Some Don’t Think That Food Regulation Should Be Higher?
Some citizens may say if the government can control what people eat then they can control what people do, say, or anything. It is either a necessary intervention or a blatant intrusion on American free will. Even Charles Reyman, the vice president of Communications for the Colorado Health Foundation, says in his writings “From a marketer’s perspective, your boss is the consumer. . .. You tell us what products you like and what you don’t like, what you want and what you don’t want. And if we don’t listen to you, we get into trouble.” Reyman continues to explain his opinion on the matter, “consumers are doing “a pretty good job” telling the industry what they should (and shouldn’t) be selling”. He believes that there are other ways to influence healthy habits on society. Furthermore, the choice of what food should be a decision that only the people can make. However, he fails to acknowledge who is held accountable for any of the substances put in these foods that many consumers may not even know are harmful to them.
Some believe that the regulations are fine and do not need to be adjusted as I recently found out through an interview with Dr. Julie Schumacher, who is a professor of Dietetics at Illinois State University and a Registered Dietician. She mentions, “It’s important to understand that American food undergoes strict regulations in regards to safety. Do not believe that any ‘poisonous’ substances are in food from fast food restaurants.” Later during the interview, she does admit that there are preservatives, and simply recommends to make the decisions and control what you eat instead of maybe relying on the government to regulate it for you. Dr. Schumacher explains, “However, yes there are preservatives. My recommendation is to eat fast food sparingly. Just as with anything, too much of it poses health risks as one may be missing out on vitamins, minerals and photo chemicals that would be found in other natural foods like fruits and vegetables.” Dr. Schumacher understands that what a person eats throughout their day on average also must be taken into consideration. Which she also clarifies during the interview, “Depending on food choices, someone who eats fast food often may be consuming a high amount of saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. These combined may increase their risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, weight gain, and diabetes to make a few. Again, moderation is key” As you can see, she does not recommend the “invisible Hand” as some would say, but simply to control your diet and watch what you eat to preserve your health. Yet she also fails to acknowledge that some of these foods can not only be unhealthy but extremely harmful to a person’s health overtime.
As Stated in a Long-term studies from EPA and the National Institutes of Health,” when pregnant women are exposed to chlorpyrifos, their children grow up to have lower IQ scores, increased rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and poorer mental development than unexposed children. Most people are exposed to chlorpyrifos through consuming food contaminated by the pesticide.” These are unfortunate, yet undeniable realities to support my statement.
J. Schumacher, personal email communication, March 24, 2017
