Advertisement Should Not Be Allowed In Schools!

Fast food is famous all around America not only because is good tasting, quick, and convenient but mostly because it’s extremely cheap. It is very popular because with less than $5.00, you can get a filling meal. You can come across a fast food restaurant anywhere you go and it is always full with people. However, fast food is made with cheap ingredients such as high fat meat, refined grains, and added sugar and fats, instead of nutritious foods such as lean meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables. This is why as we all know, America is facing an obesity epidemic, specially children. The fast food chain use children as their main target for adverting anywhere possible but what is very aggravating is the fact that even schools are now serving and promoting fast food even though they know it‘s very unhealthy.

The Fast food industry has grown enormously over the years due to its advertising strategies. In chapter 2, “Your Trusted Friends” from his book Fast food Nation, Eric Schlosser makes the reader become aware of techniques fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s use to advertise their products. He explains why children have become the main target for advertising. “The aim of most children’s advertising is straightforward: get kids to nag their parents and nag them well” (43). He makes it very clear that the reason why advertisers go after children is because parents will buy anything for their kids as long as they stop nagging. Another reason why kids are its main target is because children are easily influenced by commercials on TV or ads they see on the street so kids are more likely to be tempted and ask their parents for that certain product being advertise.

“Not satisfied with marketing to children through playgrounds, toys, cartoons, movies, videos, charities, and amusements parks, through contests, sweepstakes, games, and clubs, via television, radio, magazines, and the Internet” (51) says Eric Schlosser, fast food chains are now even advertise and served in most public schools. School is suppose to be a place where children learn good things that will help them in their future but if they see ads of a hamburger with French fries around the hallways, they will be given a good image of fast food and will also be tempted to eat it. Fast food should not be advertised or served in schools because this will only confuse the kids and make them think it is okay to eat it but what they don’t know is that as good tasting as it may be, it ruins their health. Parents send their kids to school every morning thinking school is a “safe learning place” but what doesn’t cross their mind is that they should also be concerned about what their kids are being served for lunch.

I decided to take a trip to my cousin’s middle-school and see what she was eating for lunch myself. As soon as I walked in the lunchroom, I came across 3 vending machines. Two were full of junk food and the other one contained every type of soda brand including Coca Cola, Sprite, Pepsi and a few others. The menu for that day was cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, or pizza. The children have the option to pick one of these and it’s served along with French Fries including a little bag with mayonnaise and ketchup. Is it very upsetting to see that although most children consider school to be their second home, they are being fed food that will damage their health system. Instead of serving and helping advertise fast food, schools need be teaching the children why eating healthy food is important and how unhealthy and dangerous the consequences of eating fast food can be. Perhaps a health class where the children can learn ways to have a healthy lifestyle such as exercising, eating a balanced diet, taking vitamins etc. will help prevent children from eating as much junk food. Or better yet, the schools can simply stop selling, serving and advertising junk food.

Now a days, obesity in children is a massive problem. The main cause of obesity is obviously the unhealthy life-style children carry. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that “some very obese children have high blood pressure and cholesterol. And Kaiser experts treat some teens with Type 2 diabetes, a weight-linked disease that normally hits adults older than 40. In fact, the group of U.S. residents at highest risk for diabetes is Latino girls: More than half the Latino girls born in 2000 will develop diabetes unless the nation's eating and exercise patterns change” says Andy Dworkin in his article Health Every Period. It is very dangerous and life-risking for children to have these type of diseases and if advertising for fast food in schools continue, this will only increase the amount of obese children. Isn’t incredible to think that if children keep on eating processed food, their lives will be shorter than their own parents?.

However, the problem of children eating so much fast food isn’t only schools. Parents should also be well informed of what they are feeding their kids. In some cases, parents who please their children because they feel guilty they don’t spend much time with their kids are the ones who usually think that taking them to McDonald’s or perhaps buying them what they want is a way to make up for it. Then, there’s those parents who take their kids to McDonald’s, Burger king or any other fast food restaurant that attract kids as way of rewarding their children for good behavior or getting good grades at school. In other cases, it is simply because as we all know, fast food is way cheaper than healthy food. What ever the case might be, we should keep in mind that parents are a big influence on kids and if the parents are unhealthy, there is a big possibility that the children will be unhealthy as well.

