Individuals choose what they eat, and if they choose to indulge on fattening fast food, they are responsible for the resulting weight gain, not the companies that supply it.
In spite of the voices in favor of personal responsibility, many lawsuits being brought against fast food companies charging that they are at fault for their obesity. The Boston Herald reported on a man that Caesar Barber, 56, a maintenance worker who weighs about 270 pounds and stands 5-foot-10. He claims McDonalds's, Burger King, Wendy's and KFC jeopardized his health with their greasy, salty foods. He filed a class action lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court in the Bronx on behalf of an unspecified number of other obese and ill New Yorkers who also feast on fast food. Barber's lawsuit is the first broad-based action taken against the fast food industry for allegedly contributing to obesity(Krummy). Barber says that even after his heart attack, he ate at fast food restaurants four to five times a week. He says that they did not properly disclose the ingredients of their food and the risks of eating too much." They never explained to me what I was eating" Barber said to Good Morning America. His lawyer, Samuel Hirsch, said the industry has an obligation to warn consumers of the dangers of eating from their menus (Park). The fast food chains were negligent in selling food high in fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol content, the lawsuit claims, despite studies showing a link between consuming such foods and obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, elevated cholesterol intake, related cancers, and other health problems(Park). As a result of the fast food companies' actions, Barber suffered injuries- he has had two heart attacks and is diabetic and is entitled to unspecified damages at a jury trial, the complaint reads (Park). With this lawsuit, it should alert fast food companies to make healthier foods and post health risks.
