Americans know that obesity or
having hypertension is a problem in the United States, but how much is fast
food to blame? As years have passed, more Americans have become obese and not
just adults, but also children. Between1971-1974, only 4 to 6% of Americans between the ages 6 to 19 were obese, but
between 2005-2008, 17.4 to 17.9% of Americans between ages 6 to 19 were obese;
the numbers have increased by over 10%.
Adults 20 years or older have also increased in America. 72.3% of men are obese and 59.3% of women are
obese in America today. With these
statistics, are Americans having health problems because of fast food or is
there another reason?
Researchers
are trying to find evidence or proof that fast food is to blame for the obesity
in American, but they are having difficulty.
“Despite the popularity of this view, it has been difficult to
empirically establish a causal link between fast food and obesity. The simple fact that fast food restaurants
and obesity have both increased over time is insufficient proof of this link,
as are studies that rely on differences in fast food consumption across
individuals, since people who eat more fast food may be prone to other
behaviors that affect obesity.” Many American families see
fast food as a cheap dinner they can pick up on the way to soccer practice or
recitals, not calories or promoting health problems. Americans believe the fast food restaurants
should no better not to serve unhealthy cheap food; Americans today go for the
cheap food whether it is unhealthy or not.
The economy today is going downhill, so cheap food is how Americans save
money. Even if the country today still
does not know if Americans should blame fast food for obesity and health
problems, fast food has grown which has increased the amount of fast food
Americans eaten every day.
Why does fast food cause health
problems? Is it the calories, fat, and/or portion sizes? Sure, fast food tastes good and it is cheap,
quick meals to get when one is in a rush, but eating fast food every day adds
up in calories which can lead to obesity and other health problems. “Thanks to high-calorie and unhealthy
ingredients and super portion sizes, fast foods contribute to obesity and
disease. While fast food burgers and
fries, fried chicken and biscuits and Mexican dishes don’t cause illness or
weight gain if you eat them once, over time they can influence your eating
habits. Frequent indulgence can make you
gain weight, and carrying extra pounds raises your risk for many short-term and
chronic health problems.”
Eating fast foods once in a while will not affect a person dramatically,
but by eating an enormous amount of fast food every day, one will start to see
the food turns into fat cells which leads to obesity and health problems. “Fast food is loaded with calories from
refined sugar and fats. It is also very
high in sodium, coming from common salt and other additives. On top of all this, fast food is deficient in
dietary fiber and essential micro-nutrients like vitamins and minerals. To make matters worse, heaps of fast food is
normally guzzled down with gallons of sugar-rich colas which many fast food
restaurants serve free with food as an incentive. All this results in piling up of unused empty
calories in the body, which get stored as body fat.” The empty calorie in the body
building up and being stored as body fat is just the beginning. The body fat leads to obesity which leads to
health problems such as respiratory problems, cardiovascular problems, and/or
diabetes. Also by consuming fast food in
large portions every day, one can become addictive to food and start to not
have control over food; food is taking over one’s lives and he or she does not
know how to stop eating. It is difficult
to overcome food addictions, but to start with a simple change, one can change
his or her life. By knowing what is in
fast food, people can eat less of it and control how much one eats in a day,
week, or even a month.
From the beginning, fast food has
always been convenient and reliable. He
or she can count on getting a fast, quick, and cheap meal anytime of the day;
early in the morning to late out night. Having
fast food being the solution to a quick and easy meal, more Americans,
especially children, are eating it on a regular basis. According to statistics, 41% of all aged
adults in the United States eat fast food weekly. Within that 41%, 47% of men and 35% of women
eat fast food weekly. When the
statistics are broken down into age groups, 59% from ages 18 to 29, 46% from
ages 30 to 49, 32% from ages 50 to 64, and 19% from ages 65 and up eat fast food
weekly. These statistics are surprising,
but very true in the United States and the numbers will only increase as the
fast food industries grow. Americans say
they will just stop by for the night for fast food. Then Americans get into the habit of getting
a quick meal, and sooner or later Americans will be eating fast food a few
times a night. The fast food industry purposely
makes the food fast and convenient, so with Americans busy lives, food can be
eaten on the go.
Along
with being cheap and fast, the advertisements of fast food restaurants have
increased the profit, and make Americans want to eat more fast food by making
the food sound healthy and delicious. Throughout
the past years, the fast food industry has discovered by advertising towards
children, the children bug the parents to go to the fast food place, and then
the whole family is eating at a fast food restaurant. The fast food advertisement is “spend a large
amount of marketing to get the attention of children. People form their eating habits as children
so they try to nurture clients as youngsters.
It’s very important that the fast food companies make sure that their
fast food meals for children are healthier.
Parents think that chicken meals are healthier than burgers, but they
are not sure they are fried.”
Children, especially toddlers, do not understand eating fast food every
night is unhealthy for the body; fast food does not have the nutrients for
young children. “Fast food is the most
unhealthy food product marketed to children, other than sugar-sweetened beverages,
and is relentlessly and aggressively targeted toward children starting as young
as age two. Food marketing to children
negatively influences the dietary choices and health of society’s most
vulnerable citizens.”
As new generations are born, children are eating more unhealthy food,
and becoming more obese as fast food grows.
Children
are more likely to become attracted to the fast food advertisements, but why?
