Introduction
My
name is Jennifer Austin. I’m a freshman at Eastern Kentucky University and I am
currently taking an ENG 102 class with Professor Benningfield. I was excited
about this class before it had even started because my friend had told me a
little bit about it. She told me that we would be discussing the current trend
of vampires, and this topic interested me. When the class first started, we
received a list of readings required of us. I noticed many of them dealt with
vampires, so I figured it would be an interesting semester.
Vampires
The
beginning of the semester focused on the book Dracula. We were required to read the book and complete two- page
reading responses for the chapters that were assigned to us. Those people who
did the reading responses would be the group discussion leaders for the next
class. We then had to summarize our chapter for the rest of the class to hear.
The book was difficult to stay interested in at times, but it was manageable.
Taking notes during the discussions in class helped me because I could just
skim through the chapters that weren’t assigned to me.
After reading the book, we watched the movie and took
notes on how the movie compared to the book. I thought the movie was very
interesting. The characters turned out to look completely different than what I
had imagined. It was nice to have a small break from all the writing. Using the
notes we took, we wrote a four to six page critique and analysis of the book
and movie. There were plenty of databases comparing the book and movie because Dracula is such a classic. I started on
my paper earlier than most, so I wasn’t stressed to complete it on time. I
thought it was an easy paper to write. It didn’t necessarily make me see
literature in a different way because I have always been a big reader.
It
is important to study literature in writing classes because it allows us to analyze
the stories that we read. We don’t always have to like the readings. Every
person has a different opinion. Professor Benningfield also had us choose a
partner to work with and design a power point on a related vampire topic. I did
my power point on multicultural vampire legends. I enjoyed the group project
because it allowed us to split up the workload. I chose my roommate as my
partner because it would be easy for us to communicate. Communication wasn’t so
easy for my classmates. I think my professor chose this partner format because
it required us to communicate with one another outside of class.
Food Industry
The second half of the semester focused on the
current food industry in America. I was relieved to have the change in topic
because I was worn out with vampires. We did the reading responses again with
the book Omnivore’s Dilemma. I read
the section about how cows are raised and slaughtered. This topic was very
interesting to me because I have always been curious about the food I eat and
where it comes from. We also watched the video Food Inc.. This documentary gave me a completely new outlook on
food. I learned how the animals in large food industries are treated and how
corn is incorporated into everything we eat. I didn’t know how people received
E.coli until I watched how a little boy died as a result of eating a hamburger.
As a result of the documentary, I am always cautious about the foods I order at
restaurants.
After
reading different articles and watching the documentary, we chose a topic that
was related to the food industry. I chose obesity because I have always been
determined to stay in shape. The topic of obesity also interested me because it
is a growing problem in the United States. We had to write a five to seven page
research paper on our topic. We also did an informal presentation of our topic
in class. In just two class periods, I learned so many interesting facts about how
food is made, the psychology aspect of food, and different types of illnesses
caused from food. The informal presentation helped me along with the other
students in my class by assuring us that we were on the right track. Many
helpful tips were also given during this time to aid us in conducting research
for our paper. I thought this paper was slightly tougher than the previous
paper we wrote about Dracula. It was obviously longer, but I seemed to have a
harder time finding the right information to go along with my main idea. The
sites on the databases were extremely broad, so I only got a small amount of
information from each site. Below is my research paper followed by my annotated
bibliography.
Obesity
in America
Obesity is a widespread and growing problem in America that
has gained much recent attention. In the past 40 years, obesity in the United
States has increased by over 50%, making two-thirds of adults overweight or
obese (“Obesity in America”). In 1985, there were only eight states where 10%
of the people were considered obese (Kluger). By 2006, 23 states had an obesity
rate that exceeded 25% and no states remained with a low obesity percentage
(Kluger).
Adult
obesity isn’t the only cause of this obesity epidemic. Children have now caught
the attention of many nutritionists and researchers. As adult obesity doubled,
child obesity tripled. In 1971, only 4% of 6-to-11-year-old kids were obese; by
2004, the figure had leaped to 18.8% (Kluger). According to the World Health
Organization, an estimated 20 million children younger than five years of age are
overweight worldwide (Jennifer). These numbers didn’t increase naturally. There
are specific reasons explaining why Americans have added on multiple pounds of
excess fat. Sedentary lifestyles as well as over-eating high calorie foods have
caused the obesity rates in the United States to rise exponentially in recent
years.
