Junk Food Epidemic

Fast food has a harmful effect on society because it can cause obesity. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry believes obesity “Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.” (parag. 1).The causing and treating of obesity is complex but it is the most recognizable disease. Consistently eating fast food and a poor can lead to obesity in anyone. The risks of obesity include an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, fast food “Studies have shown that over the past four decades, consumption of food eaten away from home has also risen alarmingly” (parag. 8). This means that fast food is high in fat, sugar, salt, carbs, calories, saturated and trans fats. This type of eating leads to a higher body mass index or gained weight. Children and adolescents are at a

In David Zinczenko’s article “Don’t Blame the Eater” he focuses on the fast food industry and their role in the increasing health and obesity issues of our nation’s children, as well as these issues potentially becoming a serious problem that we will all have to deal with if we collectively don’t do something about it now. When it comes to the topic of fast food, most of us can agree that it is not the best source of nutrition. It is unhealthy and can be the cause of many serious health issues with our children such as obesity related Type 2 diabetes, stomach ulcers and even heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea or even cancer. We can even agree that fast-food diets are a major contributing factor to

In the 21 century, people are suffering from all kinds of diseases and over 85% of them are caused by, an unhealthy, diet. In the United States, 25% of Americans eat fast food every day, which can cause heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, starting with overweight. McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, and Burger King are very popular, fast food restaurant selling their burgers and fries in the airport, street shop, next to Wal-Mart and college.

“Although many health authorities insist that there is no such thing as junk food, consumers find it a useful term for distinguishing nourishing food from products whose chief appeal is fun, convenience, and addictive taste; ‘bet you can't eat just one’ ”(Junk Food). Americans are spending about $4.6 billion a year on potato chips, and 23.5 billion a year on candy and gum. 46 Percent of adult Americans eat out on a typical day, and one third of them choose fast food. That is because the fast food industry has slowly become one of the symbols of American culture and is spreading to other cultures as well: McDonalds has 26,000 locations in 119 countries, Pizza Hut has more than 10,000 in 86 countries, and Subway has 14,500 in 75 countries. Commercials, signs, and huge advertisements are pushing junk food at us every day; people cannot even go to the grocery store without candy bars being lined up right by the checkout. The junk food industry realizes how appealing it can be. When a person is in a rush, they can easily eat a large meal without having to make a lot of decisions, work, dress up, or get out of their car. The speed and convenience fit Americans’ pressured lifestyles. It does not fit, however, to our health and wellness. A fast food meal, such as a Burger King Double Whopper with cheese, contains 965 calories, more than double the amount of fat, and as much as 750 grams too much sodium

The American health efficiency won 't be achieved through the increased consumption of fast foods, the American population should adopt better-eating habits and exercise approaches to ensure a healthy environment. Poor health habits are the leading causes of premature death among children and adults as indicated by WHO (2009). These habits increase the chance of health risks especially in cancer, heart diseases, and excessive weight gain. Fast foods consumption and lack of efficient physical activities inhibit the body 's performance by increasing or decreasing necessary nutrients to levels the body cannot operate efficiently.

Fast food has quickly managed to imprint itself on American culture. The greasy, unhealthy form of empty calories has infiltrated into the homes of many, including my own. In my younger days, my parents often took me out and treated me to french fries and chicken nuggets. It had become a tradition to go to McDonald’s every week. This poor eating pattern has now led to my family having a special fondness for the fast food chain, just as McDonald’s strives for.

The inherent problem with fast food restaurants is food quality, enhancing taste by adding increased calories, fasts, sodium and sugar. Wendy’s menu is no exception. “Wendy’s Dave’s Hot N Juicy ¾ Ib Triple Cheeseburger, the calories in it are 1,090, 66 grams of fat and sodium is 1,990” (America’s Best and Worst Food). “Soft drinks can lead to obesity, research found out that for every can or glass of sugar- sweetened beverage a child drank during that time, the child’s body mass index inched up and the chances of becoming obese increased to 60%” (Eric Schlosser pg. 56).

