CCR: English IV Anclote High 2015 FOOD FOR THOUGHT : MAKING RESEARCHED DECISIONS

 “For the first time in two centuries, the current generation of children in America may have shorter life expectancies than their parents…the rapid rise in childhood obesity, if left unchecked, could shorten life spans by as much as five years” NYTIMES.com  “In 2012, 49.0 million Americans lived in food insecure households” (almost 16 million were children) FeedingAmerica.org WHY SHOULD I RESEARCH FOOD?

 “Your food can legally contain maggots, rodent hair, and insect eggs.” MensHealth.com  “The way we eat has changed more in last 50 years than in the last 10,000…” Michael Pollan  “Nutritious food costs 10 times as much as junk food.” MensHealth.com NO REALLY…DO SOME RESEARCH!

 Is your food making your sick?  “Each year, 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick and 3,000 dies from a foodborne illness.” CDC.gov  Are you concerned about genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?  GMOs: plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals  “In the U.S., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food.” NonGMOProject.org ISSUE ONE: FOOD SAFETY

PROCESSED VS. NON PROCESSED FOOD

 If foods are banned in other countries, should they be banned in America?  “Fake coloring that gives those eerie bright hues to boxed mac and cheese, breakfast cereal, candy, and soft drinks. Linked to behavioral changes in children, allergies, migraines and possibly cancer, those dyes are banned in several countries including the UK—but not in the US.” AARP.org ISSUE ONE: FOOD SAFETY

 Labeling! Should you be able to know what exactly is in your food?  “Dr. OZ: What’s Hidden in Your Food?” (5:21) food food ISSUE ONE: FOOD SAFETY

 Are animals treated humanely in factory farms?  Factory Farm: involves raising livestock in confinement at high density; a farm that operates as a business  Chipolte’s message about factory farming:  What are the implicit messages in the commercial? ISSUE TWO: ANIMALS IN AGRICULTURE

 What could overcrowding and high doses of antibiotics lead to? ISSUE TWO: ANIMALS IN AGRICULTURE

 Should we be able to “see” what is happening to animals on factory films?  Should it be a crime to take undercover footage at factory farms?  What are the long-term effects of factory farming? ISSUE TWO: ANIMALS IN AGRICULTURE

 Are “fad diets” healthy or harmful?  Fad Diets: usually refers to idiosyncratic diets and eating patterns that promote short-term weight loss, usually with no concern for long-term weight maintenance, and enjoy temporary popularity  South Beach Diet  Atkins Diet  Paleolithic Diet  Grapefruit Diet  Slim-Fast  Nutrisystem ISSUE THREE: LIFESTYLE CHOICES

 Should I become a vegetarian or a vegan?  Is it healthy…and what’s the difference  Vegetarians: eliminate all meat from their diet, some may eat honey, eggs, and other dairy products  Vegans: eliminate all animal products from their diet and everyday life (including clothing, medicine, etc.)  Can a vegetarian diet help you live longer?  Fox News Reports: ISSUE THREE: LIFESTYLE CHOICES

 Should we be eating organic food?  Organic Food: Food produced without synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, or genetic modification  Is organic food healthier?  “Although organic foods generally are grown with lower levels of pesticides, no scientific evidence shows that these foods are healthier or safer than conventionally grown foods.” American Dietetic Association ISSUE THREE: LIFESTYLE CHOICES

 What is a localvore?  Localvore: a person dedicated to eating food grown and produced locally  Why does that even matter?  Less resources (primarily fossil fuels) are used in packaging and transporting local food  It supports the local economy  It’s healthier—less preservatives  It’s safer—localvores are less susceptible to foodborne illnesses ISSUE THREE: LIFESTYLE CHOICES

 Is obesity in America really an epidemic?  “Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the last 30 years.” CDC.gov  Can taxing junk food really help curb obesity?  Is it “unAmerican” to tax junkfood?   Is it too expensive to eat healthy?  Looking at the “Dollar Menu”  Who is responsible for obesity? ISSUE FOUR: HEALTH AND NUTRITION

 Are “athletic diets” healthy?  Are supplements and workout enhancers healthy?  e-sports-supplement-meth_n_ html e-sports-supplement-meth_n_ html ISSUE FOUR: HEALTH AND NUTRITION

 How does the food system affect our environment?  Factory farming accounts for 37% of methane emissions.  Confined animals generate 3 times more raw waste than humans in the US.  Farmed animals use more than half the water consumed in the US. ISSUE FIVE: THE ENVIRONMENT