Obesity and Fast Foods
Since the mid-1970s, the number of fast food restaurants in the United States has more than doubled to reach approximately 300,000 establishments. In the same time span, the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related complications and illnesses such as arthritis, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, gall bladder disease, stroke, and heart disease have increased correspondingly. Over the last four decades, the number of obese children and adolescents aged between 6 and 19 has more than tripled, while that of obese adults has increased from a half to two-thirds of the population. Today, approximately 17 percent of young population, equivalent of 12.7 million children and adolescents aged between 6 and 19, are obese. Similarly, about 34.9 percent or an equivalent of 78.6 million of American adults are obese. With these statistics, obesity has been declared a public health challenge because it is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and vast financial expenditures. For example, in the United States today, it is estimated that the annual healthcare costs of obesity and obesity-related illnesses stand at $190.2 billion, which is equivalent to 21 percent of annual medical spending. These alarming numbers have been attributed to increased fast food consumption rates that have risen by over five times since fast foods were first popularized in the 1970s. Even though they are shocking, they are not surprising if to take into consideration that billions of dollars are spent each year on fast-food advertisements with the target audience consisting of children, adolescents and adults. As a result, today many controversial debates continue to trend with the center of the dispute being the link between fast food consumption and the incidence rates of obesity. Some people affirm that there is a strong correlation between fast food and obesity, while others counter these assertions, arguing that the evidence linking fast food to obesity is not convincing enough. The primary aim of this paper is to identify the causal effect that an increase in fast food consumption has had on obesity incidence rates known from classification essay samples.
A firm research evidence has linked the increased fast food consumption to the growing incidence of obesity and obesity-related illnesses. In this context, obesity refers to a health condition in which a person has accumulated the body fat in a quantity that might affect one’s health and wellbeing. Fast food means any food that is quickly prepared with unhealthy ingredients and sold in takeaway forms to consumers. The examples of fast foods include ice cream, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, French fries, pizza, chips, tacos and burgers among others. Fast foods are often highly prepared with the use of saturated fats, simple carbohydrates, and salts among other ingredients. While the recommended nutritional level for a person per day is 1500-1800 calories and 50-60 grams of fat, it is easy for one to consume more from a single fast food meal, as evident from typical fast food items offered in major fast food joints. For example, a Big Mac at McDonalds contains 540 calories and 29 grams of fat, while a Bacon Deluxe at Wendy contains 880 calories and 52 grams of fat. Similarly, a large sweet tea at McDonalds contains 280 calories and 0 grams of fat, while a large frosty at Wendy contains 540 calories and 8 grams of fat. Consuming these sorts of food on a daily basis can lead to increased calories, which leads to weight gain and eventually obesity.
Reasons Why Fast Foods Cause Obesity
There are four main factors that contribute to fast foods causing obesity. Firstly, ingredients play a vital role. Most fast food restaurants offer an array of items, but, despite their unique menus, the underlying components are reportedly the same and can be characterized by high energy densities, total and saturated fats, added sugars and simple carbohydrates. As a result, each fast food meal tends to exceed the recommended levels of sugar and fat, leading to weight gain and thus obesity. Additionally, most fast foods contain little amounts of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, calcium and vitamins, such as A, C, and E. The absence of these nutritional components makes people feel full only after consuming massive amounts of fast food. It thus becomes hard for people to achieve and maintain proper weight. Various research studies have established the fact that these nutritional attributes fuel the obesity epidemic and other obesity-related long-term complications and illnesses.
Secondly, the portion sizes are significant. The problem with ingredients in fast foods is further complicated by the growing portion sizes that make the fast foods an ideal cause of obesity. In their journal article entitled “Portion Sizes and the Obesity Epidemic,” Ledikwe, Ello-Martin, and Rolls note that the rise in the incidences of obesity over the past three decades has come along with the increases in the portion sizes of many foods and the tendencies of people to eat out often. They assert that foods of particular concern are those with high energy densities, which are often associated with excess energy intakes. Even when average persons are given portion sizes that are beyond their body weights, they will still consume the entire meal, whether or not they feel full. This results is energy imbalance, in which a person’s energy intake exceeds their energy expenditure. Eventually, one can become overweight and thus obese.
