themselves if they are willing to buy something more
expensive purely out of want rather than of an actual need. This article is effective in the way
Bittman uses the imposition of higher taxes as a way to gauge a reaction and as a viable solution
to an ongoing threat. He also uses Denmark and Hungary as examples of places not even
considered in the obese range, and how they are using taxes on unhealthy foods as a preventative
and to also generate revenue for their government programs. Bittman uses logos by informing
the reader of the other countries already implementing the tax strategy as a solution, and by
giving his opinion. Ethos is used by Bittman in his vocabulary, sincerity, passion and usage of
words. Pathos is used when Bittman proposes the idea of higher taxes on unhealthy foods,
gauging a reaction to having to pay more money to prevent people from buying those bad foods
as often.
In another article on the topic of obesity entitled, Obesity Threatens National Security,
the author Johnnie E. Wilson who is a retired General from the United States Army begins by
sharing his and other former and current members of the armys concern for childhood obesity.
He argues that as the obesity rate continues to rise, the army is forced to turn people away
because they do not meet the qualifications to join the military based on their weight, creating a
potential threat to our national security. Its a simple cause and effect situation; who is supposed
to protect us when people are too unhealthy to do so? Obesity, it turns out, is the No. 1 reason
why applicants fail to qualify for military service, and it is posing serious health problems within
the services. Wilson believes that we need to start with our schools, introducing nutrient rich
food, a similar plan cultivated shortly after WWII, In 1946, the population was so
undernourished that many youth were unable to serve their country. Military leaders knew then
that the countrys defense required action and pushed for a new school lunch program. And by

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also seeking increased nutritional standards of beverages and competitive foods found in vending
machines on school grounds. Wilson appeals to both logos and pathos with the joined thought
that with our country facing increasing obesity and with the military having to turn so many
applicants away, our defenses will diminished and we will not be protected from unforeseen
threats as well as we should/could be.
In the book, The Food Revolution, author John Robbins begins his tale by introducing
his background which is that of the son of the co-creator of the famous Baskin-Robbins icecream chain. He informs us that many in his family had weight issues, his uncle and also cocreator died of a heart attack in his early fifties while his father developed serious diabetes and
high blood pressure. Rather than continue the chain, Robbins made the choice of leaving the ice
cream company to find his own path. I learned that the same food choices that do so much to
prevent disease that give you the most vitality, the strongest immune system, and the greatest
life expectancy were also the ones that took the least toll on the environment. It is Robbins
objective to share with people the benefits of compassionate eating as a viable solution to not
only heal us personally but also to heal the earth, which in recent years has the met the scrutiny
of scientists and many others concerning global warming and the Earths ability to continue
sustaining its growing population as well as addressing the harmful obesity epidemic which is at
its highest. I have written The Food Revolution in the belief that wounded and human as we
are we can still create a thriving and sustainable way of life for all. The restorative powers of
both human body and Earth are immense. Pathos is used in how Robbins tells his readers that
they are not helpless and can heal themselves as well as the planet through compassionate eating.
He uses logos by introducing the reader to his background having him appear to be
knowledgeable in the harmfulness of unhealthy foods with examples of his family, cause and

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effect. Robbins effectively brings ethos to this chapter with correct grammar and appropriate
vocabulary as well as showing us his sincerity on the topic.
Issue Summary
In this first article, Recipe for Life, psychologist Judith Matz talks about a method
known as attuned eating, a kind of eating that would help people regain their sense of internal
cues helping people realize when they are hungry or full that she has successfully run trials with
her patients. She also talks about the pit-falls of the diet industry which boasts about 600-billion
dollars in revenue, and offers an incredible amount of solutions yet the statistic remains that,
95% of dieters will regain the lost pounds. Matz also refers to the society in which we live in
saying, Weight is a complicated matter, which can be affected by a variety of factors, including
medical issues, such as thyroid problems or polycystic ovary syndrome, the side effects of
medications, poverty, stress, and lack of sleep. In Shannon Brownlees article she focuses on the
how smoking is comparative to obesity but indirectly agrees with the notion that weight has
many factors involved, We live in an obesogenic environment, a society in which everything
from the foods that are available to the way our cities and towns are built increases the chances
of gaining weight. Author, John Robbins says, The truth is, most people care about world
hunger, they are deeply concerned about global warming, they abhor cruelty to animals, they
know the planet is in crisis, they sense much of the food we eat in this society is unhealthy, and
they are alarmed about the uncertainties of genetic engineering, and they are looking for ways to
express their caring and concerns. Indicating that there are many factors that go into unhealthy
diets in todays society.