In conclusion, There is a place and time for everything and school is simply not the right place for fast food adverting. Kids spend half their day in school and should be learning stuff that will be for their own benefit not being served food that is putting them in risk of suffering from diseases that can cause their own death.




Dworkin, Andy. "Health Every Period." Editorial. 24 Mar. 2010. Web.
Schlosser, Eric. “Your Trusted Friends.” Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. 31-58. Print.

Outline Essay #1

Thesis: Fast food should not be allowed in public schools.

Body Paragraph 1: Fast food is unhealthy therefore; it shouldn't be advertised in schools.

Body Paragraph 2: Kids are the main target for advertisement this is why fast food is advertise in schools.

Body Paragraph 3: Fast food increases the risk of kids suffers from obesity.

Body Paragraph 4: Children are now suffering from adult illness such as diabetes type 2 and this is all consequences of eating fast food.



Fast food contains many different types of chemicals causing children's health system to get weak and produce many illnesses. Schools should be a safe place for students and serving fast food to them shows they don't care for the children. Schools need to explain to students why eating healthy food is important and teach them ways to have a healthy lifestyle. Fast food should not be advertised in public schools because it only makes the children think that is good for them meanwhile it only ruins their health.

Now a day, obesity in children is a massive problem. The main cause of obesity is the unhealthy life style children carry. Not only are kids suffering from obesity but now they are also suffering from adult illness such as Diabetes Type 2, High cholesterol and many others. Fast food only keeps making the number of obese children increase and it should not be allowed in any school.

MLA Annotated Bibliography

“SPRINGER; Eat, drink and be merry?” NewsRx Science. May17, 2009.
Expanded Reporting; pg. 80

An article explaining the relationship between fast food and soft drink consumptions and children’s happiness. It includes a study of the effects in children’s body weight and their mood according to what they eat. In result of this study, they noticed that children who came from a lower income household are the ones who are more likely to be obese or overweight. According to the people who made this study, “children who ate fast food and drank soft drinks were more likely to be overweight, but they were also less likely to be unhappy.”



“Linking Fast Food Proximity To Obesity” State News Service. March 4, 2009

An article showing studies by the University of California- Berkeley on how fast food restaurants are mainly located near schools, being the major cause for children’s obesity . They also analyzed a weight gain on pregnant mothers and their proximity to fast food outlets. This article shows percentages of fast food restaurants located around high schools in California. The more fast food restaurants being located, the more the percentage of obesity among children’s will increase.



Pettus, Emily Wagster. "Fattest State's Lawmakers Shed Pounds,fried Stuff." The Associated Press Domestic News March24, 2010.

An article which was recently published in the news explaining that the main reason why people in the U.S are overweight is because they are eating fast food. It doesn’t matter the career or how educated people are, even law markers eat fast food. This article shows that regardless how educated one can be or who we are, everyone can be overweight if unhealthy food is being eaten.


McClellan, Cornell. "Getting Kids in Shape Is a Family Affair; Commit to Healthy Eating Habits and Keep Everyone Active." Chicago Sun Times 03 Mar. 2010. Web

In this article the author briefly explains obesity and the different types of diseases that can also be caused from eating fast food. After, the author gives many tips and ideas on how to prevent obesity such as cooking at home, carrying a healthy lifestyle, not using food as a reward to encourage good behavior and many other interesting tips. He also recommends to exercise because having a healthy diet is not enough.



JALONICK, MARY CLARE. "Corn farmers say Food Inc. shouldn't win Oscar." Associated Press Online, Entertainment News. 05 Mar. 2010.

An article explaining the reasons why Farmers are protesting against Food Inc. and it's oscar award nomination. The author briefly gives a summary of the film. Although the film not only shows a negative side, the farmers are complaining becuase they say that after that flim, their reputation would suffer significally.

A Republic of Fat

In “The consumer: A republic of fat” written by Chevant, Richie and Michael Pollan, they mention that “ when food is abundant and cheap, people will eat more of it and get fat”. Without a doubt this is true. In fact, this is the reason why most Americans suffer from obesity, diabetes and many other type of diseases. It is very overwhelming to know that not only grown ups but even children now suffer from diabetes and most of them are obese.

