Bryan Baucom
Spring 2013 – Tuesday
Biology1090
When Eating Healthy Becomes An Unhealthy Obsession
During my time reading Taking Sides, I found an article that stood out to me more than others. Here I am, a 24-year-old young man finding out that I can’t eat like I use to. And if I do eat like I used to, I won’t have the energy I once had. Previously, I never paid attention to what I ate, I ate what tasted good and what was easy. However, now, if I need energy to get things done I have to be aware of what I am putting in my body. Reading these two articles concerning eating healthy and it becoming an unhealthy obsession, both articles offer good reasoning.
1. The major thesis on the “yes” side is that there is a difference between dieting and healthy eating. The article talks about how eating too healthy can starve our body of things we need.
2. The opposing side of this argument, Chris Woolston asks the question, “What is wrong with the American diet?” He tries to prove the point that as American citizens our weight and eating habits are out of control. He discusses portion control and the United States’ “convenience culture.”
3. Lindsay Getz writes about orthorexia and the effects of eating too healthy. She writes that there is a difference between eating health and dieting. Eating too healthy can lead to malnutrition and people will lack the kind of proteins and nutrients that they need. She also makes the point that people can suffer socially as well in that they are afraid to go out to dinner with their friends do to the menu of the restaurant. Getz also brings to light the harmfulness of orthorexia, which is a fixation of eating ONLY pure, healthy and natural foods, which she says can be unhealthy.
4. Woolston’s facts say that calories are the problem in the United States. He talks about the thousands of children who will become obese in the coming years. By 2050, one in three Americans will have type two diabetes unless we take control now. I couldn't agree more, if we don't take control now it will affect or nation in so many ways. One of the most prominent being the ever-increasing cost of health care.
5. Some of the opinions I read on the “yes” side were:
o Many parents teach their children that some foods are bad, when in fact, that is not always the case, thus impressing on their mind that if they come in contact with these foods it might cause them to be in trouble or they may be in some sort of danger.
o Another opinion regarding the article discusses that by consuming only natural foods, we aren’t exposing our bodies to certain nutrients and components of food that might helps us build our immunities.
6. Some opinions discussed on the “no” side were:
o It is discussed that portion sizes have gotten much larger. And due to this we need to be more aware of not only what we are putting in our bodies but how much. Most of the foods we eat aren’t necessarily bad for us, however the portion of the food we eat is the real problem.
o Also, Wooltson writes how easy it is to satisfy our sweet tooth cravings by visiting over 170,000 fast food restaurants across the United States. Convenience stores are on every corner, along with McDonalds or other fast food restaurants. However, these stores don’t offer fruits or vegetables or other natural, non-processed foods.
7. One of the misleading statements found on the “yes” side was that eating healthy effect people socially. It talks about how people do not interact with other people due to the fear of eating unhealthy foods at restaurants. This is something that I can see how it could affect some who are so concerned with natural foods. Also, I know just how hard it is to try to pick a place to eat between my wife and me. However, it is difficult to believe that this need to eat only natural foods could have such an effect on someone as to make someone ignore friends and family.
8. A misleading statement on the “no” side is that in the last 50 years Americans eat about 304 more calories a day, which leads every person being about 31 pounds heavier. I can see how these facts are related but especially after taking this human biology class I see how different everyone is. 304 extra calories could make a big difference in my body, however an extra 304 calories a day for my wife who works out and is constantly on the move might not mean much.
9. The thesis of the article is easily found in the title of my paper. Can eating too healthy be unhealthy? It is hard to believe that there is “yes” side to this argument, that people do indeed think that eating too healthy is really unhealthy. Though both sides do bring up key points, I believe that the “no” side is more realistic, the article, What’s Wrong With The American Diet provides more realistic reasoning. The last few years my eyes have been opened. The last two years I’ve been working in a healthcare setting and my wife graduated with a degree in public health from BYU, and she is now working for the American Diabetes Association. She is a healthy eater and I… not so much. When we got married I was introduced to a whole new world of fruits and vegetables and grilled chicken. I’ve learned that fatty foods and sugary drinks, like drugs, can be addicting and have negative results on our bodies. There are a lot of facts for both, the “yes” and “no” side, but with every human body reacting so differently to the same foods, we need to focus on ourselves and what works for our bodies to feel good and be healthy.
10. While both articles had a significant amount of scientific reasoning, Getz’s article relied more on unsupported statements than Woolston. Getz used examples like magazines, media interviews, and newspapers. These references aren’t always the most reliable sources. Whereas, Woolston’s article references medical journals, doctors, scientific studies, and the United States Department of Agriculture. These sources have more backing and have been proved by studies. This makes Woolston’s article more empirical.
11. One reason why I think Lindsey Getz’s article was less impactful is the fact that so many Americans are overweight and that a very small percentage of the people who eat “too healthy” would ever be considered as unhealthy compared to an obese, lazy American. I think it is too easy to blame other things besides ourselves for being overweight or unhealthy. Getz’s paper gives people the idea that it is pointless to eat healthy because no matter what they do, they will start to become unhealthy.