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In this second article, Lets Stop Being Passive about Fighting Obesity, by Shannon
Brownlee she begins by comparing two things, obesity and smoking, Weve made great strides
in reducing rates of smoking, measures have driven millions of smokers to quit and caused rates
of lung cancer and heart disease to decline. Brownlee believes that penalties such as the rise of
insurance premiums and higher taxes on bad foods as well as negative ad campaigns would work
similarly as they did with cigarettes. She states, Yet whenever health officials propose using the
same approaches with obesity, the measures are considered to draconian or infringe on personal
liberties or unfairly demonize people who are overweight. Mark Bittman agrees with Brownlee
about raising taxes on bad foods stating, As another European country institutes a tax on
unhealthful foods, the world should pay attention. He has been advocating such taxes for years
hoping the same would eventually said for the United States and believes that it would force
people to think twice about purchasing unhealthy foods while also bringing in new revenue for
the country (the main reason Denmark decided to implement their own tax). He also talks about
how similar sin taxes have been implemented for nearly hundreds of years in Denmark (and
similarly the United States), There have been excise taxes on tobacco, sugar, alcohol, and other
luxury goods.
In a third article, A Tax on Fat, Mark Bittman begins by telling us about how Denmark
and Hungary are implementing higher taxes on unhealthy foods, and although Denmark (who is
not even considered obese by U.S. standards) is mostly looking for new revenue, they hope to
create a, Progressive tax structure: real universal health care, free education to all through
college or trade school, terrific child care and retirement benefits and more, all things that can
be achieved with raising taxes on unhealthy foods. The strategy is one that would help in many
ways but foremost, Seeing the strategy as health-related rather than simply income-generating

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will allow the government to both increase its rate and expand it to more unhealthy foods. The
the new revenues can be spent on health care and prevention of lifestyle diseases rather than on
lowering income tax. Brownlee agrees that raising taxes on unhealthful food is an appropriate
way to curb obesity, having consumers think about whether paying the extra money should be a
regular expense or rather as a once-in-a-while treat. None of the other authors mention taxing
unhealthy foods as a viable solution.
In another article, Obesity Threatens National Security, Johnnie E. Wilson stresses that
obesity is threatening to affect the safety of our countrys national security. Obesity, it turns out,
is the No. 1 reason why applicants fail to qualify for military service, and it posing serious health
problems within the service. Wilson reasons that this is causing those with, extensive military
experience, to step in and support the reduction of childhood obesity. He believes that school is
a logical place to start, Retired admirals and generals are calling on Congress to support at least
$1 billion per year in new funding that will help improve nutrition standards for meals served in
school. Wilson and some retired from the military are also asking for, Improved nutritional
standards for all competitive foods and beverages sold on school grounds. None of the other
authors mention starting a change with school lunch and with children, although this seems like a
great solution that could potentially put a dent in childhood obesity, but John Robbins does being
his concern to light about how children around the world are starving and dying and are in
desperate need of help. Perhaps through the solving of one problem, we would have accidentally
solved another.
The Book, The Food Revolution, John Robbins aims to teach people about conscious
eating, to not only heal ourselves but to also heal the earth. The environment is deteriorating

