In a world where cheeseburgers are cheaper than vegetables, it is no mystery why unhealthy eating habits are so common. Fast food chains clutter every street, soda is consumed like water and the term “locally grown” rarely applies.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s website states that one in every six adults worldwide is obese. Undoubtedly, this statistic is because of the deteriorating nutritional value of what we consume every day.
There are many contributing factors that affect why people eat what they do. Perhaps the most prevalent reason is financial limitation.
“Even more telling is the decrease in the portion of family income spent on food — freeing up funds for other purchases,” says the Food Marketing Institute’s website. “That figure continues to decline steadily to only 9.9 percent today — down from more than 20 percent half a century ago.”
As processed foods are mass-produced at a low cost, the value of the food decreases as well. This means that people are now able to purchase large quantities of affordable food. But what are they giving up in the process?
For one, they are giving up their health and the health of their families. Convenience and the concept of a “good deal” seem to have poisoned the minds of citizens into thinking these ideas are most important.
Quality, wholesomeness and the legitimacy of producers are no longer taken into account when purchasing.
Lifestyle plays a huge role in what is considered healthy eating. Growing up, I was not exposed to fast food or highly processed foods. My parents refused to keep soda and fatty snacks in our home, and I was raised with the notion that McDonald’s is practically evil.
In reality, I have them to thank for my health and eating habits. My upbringing has molded me into someone who says no to fast food and can easily choose a salad over fries.
Unfortunately, not everyone shares this same story. A close friend of mine was raised with a different kind of rule — the “only two sodas a day rule.” An upbringing with this mentality leaves him struggling to make healthy choices.
Eating well in college is easier than I anticipated. Living on the Downtown campus does somewhat limit dining options, but I find Devil’s Greens to be a haven for healthy salads.
The only setback is the expense. My salads have been as pricy as nine dollars, which makes me wish meal plans were accepted.
However, the dining hall in Taylor Place offers a small salad bar as well, along with some seriously addicting veggie burgers.
Overall, I would say that ASU does a satisfactory job of offering healthy options for students.
Despite our school’s effort to keep students eating well, I still look at a sea of fries, cheeseburgers and soda as I search for a table with my veggie burger.
Even when good choices are readily available, many students opt for the junk food route. I hope we learn soon to question what is considered “food.”
Contact Isabelle at inovak@asu.edu
