Global Controversial Health Policy and Calorie Information Discussion

Choose a current health policy issue or law that has ongoing relevance in public health. Some options include, but are not limited to, banning trans fats in local municipalities, controlling the size of sugary drinks sold in restaurants, requiring nutrition information on menus, indoor and outdoor smoking bans, removing sugary drinks from schools, or mandating vaccines for healthcare workers or children entering school.

Describe why the chosen policies or laws are controversial. In your response, discuss how these policies affect personal autonomy (the cost to the individual) to benefit society. Provide a professional statement* on why these policies and laws are important to the overall health of the community.

*Personal and professional opinions may or may not align. It is very important in your employment to be able to provide a professional opinion, regardless of how it aligns with your personal beliefs. Professional opinions are based in research and fact, and reflect the beliefs of the organization as a whole and all those who work for the organization.

Be sure to include a list of credible references to support your response.

Kalan Judge posted Jan 30, 2021 2:25 PM

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Hello class and professor,

the controversial discussion I would like to talk about is seeing nutritional facts on menus. According to Hickman, a controversial aspect of the law is that it requires calorie information on menus—but doesn’t take steps to provide healthier alternatives (2020). With this people are so used to the taste of unhealthier choices they may not want to have a healthier route alternative. In many cases healthier foods cost so much more than the less healthier menus. If you want people to have a healthier lifestyle, then why would prices of healthy food severely outweigh the prices of the junk food. According to the FDA, consumers will have consistent nutrition information available to them whenever they eat out in covered establishments. In addition, companies that are covered by the requirements won’t have to display different nutrition labeling depending on the geographical location (2018). This helps ensure customers know what is going into their bodies and what is nutritional or not.

References:

(n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/why-calorie-counts-on-us-fast-food-menus-are-here-to-stay/ar-BBYtkLd#:~:text=A%20controversial%20aspect%20of%20the%20law%20is%20that,and%20don’t%20have%20many%20options%20beyond%20fast%20food.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (n.d.). Q&A on Menu and Vending Machines Nutrition Labeling Requirements. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-menu-and-vending-machines-nutrition-labeling-requirements#:~:text=A%20statement%20is%20required%20on%20menus%20and%20menu,cholesterol,%20sodium,%20total%20carbohydrates,%20fiber,%20sugars,%20and%20protein.

Chanelle Juhasz posted Jan 27, 2021 9:13 PM

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Good evening everyone!

Health policies have been instated across the nation to reach optimal health precautions. As redundant yet prevalent as COVID-19 is, it truly has shaped the health industry into what it is today. The current health policy issue I’ve personally run into is social distancing. According to the CDC, COVID-19 primarily spreads amongst people who are in close contact (approximately 6 ft.) for a prolonged period (2021). Infections and bacterial contamination can occur when an individual infected by COVID-19 spreads bodily fluids.

Whilst this is a mandated and efficient practice during the pandemic, it remains a controversial topic. Since COVID-19 occurred, to avoid any close contact contamination, major workplace centers and stores have implemented distancing procedures. For example, work centers have implemented teleworking as their primary communications, and retail stores have placed significantly lowered capacity rules. Social distancing could be a very valid example of autonomy. While it benefits society as a whole, it can place a huge inconvenience for others. For example, when shopping at retail stores in the mall, only a certain amount of people are allowed in at a time. This puts a huge time constraint on your shopping day when you spend half your time waiting in lines. Furthermore, not only does the social distancing procedures produce long wait times, but it conjunctively puts a financial burden on corporations/small businesses due to the lack of sales per customer. Businesses that rely heavily on face-to-face- communication or close physical proximity when producing a product are particularly vulnerable (Koren et al., 2018). Some individuals will reach farther and say it’s a violation of their born rights as an American citizen.

Whatever one’s thoughts and beliefs are on social distancing, it remains imperative that we continue to practice such measures. Social distancing as well as wearing a mask ensures the safety of the community in hopes to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

References:

Koren, M., & Pető, R. (2020, September 18). Business disruptions from social distancing. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC75006…

Social Distancing. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html#:~:text=COVID%2D19%20spreads%20mainly,from%20COVID%2D19.