Some medical experts and nutritionists believe that unhealthy food should not be allowed in stores. In this essay, however, I will challenge this school of thought.
One might argue that it is necessary for the government to impose a ban on unhealthy food, such as fast food, sugary drinks and processed food, to name but a few. This is predicated on the assumption that there is a correlation between the consumption of these products with the rise in the rates of self-preventable diseases, such as obesity and diabetes. However, this line of reasoning is not sound because the likelihood of people getting such diseases is dependent on their lifestyle as a whole, not just their diet. In other words, those who eat fast food every day, but also work out regularly, are by no means more prone to gaining weight than those eating a healthy diet but leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Other reasons to reject the ban on fast food are related to the unaffordability of healthier food to a large proportion of people and the nature of today’s jobs. With regard to the former, low-income earners simply do not have a choice but to opt for fast food. Statistics suggest that the majority of fast food eaters are from low-income brackets, meaning that they cannot afford to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and other types of healthy food, which are often considered extravagant items for these people. In addition to this, for many whose hectic schedule and heavy workload do not allow them to get enough sleep, let alone spend an hour every day cooking healthy food for themselves, fast food seems to be their only choice.
In conclusion, for the reasons outlined above, it stands to reason that the benefits of enacting laws on so-called “unhealthy food” are largely exaggerated and such a ban is likely to compound many people’s struggle.