Both
the leisure time and work time of the average American has changed as a result
of the nation becoming industrialized. Rural regions were turned into urban
areas filled with buildings offering multiple office jobs. The typical farmer was
left with little land left to farm on and was forced into a new profession. The
problem with these new job opportunities is that they require little, if any,
activity. In 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that less than
20% of jobs required moderate physical activity (“Obesity in America”). As a
result, the average American man is now burning 142 fewer calories each day
than he did in the 1960s (“Obesity in America”). These calories add up with
time and cause excess weight gain.
The decreased physical activity wouldn’t be an issue if
it were counterbalanced by an increase in exercise during leisure time. The
problem is, most Americans don’t meet the recommended amount of daily exercise.
The fraction of Americans who say they meet national guidelines for exercise is
25%, but objective measurements suggest the actual percentage of adults who get
enough exercise is closer to 5% (“Obesity in America”). Taking a walk around
the neighborhood or even pacing back and forth while on the phone would be
considered exercise. However, most people choose to sit down for a large
portion of their day. The average American spends 55% of his waking hours
sitting down in front of a computer or television (“Obesity in America”). Americans
have simply become lazy because they rely on our industrialized nation to do
everything for them.
Lifestyle
changes are especially obvious when observing children. Running, riding
bicycles, and playing outside have been replaced with indoor activities such as
watching TV, playing video games, or using the computer. Busy and dangerous
roads are close to many houses with children. Parents are partly to blame for
childhood obesity. In today’s society, parents face the fear of their child
being hit by a car or kidnapped. They spend money on addicting indoor games
because they don’t trust the outside environment.
When
children aren’t playing games under their parents’ watchful eyes at home, they
are at school. Schools could make a major change in child obesity rates because
they demand eight hours of every child’s day. The problem is most schools don’t
even list physical education as a high priority. In fact, only six states
currently require physical education in every grade level (Lueke). Without physical
education, children lose knowledge of how to make healthy lifestyle choices.
The problem with childhood obesity is that they will most likely continue to be
obese as an adult. Their unhealthy lifestyles become habitual and they carry the
bad choices with them throughout their lives.
Watching television has many consequences linked to
obesity. Not only does it take up time that could be spent exercising, but it
also causes a person to eat more. Television is the single largest media source
of messages about food (Chung). Many food advertisements will alter the images
of food. Most of the food advertisements seen on television are for
high-calorie and low-nutrition foods. In fact, less than 5% of all food
commercials are for healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and milk (Chung).
Children
spend most of their time watching shows on channels directed towards a younger
age group. Food marketing companies know this, so they spend billions of dollars
in advertisements for children to watch during commercial breaks. The average
child in the United States views thirteen food ads on television each day
(Harris). Their brains are like sponges, soaking up every bit of information
they can hold. After watching so many food commercials filled with enticing
toys and other children having fun with food as the central message, they won’t
be able to resist the desire for the foods advertised. The advertisements of
food products affect a child’s brand preference, food choices, and requests to
parents. Most parents will give their children the food they want rather than
healthier food choices in order to keep them satisfied. These cravings for the
foods advertised on television are what have led Americans to overeat high
calorie foods.
One
of the easiest places to find high-calorie, greasy foods is at fast food
restaurants. These fast food chains continue to multiply in numbers in an
effort to feed America’s growing population. They station themselves in close proximity
to schools and neighborhoods to allow easy access to cheap, unhealthy foods. The
foods offered are pumped with endless amounts of sugars, oils, and fats to satisfy
the hungry minds of the customers. Their customers are lured in by dollar menus
and kids meals containing special toys.
Consuming
fast food wouldn’t be such an issue if Americans had a sense of portion
control. Unfortunately, portion sizes have increased dramatically since the
1980s. Only a handful of people are aware of the correct portion sizes they
should be consuming. According to the
Food Guide Pyramid, people should consume their largest portion of food from
the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group. It recommends six to eleven servings
of grains. One serving of grains is one slice of bread or one-half cup of
cooked rice or pasta. The vegetable group is ranked right behind grains,
recommending three to five servings. One serving of vegetables is three-fourths
cup of vegetable juice or one cup of raw, leafy greens. The fruit group recommends
two to four servings per day. One medium apple or one-half cup of chopped, cooked,
or canned fruit is considered one serving.
