HOMEWORK WEEK TEN: HEALTH AND FOOD

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DEFINITION OF 5 NEW VOCABULARY WORDS (from reading 1: Childhood Obesity and
reading 2: Healthy Weight Loss and Dieting Tips)


BMI: is an acronym for Body Mass Index and is an indicator of the body shape of a person; it is calculated according to the height and the weight of the person.

Carbs: short for carbohydrate, it is one of the principal nutritional components of food and is mainly composed of starches and sugars digested and used for energy in the body.

Deprived: not having the necessary for a pleasant life, such as enough money, enough food, or good living conditions.

Mindful: bearing in mind, being aware.

Shedding: to cast off or let fall by natural process (leaves, hair, pounds, skin, feathers, etc.)

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DEBATE PROJECT - FOOD EXAMPLE

• Claim: imposing taxes on sugary drinks and junk food to lower obesity rates among Americans.
• Evidence: There is evidence to suggest that cost, more so than preference, influences purchasing choices. A year after New York increased cigarette taxes from $1.25 to $2.75, smoking rates dropped by 12% to a historic low (Harutyunyan, 2009). 
• Warrant: Processed foods and drinks are increasingly more affordable than the fruits, vegetables, and whole grains needed to sustain a healthy diet (Marsh, 2011).
• Backing: If cost is a more pertinent factor of food choice than personal taste, increasing the price of soda and junk food through taxes, while using that revenue to subsidize unprocessed fruits and vegetables would entice consumers to choose healthier products as they become more affordable than their unhealthy counterparts.
• Counterargument/Rebuttal:  This tax might hurt those in areas with little access to fresh produce and whole grains, such as in low-income urban areas; therefore the “junk food tax” would only work if healthy food choices are made not only affordable but easily available to low-income consumers through the use of subsidies (Marsh, 2011). 
• Qualifier: However, if precautions are taken to ensure equal access to healthy food among all citizens, then using the “carrot” of subsidized healthy food and nutrition education along with the “stick” of a food tax, the typical American diet can-- and should-- be changed for the better.