Fast Food on Health: Obesity Fast Food

¶ … Fast Food on Health: Obesity

Fast food restaurants are a major contributor to the deterioration of health in America.

We all know the importance of healthy eating and how it can affect our health. Fast food is one way which can affect our health in a bad way. Excessive fast food intake results in obesity and thus opens the gateway to many or health problems. For years people have been waging a strong battle against large multinational fast food, partly complicit in these results.

A recent study has once again made clear the negative effect of junk food on the health and its inevitable effect on weight gain and obesity. It has been found that fast foods (soft drinks, burgers, pizzas, hot dogs, chips etc.) are not only unhealthy, but replace the diet with other foods such as fish, fruit, cereals, vegetables and dairy products. Fast food contains saturated fats, lack of fiber, and abundance of certain sugars which attracts young people and favors the accumulation of fat.

Argument

Once again, fast food is liable for having a negative impact on public health. Obesity has become a major point of concern in America and it's high time that some steps should be taken to fight the increasing number of obese Americans. Being overweight not only raises the health concerns but also gives an unpleasant image to the outer world. Though there are many causes for people to gain excessive weight but eating out at fast food chains and restaurants is at top of the list. Americans are always concerned as to how fast and conveniently they can get their things done, which is one of the reasons why they prefer fast food chains, as they save their time and effort. Given that the food tastes good and is easy to get, the demand for these fast food chains will keep increasing not considering if the food is even healthy for consumption. (Molini: 635) Since the early 1980s, Obesity has increased at a rapid rate in the United States as well as throughout the world. As the rate at which number of obese people is continuously increasing worldwide, this situation is raising a major public health concern. It represents a variety of medical conditions which includes hypertension, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes premature death as well as certain cancers.

The high incidence of obesity and other heart related problems exist because of unhealthy eating habits and less physical activity (Molini: 637). Consumption of fast food is regarded as economical food, and is one of the reasons why it is preferred by people nowadays. Fast food is served in large portion sizes, it is high in energy but poor in fiber and nutritional content, and also high in glycemic content that results in increased weight and therefore is the main causative reason for the expanding rate of obesity. Due to excessive consumption of fast food, which has increased in recent years primarily because of the changes in the lifestyles, it generates high energy consumption. When fast food eating becomes a habit, it favors excess energy balance and thus an increase in body weight.

The term "Fast Food" is used to refer to food which has less nutritional value. Fast food usually contains, Torresani, et al. (2007), large amounts of sodium, saturated fats and sugars that absorb quickly, and which have little nutritional value. All foods can be unhealthy if the amount of their consumption is unbalanced, and fast food does more harm because it is consumed in large quantities. This type of menu-based food is easily prepared, i.e. not usually requires a lot of time for preparation by the consumer, it is convenient to eat, can be obtained quickly and has a wide variety of flavors which makes it more attractive. According to Cabrera Molini (2007) the excess consumption of fast food, favors the development of obesity, as it stores the access of fat or triglycerides.

Obesity and overweight is defined as abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat which can damage health. In recent years, the prevalence of obesity in children has increased suddenly. According to Amigo, et al., (2007), this trend largely affects countries of Latin America, which has led WHO to apply for obesity as a global epidemic. Obesity contributes to the development of diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, etc. Among the many determinants of obesity in childhood there are environmental, genetic and psychological factors.

Childhood is the prime time of life to acquire good eating habits and these habits are acquired through repetition and almost or completely by accident. Thus the habits which acquired in childhood can be changed very little in the following years as unconscious learning and the formation of attitudes occur mainly at this stage of life. Several descriptive studies, both nationally and internationally say excessive consumption of fast food is a determining factor for the development of childhood obesity. The preceding information was developed between the years 2002 and 2008. A study on "obesity in school children and the relationship with the fast food" (Ramos Morales et al.: 2) aimed at identifying the relationship between the frequent consumption of fast food and obesity in school children. The study was conducted with 202 children from age 9 to 12. Variables used were age, weight and height, and calculated the Body Mass Index. On this basis children were assigned in class: normal, overweight or obese. Each subject was assigned a level of food intake According to the frequency of intake of fast food i.e. regularly or occasionally, was reported through an auto replicable questionnaire. The results demonstrated a significant association between junk food consumption and weight level, more evident for females (Ramos-Morales et al.: 2).

A study dealing with the consumption of fast foods from cafeterias and preferences of adolescents from nine private schools in Federal Capital and Greater Buenos Aires (Torresani et al.: 110) shows that "the most common demand by children and adolescents are that of ice cream and fast food meals, chewing gum and soft drinks from the cafeteria (Torresani, et AL: 110). The aim of this study was to estimate consumer preferences in fast food.