For years, the questions and concerns of overweight children and adults have scattered around the world. Why are kids in low and middle-class neighborhoods and families heavier than usual? Adults should know the consequences, why are they over eating? The list of questions could go on and on.
According to Food Menu Price (https://www.foodmenuprice.com/menu/mcdonalds/ ), a Big Mac meal from McDonald's is priced at $5.99. For the six easy dollars, you receive a large order of fries and a large drink. Our society is becoming more health and environmentally conscious. Millennials, in particular, are the ones who make the effort to put tastier and healthier food items in their bodies. When I go to Sweetgreen to purchase a great salad that includes organic and carefully picked vegetables, I pay at least $12.00. An order of french fries from McDonald's is not even equivalent to a scoop of quinoa or roasted chicken from Sweetgreen.
Of course, exercising is a part of staying healthy. You have the option of exercising outside- in the park, or even in your own home. However, many people will say that your own home does not always offer the same results as some machines at the gym may. Gym memberships are expensive and people in lower class families may not want to purchase or be able to afford one. College kids are lucky because most universities have gyms available for use. But what happens to those that do not have any of these things as options? Do they continue to be placed in another statistic group or will they be able to rise above it?
According to the State of Obesity (http://stateofobesity.org/states/ny/ ), in New York, 14.3% of two to four year- old WIC participants were obese in 2014. How absurd is the fact that two, three, and four-year-olds are obese? Sure, it could be due to any rare disease or just the parents choice. However, for the parents that cannot afford to give their children the right vitamins and nutrients, what happens?
I would absolutely love to see the prices of organic and healthy products decrease and witness availability rise, in all neighborhoods. Our country and society have to deal with the low fast food prices because the items are so easy to ship and receive. How expensive could it be to serve thousands of mushy "juicy Chicken McNuggets" a day? With that, the organic chicken, lettuce, quinoa, avocado, etc. will always be seen as harder to sell. I truly hope that the day when fruits and vegetables are as easy and accessible to consume as a soggy hamburger is today, comes sooner than later.