“This generation of children will have shorter lifespans than their parents”

While some people die every minute from not getting enough food, others die from eating too much. In North America especially, food is something most people do not worry about. We have an abundance of food. Food is everywhere! Food is all around us. Food has become more than fuel for our bodies.  Food has become entertainment. We celebrate with food, socialize with food, reward with food, and have become preoccupied with food. There are entire television networks dedicated to food.  Shows such as Hells Kitchen, Cake Boss, and Man V.S Food, have become social entertainment. These shows, which I do enjoy from time to time, are ridiculous. We are not living in the prehistoric days. Why do we have such ridiculous TV shows, where Man competes against food? 

Tobacco companies make millions of dollars each year and ruin our health in the process. Most people today view tobacco companies as doing very little good for our health. We think that smoking will do damage to our bodies; therefore most of us choose not to smoke. Not only do we think, we know smoking is bad and have sufficient data to justify prove this. 

The food industry is no different from the tobacco industry.  The food industry is a business whose sole purpose is to generate a profit. Food companies are not in business to make healthier people. Food companies are in the business to make money by whatever means necessary. Food companies are not concerned with your health. That is why food companies manufacture foods high in sugar, fat, and salt. These three items taste good (especially when combined) and are very cheep to produce.  Also like the tobacco industry, we think certain foods are bad for us. We know that foods high in sugar, salt, and fat cause health problems.  Yet unlike smoking, we continue to eat these poor food choices. So why do we eat these ‘cancer’ causing foods?  This answer is very complex and would be debated among all types of health professionals. 

Regardless, what the answer, we need to stop eating these ‘cancer’ causing foods.  We need to stop eating foods that make us sick.  We need to reexamine our relationship with food and eat to live.  Not live to eat.  If we do not stop living to eat, we will become the first generation of children to have a shorter life spans than our parents.