Two
to three servings are recommended for the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs,
and nuts group. One serving is two to three ounces of cooked lean meat or two
to three eggs. The milk, yogurt, and cheese group also recommends two to three
servings. One serving is one cup of milk or two ounces of cheese. Fats, oils,
and sweets are not needed on an everyday basis, so the Food Pyramid says to use
them sparingly. Americans ignore this recommendation and continue to consume
sweets at a rate higher than they should be. Americans consume the equivalent
of 20-30 teaspoons of sugar per person per day (Spake).
Americans
spend nearly half of their food budget on foods prepared outside of the home
and they consume about one-third of daily calories from outside sources, much
of it from fast food (Young). Fast food consists of many ingredients that the
Food Pyramid doesn’t recommend on a daily basis. They typically have more
saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories than homemade meals (Spake). Fast food
companies have one goal, which is to eliminate competition by making their
customers happy. They have continued to increase their portion sizes to assure
that their customer will leave with a full stomach. When large amounts of food
are shoved into the stomach, it expands, and the mind starts telling the body
it is hungry even when it is not. People return to these fast food chains because
they want the sense of happiness they receive from being full.
The
major culprits of increased portion sizes are the fast food restaurants. Names
such as Mega Mac, BK Big Fish, Big Foot, Dominator, Jumbo Combo, Big Bacon
Classic, and Big Beef Taco reflect the growing size of fast foods (Munro). The
original 1965 McDonald's meal of a hamburger, fries and a 12-ounce Coke
contained about 590 calories. But today, a supersize extra value meal with a quarter-pounder
with cheese, supersized fries and Coke reaches 1,550 calories (Motluk). The
largest portion of hamburgers offered at both Wendy’s and Burger King are now 12
ounces, which exceeds the amount of meat recommended by the USDA for an entire
day (Young). Studies show that the more food put in front of people, the more
they eat (Nanci). Most people shove this food into their body without
questioning if they really need it. It is obvious that portion size control has
been skewed by fast food restaurants over the years.
Fast
food restaurants aren’t the only places where an increase in portion size can
be seen. Foods bought at the supermarket are also increasing in size. Lisa
Young, a New York University nutrition researcher, found many examples of
growth in portion sizes. Bagels use to be two to three ounces and around 200
calories. Today, they are five to six ounces and more than 400 calories
depending on the type. A five-ounce bagel is equal to five slices of bread or
15 cups of popcorn, reaching the five servings of breads and grains that a
person should consume for the entire day. The first Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar
started out 0.6 ounces in 1908. Today, it is available in sizes up to eight
ounces (Nanci). Movie theatres have greatly increased their average servings of
popcorn. An order of popcorn in 1957 was about three cups. Now, a typical
medium order is 16 cups and 900 calories (Spake). When customers buy these
large portions, they are more likely to eat it all in one sitting.
Portion
control has been lost in the minds of many Americans who want food and want it
now. Food industries increase the size of their products in order to please
their customers, and their customers eat it all. Consuming large amounts of
food wouldn’t be such an issue if the additional calories were being burned
off, but the industrialization of our country has caused Americans to become
extremely lazy. Sedentary lifestyles along with consuming large quantities of
high calorie foods have contributed to the obesity epidemic in America. Not
enough people have knowledge of how the food they put into their bodies affects
them. Without awareness of the problem, the obesity crisis will continue to
grow.
Annotated Bibliography
Chevat,
Richie, and Michael Pollan. The Omnivore's Dilemma : the Secrets Behind What
You Eat / Michael Pollan ; adapted by Richie Chevat. New York: Dial Books,
2009.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma
was where the idea of my research paper started. We read the book as a class.
The book was about how food is processed. Using this information, we chose a
topic that was somehow related to it. I didn’t use any exact quotes from the book
in my paper, but the book deserves credit for providing a reason for my
research.
Chung
Donghung, et al. "Food and Beverage Advertising to Children on U.S.
Television: Did National Food Advertisers Respond?." Journalism &
Mass Communication Quarterly 84.4 (2007): 795-810. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.
This article had
statistics about food advertisements on different channels directed towards
children. It explains why watching television is related to the increase of
obesity rates in the United States. I plan to use this information to back up
my claim that sedentary lifestyles mentally cause people to eat more without
realizing it.
