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Fast Food And Obesity In The United States

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According to fastfoodmarketing.org, “Despite the addition of some healthy kids' meal options, less than 1% of all kids' meal combinations - 33 out of 5,427 possible meals -- met recommended nutrition standards.” My purpose for writing this paper is to address the topic of fast food and to show how unhealthy it is and to propose alternative ways to prepare fast food and to keep the cost down. Nearly between fifty and one hundred million American’s purchase fast food every single day. That is roughly one sixth the population of the United States. Fast food restaurants are easily accessible and can be found on many streets. With the food being cheap, easy to obtain and very unhealthy, fast food is one of the leading causes of obesity in America. …show more content…

In 2010 McDonald’s heavily promoted their “all new healthy food for children”. Upon further research the truth about the new foods came out. Only 1% of children’s meals met nutrition standards. Also in 2010 fast food menus grew on average by almost 40%, but the additions to the already large menu hardly included healthy options. One of the main contributing factors in fast food being so healthy is the amount of sodium they use in their products. In one McDonald's cheeseburger there is 1.15 grams of salt. On average the daily intake of sodium for a healthy grown adult is suggested around 6 grams of salt. (recipes.howstuffworks.com) That is a very high amount of salt in a nutritionally lean cheeseburger that most likely will not fill your stomach up and it is highly likely a person will order more than that at one meal. High levels of salt in your diet is very negative on your health. High salt intake increases blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease. Salt is one of the most overused ingredients in fast food because it is very cheap to supply. Great amounts of salt can be bought for very little capital and fast food restaurants will try to find any way to save money. Another reason salt is used so often is it can preserve most any food to keep it fresh longer. Also sodium is a very simple, yet effective seasoning for foods. There are multiple reasons chains use sodium, but

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When the FDA issued a report about the excessive amounts of salt found in the food at fast food restaurants, health officials took action. The FDA or the Food and Drug Administration, demanded fast food chains take steps to inform the consumer. When the consumer has a better idea of what they are eating they can make healthier choices. " As required by statute, FDA’s final rule for nutrition labeling in chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments will provide consumers with clear and consistent nutrition information in a direct and accessible manner for the foods they eat and buy for their families", (Food , 2015).

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The Truth of Obesity Fast food has been around for decades and it is an industry which will continue to grow, it is because of this main reason why so many Americans are now obese. Along with the lack of education and knowledge that many Americans are decrease their life span. However, obesity has never been such a vast problem as it stands today with its large population of uneducated and fast food hungry Americans. With this massive epidemic that is taking over America, comes many health issues and its targets begin with the children who become addicted to unhealthy but satisfying meals suffering from overweight, high cholesterol, and blood pressure to name a few.

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Furthermore, top fast food restaurant chains have shaped America. Restaurants have changed how people eat and how many calories they consume a day. People don’t pay attention to the harmful chemicals they are putting into their bodies. Awareness of these effects have been brought to light through the non-fiction work, Fast Food Nation.

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Compared to previous generations, American’s food system has transformed dramatically. Nowadays, fast food and processed food have gradually replaced the traditional home cooked meals in Americans’ diet. Nowadays, most Americans realized that they could get a value meal at fast food restaurants for far less money than it takes to purchase foods to make a healthy meal. For example, our public schools are home

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Conventional wisdom leads people to believe that living near fast food restaurants contributes to the growing epidemic. The article “Fast food not a weighty problem for kids after all?’’ offers a persuasive counter argument: “Living near a fast food outlet had little effect on weight… ” (WeightyProblem). Parents blame the industries for supposedly promoting their product because of how close they are. In fact, parents themselves promote unhealthy foods, since they control what their children eat.

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But the health concerns are dramatic. Fast foods are highly processed and contain large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium. Let’s take the ingredient sodium, for example, it is used to preserve food and enhance flavor. But if one consumes a lot of sodium it increases blood pressure and you are exposed to high risk of heart diseases. Stated in American Heart Association “It is best if one limits their sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

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Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the United States of America. With a statistic like this it is no surprise that there is so much research on connecting the fast food industry with childhood obesity. “Fast food consumption has increased to make up about twelve percent of daily calories for children and adolescents”(Reimann). The amount of consumed calories from fast food by the average child in the U.S throughout the period of one year can add up to six pounds. “Recent data suggest that nearly 15 percent of U.S. youngsters and almost one-third of adults are obese”(Holguin).

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They also show some of the reasons why fast food may be less healthy than other types of food the restaurant; this capital, time, cost and signatory dishes (Spurlock, 2004 and Schlosser, 2002). But in a real context, this may not be so for all fast-food restaurants as more restaurants will become more healthy foods to their customers and the public in general. In fact; evidence linking fast food and obesity is not strong enough and a lot of it is based on a study in a small set of

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This study shows that other countries are understanding the risks of unhealthy fast food and unhealthy ingredients and making changes. On the other hand, Americans continue to ignore these proven facts about unhealthy foods. Researchers found that “Around 70% of Americans are over a healthy weight range and about 36% of these people are obese, which is a key risk factor concerning death” (Tiwari 12). Since America is known to have fast food chains around every corner, it comes with the risk of obesity and poor health in general. Not only are fast food restaurants quick and easy, but they are also cheap and affordable, which is why it attracts so many

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Processed food has become more readily available, which is resulting in the likelihood of eating more frequently and even when not hungry. Overeating is also a main cause of obesity, which is frequently coupled with the wealthier class of the society who are the main sufferers from obesity. Over the years, dietary practices have changed and moved away from organic and healthier diets such as vegetables, whole grains and fruits to processed and far more fattier foods such as snacks, fast foods and sugary drinks, where the amount of energy intake is very high especially in children (English, 2010). The foods that obese children are consuming are likely to be topped with fat content and calories while being low in many other vital vitamins and essential nutrients that children need (English, 2010). With fast food restaurants being very convenient and accessible in our society, Americans have become more reliant on quick and easy meals for their children and themselves, with increasingly large portion sizes and eating meals away from home contribute to the intake of unnecessary energy for children to add on some of those extra pounds.

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