Overview

It's no secret that the obesity problem is getting out of hand in the United States. Movies like Supersize Me (if by a slim chance [pun] you haven't seen it, for a quick trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V168xofxgu0&feature=related) and widely shared statistics ( 300,000 Americans die a year from obesity related illnesses) exploit the "dirty little secret" Americans had been trying to hide. It cannot be denied that obesity has become a huge problem (no pun intended) in today's society, and as a result the Government has been stepping in. To stop the spread of obesity, the New Jersey Government has enacted laws that prohibit the sale of any item with sugar as the first or primary ingrediant in schools.

Before you obtain an opinion on this arguement, let me ask you, do you recall being in elementary school and celebrating your birthday with your classmates (granted you don't have a summer birthday)? I always used to bring in white cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and a cute little red heart on the top, appropriate for the Valentine season. It is now illegal for my sister, age seven, also with a February birthday, to celebrate in such a manner. Instead, she must bring in corn muffins or something of the sort. Let's be honest, what kind of birthday celebration can you possibly have without some kind of cake?

It is obvious where I stand on Government involvment in the obesity epidemic. Ever since the enactment of these laws, this issue has been very prominent in my life. Well, Eating Disorders in general have always been a major part of my life, but in a different aspect than most girls my age. My mother is a Licensed Social Worker (which is just a fancy name for a therapist) who specializes in the treatment of Eating Disorders. Therefore, the relationship I have with food is emotionally healthy. An emotionally healthy relationship with food is almost always necessary to have physically healthy relationship with food. All that really means is, ever since I was a kid, I was taught to listen to my body; if my mom had prepared a huge, healthy dinner for me, but my belly didn't feel hungry for anything but Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, that was ok. Believe it or not, the next day or so, I was craving broccoli. I was taught to eat slow and listen to my stomach; if it was full, I stopped eating. This is where problems arise for many Americans today.

If you create tension in the food aspect of life, a love hate relationship will be established between the person and the food. This Government involvement will make Eating Disorders worse than ever, not only will kids have their parents scolding them for having a brownie before dinner, but the Governor, as well, telling them not to eat cookies, soda, or candy for lunch because it will make them fat. These foods will become objects of desire, like gold, being horded, traded, and admired. Consumption of these foods will not end with Government limits, they will only become more scandelous and admirable. This, in fact, is as far from an emotionally healthy relationship with food as you can get.