Food,
Inc.
Dir. Robert Kenner. Perf. Richard
Pearce, Eric Schlosser, Melissa Robledo, William Pohlad, Jeff Skoll, Robin
Schorr, Diane Weyermann, Elise Pearlstein, Kim Roberts, Michael Pollan, Gary
Hirshberg, Joel Salatin, and Mark Adler. Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2009.
Film.
The documentary, Food,
Inc., dug into the food industry and showed its viewers what is being put into
the foods we eat and how it is processed. It also spent some time focusing on
the treatment of animals and farm workers. I didn’t cite direct information
from this documentary, but it did give me prior knowledge to begin writing my paper.
Harris,
Jennifer L., and Samantha K. Graff. "Protecting the Public by
Incorporating Scientific Research." American Journal Of Public Health
102.2 (2012): 214-222. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.
This article focused on
how food advertisements are a big contributor to the obesity epidemic,
especially in children. It explained that children are easily persuaded to eat
the foods shown in between their morning cartoons. I would like to use a few
statistics from this article to back up my statement that advertising is one of
the key contributors to obesity.
Jennifer
Baran, et al. "A Meta-Analytic Review of Obesity Prevention in the
Schools: 1997–2008." Psychology In The Schools 46.8 (2009): 695-719.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
This article focused on
the requirements that schools must meet in order to prevent obesity. It
discussed nutritional requirements, nutritional labeling, and physical
education. It also explained how age, sex, and ethnicity may be a factor in the
risk of obesity in children. I plan to use a statistic in here stating how many
children in the world are considered obese.
Kluger,
Jeffrey. "How America's Children Packed on the Pounds. (Cover
Story)." Time 171.25 (2008): 66-69. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
This newspaper article
described how obsessed America has become with food. It pokes fun at our
Thanksgiving holiday because most Americans look forward to the abundance of
fatty dishes during this time. It takes a more serious tone when discussing how
America’s fast metabolism children can’t even keep off the weight. I used a few
of the statistics in this article for the beginning of my research paper.
Lueke,
Lesley. "Devouring Childhood Obesity by Helping Children Help
Themselves." Journal Of Legal Medicine 32.2 (2011): 205-220. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
This was an article
focused on childhood obesity. It explained the reasons for childhood obesity
and the actions that should be taken to decrease the high percentage rates. I
plan to use this article when discussing the sedentary lifestyle of children
and how it is linked to obesity rates.
Motluk,
Alison. "Supersize Me." New Scientist 184.2471 (2004): 46. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.
This article gave the
calorie difference in a McDonald’s meal from 1965 and today. It gave me the
idea to compare meals from the 1960s and today. I used this statistic to back up my claim that
fast food industries have increased their portion sizes to make their customers
happy.
Munro,
Irene. "How Big as a Serve?" Nutridate 17.1 (2006): 5-7. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.
This article focused on
increased portion sizes in fast food industries and how it relates to obesity. It
was very helpful in explaining why these fast food restaurants put more food on
their customer’s plates. It also proved that if the customers are given more
food, they will most likely eat more than they would when presented with a
smaller portion.
Nanci,
Hellmich. "Portion Distortion." USA Today n.d.: Academic
Search Premier. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.
This article included
research performed by nutritionist Lisa Young. She compared portion sizes of
different foods over time. I plan to use her comparison of bagel and chocolate
bar sizes near the end up my paper to wrap up the end of my paper.
"Obesity
In America: What's Driving the Epidemic?" Harvard Men's Health Watch
16.7 (2012): 5-7. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
This article discussed
how a sedentary lifestyle and over eating have contributed to the obesity
epidemic in America. It gave statistics from different studies that were
performed on thousands of men and women over many years. It stated that simply
watching TV can increase the risk of obesity and the chronic diseases related
to it. It also did a study on how many calories an average person consumes and
how the number has increased over the years.
Spake,
Amanda, and Mary Brophy Marcus. "A Fat Nation." U.S. News &
World Report 133.7 (2002): 40. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar.
2012.
This article listed
food items from the 1900’s in comparison to the current size of food items and
their calorie value. It explains how food industries have changed over the past
20 years and blames it for the increase in obesity rates. I plan to use this
information in the beginning of my paper and gradually lead into talking about
the health issues associated with the change in the food industry.