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rapidly under the impact of human activities. Every two seconds somewhere on Earth a child
dies of starvation while elsewhere there are abundant food resources going to waste. He refers
to the power of the food industry and how they treat their animals as well as the diseases they get
that are passed along to human eating the contaminated foods. Robbins also briefly mentions
genetically modified and the industries attempt to hide such facts from consumers. Two-thirds
of the products on our supermarket shelves contain genetically engineered ingredients. The
debate about animal products and genetically engineered foods, and about their impact on our
health and our world, is not going to go away. It will be fought in courtrooms and the media, but
it will also be fought in peoples minds, hearts, and kitchens. Judith Matzs technique known as
attuned eating is a form of conscious eating, which is Robbins main goal, The prognosis for
losing weight and keeping it off as a result of dieting is bleak indeed, yet theres another waya
Zenlike way of eatingso natural, so intuitive, even so commonsensical that its almost too
obvious. Still, it took a consciousness-raising movement to reclaim the idea.

Hutchins 14
Blog
There were many topics to choose from, as there are many problems in the nation that
need recognition and solutions to solve them, but obesity was what stood out to me. I use to be
part of that statistic of obesity, but through my own learning have managed to change that for
myself. Obesity is a topic that is becoming more and more discussed as it grows to affect an
incredible percentage of not only the United States but also other countries that make up our
Earth. There are many diseases associated with obesity including diabetes, heart attacks, highblood pressure, and others; we need information and solutions on how to fight this epidemic. It is
a problem this is affecting our children, our parents, our siblings, our friends, and many others,
and that is why I have chosen this topic.
Because there are so many reasonable solutions that the media and the diet industry tries
to tell us, in searching for articles I wanted articles that provided a different perspective with
different solutions such as the article, Recipe for Life, written by a psychologist named Judith
Matz. Her idea is to follow something known at attuned eating or also known as conscious
eating. It is a method where we retrain our internal cues so we can better sense when we are
hungry or full, and with this method it would help decrease emotional eating, weight gain, and
diet/bingeing. Mounting research on intuitive eating shows positive outcomes, from improved
cardiovascular health, increased pleasure and enjoyment of food to fewer dieting behaviors and
food anxieties, greater body satisfaction, and better coping skills, Matz tells us. There seems to
be something here, and I personally can remember filling myself with food until I felt so full that
I thought I might be sick, and I have always wondered at what stage of fullness one should stop,
and it appears Matz has taken the same stance and has made a trial go of it herself, with hopeful

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and positive outcomes for her patients. This is a unique solution to obesity, but something I think
is a step in the right directions, especially because I believe that so many people have lost that
internal connection between their mind and body and I think this method would help us
reconfigure the relationship that has already been thread through our DNA and our ancestral
pasts.
The article, Lets Stop Being Passive about Fighting Obesity, by Shannon Brownlee is
an interesting example of comparisons, pitting smoking against obesity. Obesity VS smoking, it
is an odd thought but when you begin to think about it, the similarities become glaring. The risks
of smoking are high and bring with it many possible side-effects such as lung cancer, throat
cancer, heart disease, and a slew of many other cancers and ailments. Obesity similarly can cause
heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and it too can cause many cancers. The difference, as
Brownlee points out, is that while great strides have been made to reduce the rate of smoking in
raising taxes and insurance premiums, and also in creating negative ad campaigns. Yet with
obesity, Whenever health officials propose using the same approaches with obesity, the
American public tends to protest that the measures are too draconian of infringe on personal
liberties or unfairly demonize people who are overweight. In a class I once had in High School
our teacher asked us to create bills to get passed through our governmental system (she was the
president) and if it got passed through all of the houses without being thrown out, we would get
an A. As such, I proposed a similar tax on soda to raise the amount of money people would get
back if they recycled their cans, so I can definitely see the reasonableness of this solution and I
think putting a higher tax on unhealthy foods may help people choose more wisely.
A Tax on Fat, is an article written by Mark Bittman, in which he begins to tell us about
how nations such as Denmark and Hungary are beginning to impose higher taxes on unhealthful

