Quote 2

"The simple fact that fast food restaurants and obsity have both increased over time is insufficient proof of this link, as are studies that rely on differences in fast food consumption across individuals, since people who eat more fast foodmay be prone to other behaviors that affect obesity."

Response: Many people have noticed that over the years, the obesity rate has grown, and the fast food industry has grown. With fast food restaurants making improvements to their stores, and adding new food products to attract more and more customers, many can agree that fast-food is more prominent in today's society than it was decades ago. With obesity rates climbing at the same time, it is easy to assume that the fast-food industry is part of the reason why the obesity rate is climbing. This quote comes from the article "Do Fast Food Restaurants Contribute to Obesity?" In the article, researchers conducted a study that looked at whether being in a close proximeity of a fast-food restaurant increased the risk of obesity. The answer was yes. The study found that if a fast-food restaurant was within 0.5 miles away from a school, the risk of the school children being obese was raised by 5.2%. The study also found that the chance of a pregnant women gaining 20 kilos during her pregnancy was raised 2.2% if she lived with 0.1 miles of a fast-food restaurant. This study does not directly link fast-food restaurants to obesity, but it shows that the fast-food industry does have an effect on weight gain and obesity.