According to Pollan’s article, “because of diabetes and all the other health problems that accompany obesity, today’s children may turn to be the first generation of Americans whose life expectancy actually be shorter than that of their parents” (pg. 102). Although obesity has been affecting our country for many years, it is very sad to see that it is now actually affecting our children. Parents who work all the day long and have no time to cook at home are those who always make their children eat at fast food restaurants. Not only because the food is good tasting but most importantly because it’s extremely cheap. Before feeding their children, parents should be aware and well informed of what they are making them eat. Although they don’t have time to cook at home, they should always try to eat as healthy as possible. However, now a days not even cooking at home is as healthy as it was back then. All the chemicals added to our food is what makes our health system get weaker and produce all the different type of diseases that come from obesity.

Parents are a very big influence on children that is why we should all be concerned and try to have a much healthier lifestyle. We should try to eat as less fast food as possible and keep in mind that because the food is cheap does not mean it's healthy enough for us to eat.


Michael Pollan. “The Consumer: A Republic of Fat”. The Omnivore’s Dilemma; The Secrets Behind What You Eat. New York: Dial, 2009. 100-108.

Soda Tax Increase

Soda tax is not a bad idea at all but it would never work. The point is to reduce the amount of soda people drink or better yet to stop drinking it completely which would be better for every one's health. Since the price of soda would be higher with it's tax, people would think twice before buying it. If people would actually take this to consideration, it is certain that the amount of diabetics and any other type of sickness soda brings would be much lower. However, as great as this idea might sound, it would definitely make no difference what so ever. Soda tax won't stop people from drinking or buying soda. The only thing it'll do is increase the government's budget.

In the article "Soda Taxes Are Nothing More Than a Money Grab", the author mentions that "if soda is industrial-grade poison for children, both activists and the government should take immediate steps to make it illegal." He also says this would never happen because for example, there is evidence that cigarettes do kill people yet still they are being sold all around. If the government really did care for American's health as they say, they could simply take unhealthy things out the market or as mention before, make it illegal. Soda tax is a similar idea to the price raise of cigarettes that won't work as well. Although it's a proven fact that cigarettes harm the human body, they are still being bought.

Taxing soda is just another excuse to get the money the government needs. They will say anything such as "how concerned they are about our health" to get what they want. What is very frustrating is the fact these people think we are stupid to understand what they are really trying to do. If soda is bad for our health, does it mean that everything else that is being sold in the supermarket containing sugar should also be taxed?. If perhaps the government would actually do something for the community with the money they receive from taxes, people wouldn't complain as much but it seems as if they only want to receive and never give something in return. If they are so worried about our health they would use that money to actually keep the streets of New York as clean as possible and do many other things that our community needs to improve our environment.

Come to think of it, it is our fault soda tax was proposed after all. The government knows people are not going to stop buying soda just because they would be charged a couple of cents extra. If, after all the warnings on how soda affects our health people keep consuming it, why would the government care for our health if they see we don't care ourselves? We are the ones who should be concern the most for our health and stop drinking soda. Ultimately, We are the ones who should stop letting them make money out of us while our health is being ruined.



"Soda Taxes Are Nothing More Than a Money Grab". Advertising Age. March 15,2010.

Are Fast Food Restaurants a Safe Working Place For Teens?

Teenagers are the main target who Fast food restaurants go after to make them become a staff member. As we all might know, the fast food industry pays their employees minimum wage. The reason why teenagers are mostly hired to work for these restaurants is because although they barely have any working experience, they are the only ones who would accept such a low salary. The problem is not only that teenagers are exploited at work and still receive a very low amount of money but are also hired without any type of training. This is a major problem because employers don't seem to acknowledge that these teenagers are running a very high risk of being injured if they do not follow any type of training program.

Eric Schlosser mentions on his book Fast Food Nation in the chapter "Behind The Counter" (pg.83) that "the injury of teenagers workers in the United States is about twice as that of adult workers. Teenagers are far more likely to be untrained, and every year, about 200,000 are injured on the job". The employers should offer teenagers a training program in which prepares them to familiarize themselves with their environment as well as the machines they'll be using. Eric Schlosser also says that "the most common work place injuries at a fast food restaurant are slips, falls, strains, and burns". A training program would certainly help avoid many of these accidents. They should recognize that putting new employees in the kitchen at a fast food restaurant without training can be very dangerous and the consequences can be severe.

