There is a constant battle over whether the blame for childhood obesity lies with parents or fast food companies. For example, in Daniel Weintraub's article in the Sacramento Bee, "The Battle Against Fast Food Begins at Home," Daniel argues that it is up to parents to monitor their children's eating habits, not restaurant companies. fast. However, many food companies are known for increasing the size of their meals, such as McDonald's Supersize. Organic or higher quality foods can be expensive, making it very easy to resort to fast food meals, and fast food companies such as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Del Taco, Carl's Jr., etc. are also very well known for their unhealthy foods which continue to be distributed despite the increase in obesity rates. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Since 1977, food portions have increased in size. According to ABC News, hamburgers have increased by 23%, soft drinks by 52% and snacks such as chips and crackers have increased by 60% over the last 20 years, leading to an increase in the rate of obesity. In Shannon Brownlee's article "It's Portion Distortion That's Making America Fat," she argues that the rise in obesity is due to consumer manipulation dating back to 1983. Food companies, such than Taco Bell, are increasing their portion sizes so the customer gets more for only a small price increase. It may not seem profitable to sell extra food for a slight increase, but fast food meals are extremely cheap. Of every dollar spent by fast food franchises, only 20 cents goes to food costs, with the rest going to salaries, bills, insurance, packaging and advertising. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that Americans today consumed 20 percent more calories in 2000 than in 1983 due to increases in portion sizes, which make up 11 percent of the diet. of an average American, which partly explains why obesity rates are increasing. Speaking of consumer manipulation, according to Brownlee's article, fast food restaurants would drop their prices 40 to 50 cents below their competitors to attract more customers with cheap food. Many families may be too cheap or too poor to invest in higher quality organic foods, such as fruits and vegetables. The US supply of organic foods is limited, production costs are higher, marketing and distribution are inefficient and costly, and much more; this makes organic products more expensive. Processed foods are cheaper because they cost much less to produce and supply can meet demand. I worked full time for a fast food chain with many customers who have very little money in their pockets and come in almost every day. Fast food was cheaper than purchasing individual ingredients, so customers ended up eating two courses at every fast food restaurant on the same block. In 2013, the National Center for Children in Poverty reported that 44 percent of the nation's children lived in a low-income household, concluding that nearly 44 percent of children likely have no choice but to.