Thirdly, the cost of fast food contributes to its relation with obesity. Researchers have established that people are fonder of fast food items than healthier foods because they are up to ten times cheaper, meaning that they easy to acquire, especially for children and adolescents. The aspect of cost can be substantiated by the fact that more low-income individuals are likely to become obese. According to a study report published online in Huffington Post Healthy Living, eating healthy is likely to cost about $1.50 more per day or $550 annually, in comparison to unhealthy eating. Many people thus adopt unhealthy eating habits because of economic hardships, which make healthy eating rather costly.
Finally, proximity and convenience are the last factor. How close a fast food restaurant is to home, school, or job determines the chances of a population becoming obese. In their research entitled “The Effects of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity,” Currie, DellaVigna, Moretti and Pathania sought to establish the effects of fast foods on obesity, using the exact geographic location of fast food restaurants. The researchers examined whether the proximity to fast food restaurants affected the obesity rates among school children and weight gain in pregnant women. The researchers established that the proximity to fast food restaurants significantly increased the risk of obesity among children and expectant mothers. For children, the proximity of a fast food outlet within 0.10 miles from school increased the likelihood of becoming obese by 5.2 percent. They also observed that pregnant women’s risks of gaining up to 20 kilograms were up by 2.5 percent if there is a fast food restaurant within 0.1 miles. Therefore, it is acceptable to conclude that the location of fast food restaurants increases the risks of the obesity epidemic with the main reasons being the reduced travel time and purchase costs.
How to Control Fast Food Linked Obesity
Because of the alarming rates, at which overweight and obesity are affecting the world’s population, it is dire that urgent well-thought interventions are formulated and implemented to help to improve the overall human wellbeing and possibly reduce or stop the incidences of obesity and obesity-related conditions. Various solutions are viable and can be helpful when well-implemented.
To begin with, there should be a transition from fast foods to organic foods consumption. A firm research evidence has indicated that organic foods can contribute to reversing the current trends in overweight and obesity. People’s conscious decisions to purchase organic foods mark the critical first step towards healthier diets and lifestyles. Organic food is said to contain 50 percent more nutrients, vitamins and minerals than the non-organic food such as fast food. Besides, organic foods have lower fat contents, and thus help to fight and prevent obesity. Health specialists state that organic foods are less likely to lead to heart diseases, strokes, and other long-term threatening conditions. Therefore, organic foods are healthy for the human body because they are not chemically altered and have a higher nutritional value.
The second solution is public education and increasing the awareness. It is dire that the public receives educational messages that not only emphasize the importance of regulating the consumption of high energy density foods, but also encourage the consumption of organic foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Consistent educational messages would require collaboration with food and restaurant industries, scientists, and policy makers. Public education would allow consumers to understand and accept the importance of eating healthy products at reasonable portions for a better health.
The last solution is the formulation of relevant policies and legislations. Local and state governments would be instrumental in promoting healthy eating laws and guidelines in a myriad of ways. For example, the authorities can use urban planning tools such as licensing and zoning laws and incentive programs to regulate the location of fast food outlets, as well as promote the availability of healthy food. They can also use zoning variances and financial incentives to encourage developers, grocers, and other property owners to situate their food outlets in underserved areas rather than around schools and homes. Local and state laws can also set the minimum nutritional standards for foods served in restaurants, school lunch programs, and child care settings. Moreover, they can oblige the fast food restaurants to label caloric levels on the foods they sell. These interventions would help to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages.
The paper discussed how fast foods contribute to the alarming rates of obesity incidences among children, adolescents, and adults. It notes that obesity is among the most challenging health conditions affecting the world’s population today. In the United States, more than two-thirds of adults and one-third of children and adolescents are obese. The proportion of population affected by obesity has increased sharply since the mid-1970s, and the trends have been attributed to an increase in fast food restaurants and increased consumption of fast foods. The paper notes that fast foods and restaurants contribute to obesity through four main factors. These are ingredients, cost, large portion sizes, and proximity and convenience. As a rule, fast foods comprise unhealthy ingredients such as saturated fats, high energy levels, and salts. They also contain little amounts of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and calcium and vitamins such as A, C, and E. Compared to healthier foods, fast foods cost up to ten times less, and thus people prefer it to healthier foods because of affordability. Additionally, fast foods are served in large portion sizes, leading to energy imbalance. Further, the location of fast food restaurants close to schools, workplaces and homes makes people tend to consume more fast food because they can acquire it quickly and cheaply. The paper offers suggestions that can be used to control the obesity epidemic. The possible solutions include nutritional transition towards organic foods, public education and awareness creation, and formulation of relevant policies and laws to restrict the consumption of fast foods.
