Remember how happy you were when your parents treated you to a happy meal when you were a child. It came in this little red box with fries and chicken nuggets. Oh, and best of all, it always came with a toy; your parents told you not to open it until you finished eating, but that never happened. Or the time you forgot some money at home but still managed to grab a dollar and sixteen cents from your car for an iced sweet tea. Fast food still comes out on top, but what's really behind the happy meals and sweet teas. We all know that fast food is not good for your health, but who is to blame? Is it fair to blame fast food chains or are we just afraid of blaming ourselves? Fast food advertising is said to be linked to increased obesity among children and adolescents. The epidemic of childhood obesity constitutes a serious public health problem that increases morbidity, morality and results in substantial long-term economic and social costs (opposing views). Around 20% of our young people are now overweight and obesity rates among preschoolers are increasing at an alarming rate (opposing views). U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona said, “Obesity is the fastest growing cause of illness and death in the United States.” When I read this I was shocked. This is something that can change, but it is up to us to make this commitment. No one but us has the power to do this. Did you know that treating obesity-related problems costs Americans $117 billion per year, or $420 per person (CQ researcher). Although I don't agree with the idea that people should blame fast food chains for their health problems. The fast food industry intentionally markets unhealthy foods to children (opposing views). Did you know that fast food chains spend over 3 million a year on... middle of paper ... which we should take lightly. Obesity rates among American children and youth have nearly tripled over the past quarter century (opposing views). I know schools are choosing healthier options for their students, but is that really enough? Personally, I think it's parents who should make sure their children don't eat too much fast food. If you let your child eat whatever he wants and don't question it, there will likely be problems with unhealthy weight gain later. Parents should lead by example. If mom and dad don't eat a lot of fast food, they will copy your actions. Ultimately, the decision is yours. It's your body and your life. Let me just note that you don't want to deal with these issues because you will regret it. I'm not saying you can't buy happy meals or sweet teas anymore, but you just need to be conscious of the decisions you make..