Young,
Lisa R., and Marion Nestle. "Portion Sizes and Obesity: Responses of
Fast-Food Companies." Journal Of Public Health Policy 28.2 (2007):
238-248. Academic Search Premier. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.
This article focused on
portion size control. It included statistics from the leading fast food
restaurants McDonalds, Wendy’s, and Burger King. The statistics showed how the
restaurants increased their portion sizes around 1998 and then made small
adjustments in 2002 after the nation made a cry for help with obesity. I plan
to use this information in the part of my paper that discusses how fast food
industries have skewed the idea of portion sizes.
On
April 25th, we were required to watch a farmer presentation in Brock
Auditorium. While attending the farmer presentation, I learned a great deal of
information about Wholesome Living Farms that coincided with conversations we
had in previous classes about the food we eat. The speaker, Will Meurer,
explained that he first discovered his desire to participate in agriculture
while he was attending elective classes for the Governor’s Scholar program. He
decided he wanted to be a grass farmer, so he became a part of Wholesome Living
Farms. Wholesome Living Farms has an open door policy to ensure people that
their way of raising livestock is completely natural.
He focused much of his speech on cows being herbivores by
nature. His farm continually moves cows to different pastures in order to keep
their manure from building up. He claimed that each individual cow makes 27
pounds of manure each day. If the cows were to be held in one place like the
cows in industrialized feed lots, the manure would become so high that there
would be no room to walk. Wholesome Living Farms won’t keep their cows in one
pasture for more than 2 days. Chicken are moved from fencing to fencing so that
they can naturally feed themselves. He explained that the chickens attack the
cow’s manure and dig through it for worms and other edible items. Therefore,
the cow’s manure is a part of the process that gives us chicken meat and eggs.
Meurer then went into how America contributes to the
industrialization of our food market. He said, “Every day you eat, you vote”.
He claimed that the certainty of locality and seasonality have been replaced
with an uncertain abundance of foods. In 1940, the first grocery store emerged
and food traveled an average of 40 miles before it was consumed. Today, food
typically travels over 1500 miles. 90% of the retail in grocery stores didn’t
exist before 1900. This statistic proves that most of the food offered in
grocery stores today is not natural. Our mechanical industrial view has changed
how we see the world. Wholesome Living Farms tries hard to focus on how animals
are treated during their lifetime so that we are able to view their sacrifice
as meaningful. Meurer also related gardening to the fragility of life. He
explained how during natural gardening, there are many risk factors that can
kill the produce such as frostbite and parasites. The statistics in this part
of his lecture really got me thinking about some of the things I consume and if
they should be considered foods or not.
After the Meurer’s presentation, there was a question and
answer session. I learned that the U.S. government puts a time limit on how
long animals are allowed to live before they are slaughtered. The speaker
explained that the age of the cow is determined by its teeth. Grass fed cows
typically have teeth that look older than what they really are, so they are
only raised for about two full years. A question was also asked about pricing
of their food and where you can purchase it. Meurer stated that meat is
normally five dollars per pound and that they can be found at the Farmer’s
Market in Winchester. I thought this presentation was very interesting and it
went along perfectly with what we were discussing in class. I would love to
purchase some of their produce to see if I can taste a difference in the quality
of meat.
Conclusion
Overall,
I enjoyed the class very much. Most people dread English classes because they
write about things that have no meaning to them. This class stayed on track
with current trends and topics. The food industry section of this class
interested me the most because I didn’t have prior knowledge of it. I learned
so much about the foods I am putting into my body and I will take that
information with me everywhere I go. I can no longer go into a restaurant and
order a meal without thinking where the food comes from.
I
would have liked to spend less time on vampires and more on the food industry.
Vampires interest me a great deal, but Dracula
is so different from the types of vampire novels available today. I would much
rather read a current vampire novel. The reading responses were new to me this
semester. I enjoyed them because I didn’t have to fully read every section of
every book. I could take notes in class and catch up if I missed something. I
also enjoyed watching a movie on each topic. I think it helped pull together
each of the topics. I tend to get more out of a movie than I do when reading
about it. I would also suggest completing the food topic research papers
earlier so that there is enough time to do formal presentations after the paper
is complete. I thought many of the topics were very interesting and I would
have liked to learn the results of their research.
