Hess 1

Shasta Hess
Diana Watkins
Comp 2 TR: 10:30
23, February 2016
Government Involvement in Health
Should the government have more influence on our health? I think that they should have
some affect. They can help influence people to make better choices, more aware of nutrition, and
reward people for good choices. I think that this will work and that everyone in the country will
benefit from it. I also feel that some government involvement in health is good but that too much
can be a very bad idea. The government has tried to help in many ways but I feel that they need
to let the people have a little more responsibility for what they eat and how the exercise.
I feel that if the government gives the people more responsible for their own health that
they will make better choices regarding their health. Balko states in his essay Well make better
choices about diet, exercise, and personal health when someone else isnt paying for the
consequences of those choices. (pg.469) I agree with Balko, I think that if we have to take
responsibility for ourselves that we will make better choices in the end. I believe that people with
put down the cheeseburger and have a salad. Or even just eating less of the bad foods and more
of the good foods. Also I believe that if they want to eat the cheeseburger that they will exercise
to make up for the calories consumed. I think that if people want to eat what they want that they
should learn to exercise properly to stay healthy. I think that exercise is just as important as
eating healthy. I know personally how hard it can be to start exercising and stick to it. I have
never stuck to exercising very long. Personally I know that if I was more conscious about what I

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ate I probably wouldnt eat half the things that I do. I also know that if the way I eat had
consequences I would very quickly change my habits and not indulge as often. I would chose
foods that would come with a reward and enjoy the rewards.
Knowledge is power, if people were more aware of the nutritional value of their food it
will help them make better choices. I believe that if the government make the nutrition values
bigger and easier to see in restaurants and on packaging that people may be more conscious
about what they put in their bodies. Nutrition education needs to happen now, not just for kids,
but also for adults as well (Knell) Nutrition is an ignored part of health. Knell know that
nutrition is important for every one and does her best to tell people why. Nutrition is very
important for adult and kids, it keeps us all healthy. Most people dont look at the nutritional
value of their food they just eat it. There are many ways that the government could have us look
at nutrition. They could raise health rates, or have nutrition talked about more in the news and
popular kids shows. (Knell) I believe that if I were more informed about the proper nutrition
intake. That I would watch it more carefully and try harder to eat better. I think that if people
knew more about what they were eating that they would be inspired to eat better and live better.
To make this plan work the government would have to reward good behavior. I know that
if people were rewarded for the good choices that they would make better choices. I also feel that
if they were penalized for only making bad diet and exercise choices they would make the effort
to do better. I believe that reward system would be the most effective in helping people be
healthier. I say this because most people enjoy being rewarded and they try harder to do better
when they are penalized. I know that there are people out there that dont care and will not
change their way of life and thats there right, but I feel that there are many people that if given a
push would be willing and able to change their habits for the better. In the book Nutrition

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Reviews the authors say Dietary and physical activity behaviors that affect health are influenced
by a wide variety of forces; changes in these behaviors require intervention and commitment to
action at multiple levels I agree with this that is why I think that the government should reward
the good behaviors of those trying to change and those who already have. Also that convincing
people to work together to stay healthy. People are more likely to continue a task if there are
other people there to help keep them on track and to support them. I think this would be a great
plan to keep people healthy and on track is with a buddy system that will allow people to have
someone to rely on and to encourage each other when they need it. I feel that this will help
people be healthier and happier.
I believe that with some government help that America can become a health country by
making better choice, knowledge of nutrition, and rewards for good choices. I feel that if people
were more informed about what they are eating and the consequence it has on their bodies that
they would be inspired to try to be better. I truly believe that this would work. People are people
some will enjoy the change and others will not, but I still believe that giving the people more
responsibility will be a good idea and help people be healthier.

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Work Cited
Balko, R. (2014). What You Eat Is Your Business. In They Say, I Say with reading (pp. 466470). New York, NY: W.w. Norton & Company.
Balko talks about why the government should be able to charge people for their bad
choices. Also how people should be held responsible for their own actions instead of
others. Balko is credible because he is the author of books about health. This source fits
into my essay because its the inspiration for the essay.
Booth, S. L., Sallis, J. F., Ritenbaugh, C., Hill, J. O., Birch, L. L., Frank, L. D., . . . Hays, N. P.
(2009, April 27). Environmental and Societal Factors Affect Food Choice and Physical
Activity: Rationale, Influences, and Leverage Points. Retrieved February 10, 2016, from
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2001.tb06983.x/abstract
This cite talked about the effects of social factors of food and obesity. As well as what the
effects of the government on both these issues as well. The source fits in very well with
my essay because I am writing about the effects of the government. The editors are
credible because they all hold a PhD.
Knell, C. (2013, April 9). Should Government Have More Control Over Our Nutrition?
Retrieved February 10, 2016, from http://sites.jmu.edu/103oconnor-16/shouldgovernment-have-more-control-over-our-nutrition/
This source asks the same question I am. Should the government have more control over
nutrition? This source supports my idea that the government should make the people
more responsible for their food choices. The author is credible because she has a degree
in Health Science. Her ideas support the ideas Im entertaining for this essay.

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Levi, J., Segal, L. M., Rayburn, J., & Martin, A. (n.d.). The Healthcare Costs of Obesity.
Retrieved February 10, 2016, from http://stateofobesity.org/healthcare-costs-obesity/
This source talks about healthcare and obesity. It talks about how most healthcare agents
charge people more for being overweight. This source fits into my essay by showing that
some people will take their health into their own hands. This happens by them making
better choices. The authors are credible because they all have PhD's in health.