Although individuals can make their own decisions on what food to eat, people are surrounded by thousands of quick and easy fast-food locations that make it difficult to be healthy. When a person wants to eat healthy, they should be allowed to concentrate solely on good foods without any temptations. Instead, fast-food culture is everywhere, even in schools, advertising “high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sugar meals” (“Obesity in America”). Schools should get more nutritious food options that would actually excite children to eat better and encourage at least one healthy meal a day. Kelly Brownell, PhD confirms a definite association between obesity and “the ubiquity of bad food” (Murray), but it is difficult for the majority of people to quit eating unhealthy foods because they are ridiculously cheaper than foods such as fruits and vegetables. People of higher

In today's society, fast food has become a large part of many American's lives. With the rising numbers of obese people, it is hard not to draw a correlation between the increase in fast food and obesity. Most obese people don’t want to be obese and wish they could lose weight, yet they continue to struggle with their fast food intake and obesity. This is due to the advertising done on the consumers, the highly addictive food itself, and most importantly, how advertising and addiction combine with children to form habits that are kept once they become adults. These factors are the reasons that fast food restaurants are to blame for the rising obesity and health risks across America. The government needs to step in and place regulations on

The fast food industry provides quick, cheap, and easy access to foods that in the customers opinion, is very delicious, and affordable, however this food which millions of people around the world are constantly consuming, could actually cause major health problems, and weight gain in the long run. Major fast food companies throughout the world know what they are doing when it comes to marketing towards all types of people. Some people will find numerous different things to blame for the epidemic of fast food making individuals overweight. In recent research on, or discussions of the fast food industry having an effect on people's health, a controversial issue has been raised, and that is the fact that this problem affects not only

A rise in obesity has been observed in the United States in the last two decades. Obesity is one problem that gives birth to numerous fatal diseases, including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a survey and found that, “More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese” (Ogden, Carroll). One of the main reasons behind obesity is the American’s love for fast food. Fast food contains only a small proportion of essential nutrients, and is loaded with unhealthy and non-essential nutrients which do nothing but

Traditionally, the fast food industry has been associated with the cause of this health-related issue (Boyle 2004). Major fast food companies have been called to Federal Government summits to improve the quality of junk food (Wright 2007). While most of these major companies have now taken

Food is not as simple as it seems. Once Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are”. We, as human been should pay attention to what we eat because it will be reflected in the future. A lot of times we know if someone eats healthy by just seeing them, because physically they do not have a good body, healthy skin, or something like that. As we already said more than 50% of USA’s population eats fast food for many reasons: economy, quick service, etc., but the real problem come when we consider health. If People should care more about what they eat and try to avoid fast food, then they will have less possibility of diseases like high cholesterol, obesity, or cardiovascular issues and heart diseases.

Since fast food first emerged in the United States it has become a large and successful industry, netting billions of dollars every year. This rapid expansion of fast food has put a fast food establishment within reach of almost every American. In Adam Chandler’s “What if Consumers Just Want to Buy Junk Food” he claims that although a majority of Americans believe they eat healthier today than in the 1970’s, but in fact studies show the very opposite. Chandler associates this to the consumers preference of unhealthy foods, but there is strong evidence that this rise in unhealthy consumption in American society can be attributed to the marketing and business tactics of fast food corporations, the availability and ease of access to fast food, and their socioeconomic status.

When it comes to America and death, heart failure invites the Grim Reaper even more than cancer. Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death in America, leaving a yearly toll of 720,000 heart attacks and 600,000 deaths. To help prevent heart failure, one should eat a diet low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Yet, is the toll of heart failure truly a surprise after looking at all of what America is really eating? Life in America is all about the delicious junk food, whether or not it is slowly killing the consumer. This is why people should limit the junk food that they consume; it is simply a death sentence to the body, mind, environment and economy.