Besides having a training program, teens working for fast food restaurants should also be taught safety. Fast food restaurants have become the main attraction to armed robbers so teenagers should be prepared for any type of emergency. "Roughly four or five fast food workers are now murdered on the job every month, usually during the course of robbery" says Eric Schlosser. According to Sanford Nowlin, not a lot is being done to protect teen employees. In his article he mentions that there are two main problems, "One is the kid going into the workplace not knowing enough about the importance of workplace safety. The second is the employer isn't recognizing that and making sure that kid gets enough training. This stuff just isn't taught anywhere in our educational system". If the employers refuse to train teens, they should at least make sure teens don't go near any machinery and their primary function should only be to stay in front of the store and deal costumers. Also, since robberies mostly happen when only a few staff members are present, fast food restaurants should always make sure to have more people working at all times specially near closing time or over night. It is important that employers become aware of what an unsafe step they take every time they hire an untrained teenager. Most importantly, teens should know what their rights are and fight for them.


Nowlin, Sanford. "Safety Advocates Say Not Enough Is Being Done To Protect Teen Employees" San Antonio Express-News. August 27, 2005.

Fast Food, a Low Pay Industry

Fast food industries such as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, etc. are known to hire inexperience workers and pay minimum wage. This is because most of the employees working for these restaurants are either immigrants or teenagers. Although adults are hired as well, these industries believe that teenagers qualify for the job not only because they are willing to earn a lowest wage but also because they are easier to manage. Most of these workers do not receive no type of benefits and are often scheduled to work 40-to 60 hours a week. In many cases, these employees have to perform the duties of the manager, yet still receive the same salary.


In the book Fast Food Nation written by Eric Schlosser, he mentions in the chapter "Behind the Counter" in page 68 that "Instead of relying upon a small, stable, well-paid, and well trained workforce, the fast food industry seeks out part-time, unskilled workers who are willing to accept low pay. Teenagers have been the perfect candidates for these jobs, not only because they are less expensive to hire than adults, but also because their youthful inexperience makes them easier to control". He makes it very clear for the reader to understand that fast food restaurants are willing to hire people with no experience as long as they save their money by paying the workers minimum wage. For teenagers who don't have any responsibilities and have no experience in any type of job, getting paid minimum wage shouldn't be a problem. This in fact is a way to help young people who never worked before gain some knowledge of what a job consists of and realize they can do much better than stay behind a counter selling hamburgers all day long. The problem is when the managers exploit their employees expecting them to do more work than they are suppose to although they are being paid an insignificant amount of money. There are also adults being hired, most of them are immigrants who left their country to find better opportunities. They feel forced to take any job that comes along since they are illegal and think its impossible to get a well-paying job. Fast food restaurants hire immigrants and teenagers hoping to waste less money and receive more in return.


When I was 16 years old, I decided to start looking for a part-time job so I can work after school. I filled out a few applications and received a call from a clothing store telling me to go for an interview. As soon as i got there, the manager told me I got the job and that I'll be getting paid minimum wage which was $7.25 per hour. That same day two other girls around my age were hired as well. When they asked if we had any type of experience of working in a clothing store, it seemed not to bother them that we didn't because for the three of us that was going to be our first job. They told us our job consisted of providing good costumer service, putting clothes from the fitting room back to where they belong, keeping the store clean, vacuuming the store at the end of the day and sometimes be in charge of the register. As time went by, the managers would make us do much more than what we were hired for and still received the same amount of money. There were times when they would make me do stuff the managers themselves were suppose to do such as count the money and do paper work at the end of the day and I was forced to stay extra time until I finished. Although the place where I worked isn't a fast food restaurant, their hiring techniques pretty much work the same way. I worked there for two years and noticed the managers would only give out applications to young girls after there was some lady in her mid-thirty's working there and asked the managers to raise her salary. She was working full-time and still being paid minimum wage. They knew that if they hired older people, they wouldn't be able to make them do as much work as a young girl would do for only $7.25 an hour.