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foods that contain large amounts of fat, salt, and sugar. By U.S. standards, the Danes arent even
that fat: Their obesity rate is about nine percent, well below the European average of 15 percent
and less than a third the rate of Americans. The last article suggests the same route of solution,
indicating that there are a few people that believe taxes might aid Americans in making better
choices. And although Denmarks main reason for implementing the tax was to help generate
more revenue for their government, it will help the nation with their health care, education, child
care, and health programs. As Americans we hear talks of how our nation is in incredible heaps
of debt, and through taxing unhealthy foods, not only would we be curbing our national rate of
obesity, but we would also be generating revenue for our country. No one likes paying taxes, but
if it working for all of these other countries, I wonder why it would be so hard for the United
States to do the same here.
Johnnie E. Wilson is a retired general of the United States Army, and in his article,
Obesity Threatens National Security, he stresses in telling his readers that obesity is affecting
our ability to protect our nation. Obesity, it turns out, is the No. 1 reason why applicants fail to
qualify for military service, and it is posing serious health problems within the service. He
brings a very interesting idea to the face of obesity, and even just reading the title the reader can
become concerned very quickly. It is scary to think our weight could make us potential targets
and would prevent us from serving our country and protecting our families and friends. Wilson
believes that the change should start in our schools, where children spend so much other their
time, and many often times eat two or three meals there. He and other retired persons of the
military forces wish to see Congress funding a new lunch program that would improve nutrition,
these people are also seeking improved nutrition standards for all competitive foods and
beverages sold on school campuswhich are essentially all of those foods found in vending

Hutchins 17
machines. It is alarming that we could be vulnerable, but also comforting that men who have
served us in the past want to go to such lengths to keep protecting us. I believe that schools are a
smart place to start, kids spend a lot of time there, and there are many unhealthy options to
choose from as well as deficient and empty meals that are served to our children as whole
meals. I think school lunches are in need of reform, to help children better about healthier
options that will keep their bodies strong and energized.
In the book, A Food Revolution, author John Robbins tells us that he knows what it is
to be obese. His father was the co-creator of the famous ice cream store, Baskin-Robbins, and he
even had an ice-cream cone shaped pool. But all of that didnt stop John from getting sick, nor
did it stop his uncle named Burt Baskin from dying from a heart attack in his fifties, or stop his
father from getting severe diabetes and high blood pressure. In seeing all of this, John left behind
the ice cream and the money he was to receive to go down his own path to heal people and the
Earth. Robbins believes in conscious eating, eating to heal ourselves and to heal the planet. He
believes in reducing the production of live animals into food, and also to get rid of genetically
manufactured and altered foods that Americans have come accustomed to seeing on the grocery
shelves. This is something I can personally agree with, I became a vegetarian for six months for
my health and today I eat many fruits and vegetablesfoods that are natural and come from the
earth, foods that my body can recognize and can utilize to keep me healthy (although I wont lie,
I enjoy certain decadences more often than I should). I understand a man who wants to see
people and the world at its best, to solve its problems and give everyone a fair chance to have a
great and healthy life.

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After having researched this topic and reading many interesting articles that offer unique
and obvious solutions, I have gained lots of information and insight on the subject of obesity.
There are many viable solutions, including listening to our bodies, implementing taxes,
intervening in our schools lunched and vending machines, and also to base our eating on
standards of consuming consciously and morally. All we have to do is decide what path is the
right one for us and our families and we can surely attain our goals of decreasing obesity in
children and adults alike in the United States and the entire planet.

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Works Cited
Bittman, Mark. A Tax on Fat. International Herald Tribune. 06 Oct 2011: 7. SIRS Issues
Researcher. Web. 21 Nov 2011.
Brownlee, Shannon. Lets Stop Being Passive about Fighting Obesity. TIME magazine.
15 Nov 2011. Web. 21 Nov 2011.
Matz, Judith. Recipe for Life. Psychotherapy Networker Inc. SIRS Issues Researcher.
Jan/Feb 2001, Vol 35, No.1 pg.18+. Web. 21 Nov 2011.
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