Opinions are divided on whether the responsibility for ensuring that the general public has a healthy diet should rest with the authorities or with each individual. It is important to note that these views are not mutually exclusive, and that ideally, a striking balance between the participation of governments and each person should be achieved.
It is understandable that the government should be responsible for its citizens’ well-being. This is because the economic prosperity of a nation can only be achieved if that country has a qualified workforce with good health. Therefore, in order to make sure that citizens have a healthy diet, governments play a pivotal part in implementing several health-related laws, such as increasing the tax on sugary and fast foods, or financially supporting companies whose food and beverages are proven to be beneficial for citizens’ well-being. This can be seen in the case of Korea, which applied the aforementioned laws ten years ago. As a result, its economy surged in the next five years, becoming one of the five richest countries in the world in 2020. This is a testament to how policymakers play a crucial part in ensuring that its individuals obtain a healthy diet.
On the other hand, having a good diet is also argued to be the responsibility of each resident. This is predicated on the assumption that each person has different dietary demands suitable for his or her biological and psychological health, explaining why people should be responsible for their own health. My personal experience is that my doctors used to tell me to eat more pork and beef during my lunch and dinner when I was ten years old because I was very thin. However, my uncle, who was a vegetarian, thought that it was wrong to consume a considerable amount of pork and beef in one’s diet, as it could result in cardiovascular and other heart diseases, and he advised me not to do what the doctors had told me. Nevertheless, after hearing about my health conditions, he agreed that I should consume more meat during meals. My neighbors and friends also shared the same experience, and they also believed that people should take responsibility for their health.
In conclusion, I believe that a striking balance between the participation of governments and each citizen in maintaining the good health of residents should be welcomed. While the authorities can implement some laws to promote healthy products and mitigate the effects of food and beverages that are bad for citizens’ health, people should be aware of and look for products that are beneficial for their health.