Introduction
Recent statistics according to the World Health Organization predict that in the next few years, the main global causes of mortality and morbidity will be non-communicable diseases (Reynolds 1). There has been a gradual and rapid shift towards meat and dairy products as well as refined foods containing high levels of saturated fats, especially for those individuals in the middle and lower income nations (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 952).
Since people evolved in an environment where there existed nutritional uncertainty, majority of those who now have access to super abundant supplies of food are finding it a challenge due to the huge environmental transformation (Reynolds 1). Statistics have revealed that in the United States alone, approximately 55% of adults are obese, with countries such as Canada, Europe and Australia exhibiting high levels of obesity among their citizens (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 953). This is because high-energy convenience food has become easily available, cheap, packed and ready to eat wherever one is and accessible to the busy societies.
Summary for Article 1
Studies show that obesity levels among women in the North African and Eastern European regions surpass those in the United States (Reynolds 2). Studies have also revealed that there are over 170,000 fast food restaurants and 3million soft drink vending machines in the United States whereby only 37% of meals were home-cooked meals, as majority of individuals never use basic ingredients to prepare them (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 954). School going children are the most affected by this rapid environmental change as concerns nutrition as over 90% of them consume snack foods every day. Majority of schools also incorporate fast food restaurants as well as the vending machines that encourage this behavior in young children.
Critique for Article 1
This article is about a global response to a global problem, that is, the epidemic of over nutrition. The authors begin the article by informing the readers of the current statistic in regards to a rising menace in form of non-communicable diseases. This includes obesity and overweight issues (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 956). The authors then proceed in discussing what the World Trade Organization (WTO) is trying to do in addressing this issue.
However, instead of directly discussing the key issue, which is obesity, the article looks at a number of current studies and statistics showing the reason why food has become unsafe in this modern day society. The authors did not consider that some of the readers would not be in a position to understand what those percentages implied and would require simplified kind of reading (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 957). The article also tends to talk a lot about what the World Health Organization is trying to do or the efforts that its trying to implement instead of discussing issues such as causes, symptoms, effects and treatment and prevention of obesity and overweight problems (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 958).
Summary for Article 2
Ever since the introduction of settled agriculture, food has always been traded. However, as aforementioned, a qualitative transformation has occurred in the recent past due to unprecedented quantitative change (Reynolds 2). Individual preferences are now being shaped by introduction of customers to marketing techniques that are perceived as aggressive in addition to increased supplies of imported and local products (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 955).
Globalization of food industry is as a result of global marketing as well as the systematic moulding of taste by such large corporations. Direct advertising and promotions by the food industry have been recorded as having spent over 30 billion US Dollars annually whereby smaller amounts are used to advertise and promote the industry in developing countries (Chopra, Galbraith & Darnton-Hill 956).
Critique for Article 2
This is an article discussing law and health as concerns addressing obesity. Here, the author has made a good effort in informing readers of how the problem comes about for instance due to environmental and lifestyle changes (Reynolds 1). It also discusses how the problem of obesity has become a public health issue and focuses mainly on Australia. Unlike in the first article, the author in this article is careful not to divert attention from the main issue while providing a few statistics in the process (Reynolds 2).
The author has also taken the liberty in providing information as concerns the government’s and community’s response towards the issue of obesity and overweight, providing a number of recommendations that should be taken into consideration (Reynolds 3). The article is simple and easy to understand. On the other hand, it would not be helpful to those readers requiring specific percentages and statistics in regards to how obesity has affected the community, as seen in the first article (Reynolds 4).
Conclusion
The society should be educated and encouraged on the benefits of including vegetables and fruits in their daily dietary budgets, maintaining healthy body weights as this reduced problems associated with health and increasing physical activity such as walking. By so doing, obesity and overweight issues will be considered a thing of the past.
Works Cited
Chopra, Mickey, Galbraith, Sarah and Darnton-Hill, Ian. A Global Response to a Global Problem: The Epidemic of Over nutrition. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 80. 2002. Pp. 952 – 958.
Reynolds, Christopher. Law and Public Health: Addressing Obesity. Alt L J Vol. 29. 2004. Pp. 1 – 4.