Alex-Final Draft

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/06/01/is-the-recession-making-americans-fatter.aspx The article "Is the Recession Making Americans Fatter?" from Newsweek was an automatic put-off for most. Many people who see the article (generally adults who read Newsweek) would be overweight, according to the article. They see this and think "Yeah I know I'm a little bit... plumper than I should be, but I'm going to the gym tomorrow and I'm eating salad tonight..." and they flip away from the article. No one wants to be called fat. The thing is, what the article describes is probably true. The recession is causing a lot of stress on everyone, and stress does tend to cause over-eating or eating foods high in fat and calories. Cheaper food, like McDonald's Dollar Menu, are a seemingly good pick for those trying to save money. Again they think "I know its bad for me, but its just this once, I never eat it, I’m going to the gym later…”
There are quotes from a health specialist, Leslie Heinberg. She babbles on about obesity and its risk factors, such as diabetes, heart disease, and health care burdens. Nothing we haven’t heard before. BMI (Body Mass Index) is also discussed in the article. It is well known, however, that BMI is not a reliable way to tell if the person is obese. A person could be extremely muscular and weigh 150 pounds from all the muscle and be 5.1’. The BMI would say the person is obese even though he or she really isn’t. So why put information like this into an article about a growing obesity problem?
The word choice is average. Nothing special about it. There are very few complex words, nothing that would confuse the reader. The only thing I don’t like is the tone. If someone, anyone, were to read this article aloud, there would probably be a steady monotone with an increase in pitch at some of the more surprising facts like “obesity rates have jumped up 1.5% since the recession started.” The rest is just plain depressing. Like one would ask himself “Well what am I supposed to do about this? I’m powerless.” I don’t know about anyone else, but I hate reading articles about things that are bad, like terrorists killing innocent children in some foreign country or global warming. It makes me feel bad, like I can’t do anything to stop it. This article would be an example of one of them.
I think it is important to know about obesity and how to prevent it. Everyone should know not to have pancakes piled high with butter and syrup for breakfast, then McDonald’s Big Mac and a Coke for lunch, and then 100,000,000 pound turkey accompanied by double helpings of mashed potatoes and don’t even get me started on dessert. It just shouldn’t be done. Awareness is important. I just don’t think people need to read articles about this, that makes them feel depressed. Everyone knows Americans are fat. Land of the free, home of the brave and bulges. Its just how it is. So to make long story short, and not to bum everyone out with sad facts about the human race: Obesity is a problem among Americans, especially during times when money is short. Be sure not to be hooked into the Dollar Menu bait at McDonalds, get enough exercise, and only eat when you’re hungry. End of story.