How come the advertisements are focused on children and not adults? The fast food industries understand children
are more likely to believe commercials instead of adults. Children see the Ronald McDonald, a familiar
face, and want to go McDonald’s. The
fast food industries are smart and use colorful, familiar faces, so children
will be able to recognize the face and they will want to go to the
restaurant. “Many studies had found that
young children often could not tell the difference between television
programming and television advertising.
They also could not comprehend the real purpose of commercials and trusted
that advertising claims were true.” Now a days, the fast food industry knows
children watch over 21 hours a week watching television which includes children
at the age of two years old. With new
generations starting to watch television at a young age, the fast food
industries knows children will watch the advertisements, see a familiar face
such as Ronald McDonald, and ask their parents to bring them to the
restaurant. Usually people trust adults,
the fast food industries count on the children to promote and increase the
profits of the restaurant.
The
fast food restaurants represent one of the largest food industries in the
United States making billions of dollars every day. With Americans becoming obese, the fast food
industries have updated menus with healthy choices such as apple slices or
salads to promote better eating and better diet hoping to inspire Americans to
eat healthy. With our country becoming
obese why are Americans not buying the health choices instead of the unhealthy
food? Many fast food restaurants have
the healthy choices, but hide those options around the combo meals or the
around the value menu. Fast food
restaurants should promote the health options better by having combo meals with
healthy options, or having the employees offer the healthy options instead of
the unhealthy options. Also many times
Americans are not educated about the healthy options. The children do not want the healthy choices
because they want the toy that comes with happy meal. What children need to realize is they can get
a happy meal and the toy with apple slices and milk. Fast food restaurants are known for their
unhealthy choices, but with the right education and promotion from the employees,
people can eat healthier.
Fast
food restaurants might promote healthy options, but even knowing there are
healthy choices on the menus, Americans still today choose the unhealthy
choices. People have freedom of choice
in America and no one can tell them what to eat and how much to eat. Americans need to understand though they are
responsible for what they eat, so if they eat fast food and get overweight it
is their fault. It is ineffective for Americans
to blame and sue the fast food companies because Americans are becoming overweight
or obese. Unfortunately since Americans
do not like to blame themselves they are blaming and suing the companies. “Most people say…we choose what we eat. But a growing of advocates, nutritionists,
and lawyers are taking the struggle from the food court to the court of
law. They want to sue the companies that
make and market what’s on your plate.” Americans need to realize the fast food
restaurants have healthy food and unhealthy food, so it is up to them to make the
right decision about what food to eat, and pay the consequences if they gain
weight. Also many Americans cannot
choice healthy options over unhealthy options.
“When a family is economically challenged, can they really choose to eat
healthfully when less than $20 buys a foursome a filling and tasty combo at a
fast food establishment?” Some families cannot afford
healthy food because they are on food stamps or they do not make enough for
each month of the year. Americans have
free choice, but many Americans believe with little income fast food is their
only options.
Knowing
some families cannot afford any food but fast food can the government regulate how
much fast food Americans eat? The fast
food industries “promised to fight childhood obesity, but the biggest chains
may be working harder than ever to get kids hooked on fast food.” With Americans being obese and
having health problems, people would think the fast food industries would want
to help Americans become healthier, but instead they are doing the opposite and
they are especially hurting the children.
“First there’s the hot new movie kids just have to see…Then there’s the
fast food movie toy tie in they just have to get. And with the toys come this,
a Happy Meal packed with calories and fat…a happy deal for marketers but an
unhealthy one for children.”
The industries focus more on the business aspect of the restaurant, not
the calories and fat in the food. Seeing
that the fast food restaurants care more the business aspect, the government could
regulate and fund “for federal school meals, and child nutrition programs, increase
access to healthy food for low-income children with a $10 billion budget
increased for the next 10 years.” With the younger generations, more and more children
are eating fast food meaning they are becoming obese at a young age. By showing children and parents there are
healthier options then fast food, children and parents will begin to eat
healthier and live a better lifestyle. Also
by having the government fund it, low income families can have access to
healthier food. Having the government
involved with the fast food industries, would help promote the fast food
restaurants caring about Americans and their health problems.
On
the flip side, having the government involved would raise arguments between the
Americans and the fast food industries.
Some Americans agree people should be able to choose what he or she can
eat; the government cannot take away a human right to choose. “The government might have good intentions,
but can’t average citizens make up their minds on what to eat? This is an
example of nanny government.”
Adults are old enough to choose what they want to eat in life, and they
are responsible for their children. If
parents want their children to eat fast food, and many know the risks and
health problems, parents can give fast food to their children. If an American wants to have a healthy
lifestyle, one will change his or her life, but people cannot force someone to
change his or her lifestyle. Looking
into the future, if the fast food industry continues to grow, Americans will
have to start controlling what he or she eats in order to live a longer and
healthier life.
Through
interviews and talking to family and friends, people agree there is a problem
in the United States which needs to be fixed.
“It is easy to think their children are getting the necessary nutrients
because they are giving them the healthier version of the happy meal with a
burger, apple slices, and milk, but the truth is that it is far from that. This is an issue that is much deeper than just
a practice, it has become a lifestyle.” Like Melissa stated, this issue is much
deeper and cannot be fixed over night.
Government might not be able to regulate the fast food industries, but
as individuals Americans can make differences with changing their
lifestyles. Starting with changing a
lifestyle of a child can make a difference by making him or her into a healthy
and fit human being.
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