To many, fast food restaurants might be a good choice for a tasty meal. A burger, chicken nuggets, or some fried chicken can appeal to many people, and they will be tempted to spend some money buying them. However, not many people have come to realise that obese people who consume fast food on a regular basis are actually suing fast food chains for producing such unhealthy food which have caused their obesity and heart problems. Should fast food chains be held responsible for the obesity of their customers?

Researches have shown that there is a significant increase in the number of people who are getting overweight. In 1999 and 2000, a survey showed that 65% of adults in the US are overweight, which is up from 56% in 1988 to 1994. Such an increase may be associated with the growing number of people who eat fast food frequently. On the average, a man will be about 0.8kg heavier if he consumes fast food rather than getting food elsewhere. These show that fast food do lead to obesity due to high level of fats in the food. However, who should be blamed?

As a matter of fact, it is the consumer’s choice of whether to buy fast food products or not. There is no way these companies are forcing their consumers to buy their food. Yes, they do advertise in such a way that they are appealing to the public, but isn’t it what all companies want to do. The global market now is very competitive, thus these companies are putting in their best effort to appeal to and attract buyers in order to build up their reputation. As long FDA standards are met, any food can be sold in these restaurants.

In the US, 4 fast food restaurants have been sued by plaintiffs for knowingly serving food that can potentially cause obesity and diseases. One of the plaintiffs accused McDonald’s for his obesity and the diseases he contracted, claiming that it did not inform him about the contents of the food. In fact, fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s have made their nutritional information readily available for its consumers to know what is actually going into their mouths. Perhaps it is due to the man’s ignorance to keep himself aware of the food he is eating. Furthermore, McDonald’s has already taken away their “super size” meals off their menu, and has changed the type of oil used to fry their food.

In the movie Super Size Me, the main character is subjected to eating McDonald’s for all his meals, and ends up with many problems with his body. We should note that it is he who chose to eat fast food every single day instead to choosing alternatives. Despite his doctor’s advice, he chose not to eat but continue eating such food. This issue comes to personal responsibility. He is clearly aware about the contents of fast food, thus he should grab every opportunity to avoid the food if he does not want to suffer any consequences and put his life at risk. As for the plaintiffs, one had claimed that he never knew fast food was bad for his health and that fast food and wrecked his life. It is like a person suing McDonald’s for their hot coffee which scalded him when there is already a caution sign labeled on the cup.

There might be only a small portion of people who encounter heart diseases as a result of large consumption of such unhealthy food, but most of the people do know about the effects of eating too much of them. Knowing the consequences yet refusing to turn to healthier choices will be personal faults and not the companies’. Even if you have just realised the effects fast food might bring, it is not too late to change. Take necessary precautions and avoid such food whenever possible. Fast food restaurants are just out there to provide alternative food choices for everyone. Hence, restaurants should not be sued for causing obesity problems.