A firm research evidence has linked the increased fast food consumption to the growing incidence of obesity and obesity-related illnesses. In this context, obesity refers to a health condition in which a person has accumulated the body fat in a quantity that might affect one’s health and wellbeing. Fast food means any food that is quickly prepared with unhealthy ingredients and sold in takeaway forms to consumers. The examples of fast foods include ice cream, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, French fries, pizza, chips, tacos and burgers among others. Fast foods are often highly prepared with the use of saturated fats, simple carbohydrates, and salts among other ingredients. While the recommended nutritional level for a person per day is 1500-1800 calories and 50-60 grams of fat, it is easy for one to consume more from a single fast food meal, as evident from typical fast food items offered in major fast food joints. For example, a Big Mac at McDonalds contains 540 calories and 29 grams of fat, while a Bacon Deluxe at Wendy contains 880 calories and 52 grams of fat. Similarly, a large sweet tea at McDonalds contains 280 calories and 0 grams of fat, while a large frosty at Wendy contains 540 calories and 8 grams of fat. Consuming these sorts of food on a daily basis can lead to increased calories, which leads to weight gain and eventually obesity.
Reasons Why Fast Foods Cause Obesity
There are four main factors that contribute to fast foods causing obesity. Firstly, ingredients play a vital role. Most fast food restaurants offer an array of items, but, despite their unique menus, the underlying components are reportedly the same and can be characterized by high energy densities, total and saturated fats, added sugars and simple carbohydrates. As a result, each fast food meal tends to exceed the recommended levels of sugar and fat, leading to weight gain and thus obesity. Additionally, most fast foods contain little amounts of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, calcium and vitamins, such as A, C, and E. The absence of these nutritional components makes people feel full only after consuming massive amounts of fast food. It thus becomes hard for people to achieve and maintain proper weight. Various research studies have established the fact that these nutritional attributes fuel the obesity epidemic and other obesity-related long-term complications and illnesses.
Secondly, the portion sizes are significant. The problem with ingredients in fast foods is further complicated by the growing portion sizes that make the fast foods an ideal cause of obesity. In their journal article entitled “Portion Sizes and the Obesity Epidemic,” Ledikwe, Ello-Martin, and Rolls note that the rise in the incidences of obesity over the past three decades has come along with the increases in the portion sizes of many foods and the tendencies of people to eat out often. They assert that foods of particular concern are those with high energy densities, which are often associated with excess energy intakes. Even when average persons are given portion sizes that are beyond their body weights, they will still consume the entire meal, whether or not they feel full. This results is energy imbalance, in which a person’s energy intake exceeds their energy expenditure. Eventually, one can become overweight and thus obese.
Thirdly, the cost of fast food contributes to its relation with obesity. Researchers have established that people are fonder of fast food items than healthier foods because they are up to ten times cheaper, meaning that they easy to acquire, especially for children and adolescents. The aspect of cost can be substantiated by the fact that more low-income individuals are likely to become obese. According to a study report published online in Huffington Post Healthy Living, eating healthy is likely to cost about $1.50 more per day or $550 annually, in comparison to unhealthy eating. Many people thus adopt unhealthy eating habits because of economic hardships, which make healthy eating rather costly.
Finally, proximity and convenience are the last factor. How close a fast food restaurant is to home, school, or job determines the chances of a population becoming obese. In their research entitled “The Effects of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity,” Currie, DellaVigna, Moretti and Pathania sought to establish the effects of fast foods on obesity, using the exact geographic location of fast food restaurants. The researchers examined whether the proximity to fast food restaurants affected the obesity rates among school children and weight gain in pregnant women. The researchers established that the proximity to fast food restaurants significantly increased the risk of obesity among children and expectant mothers. For children, the proximity of a fast food outlet within 0.10 miles from school increased the likelihood of becoming obese by 5.2 percent. They also observed that pregnant women’s risks of gaining up to 20 kilograms were up by 2.5 percent if there is a fast food restaurant within 0.1 miles. Therefore, it is acceptable to conclude that the location of fast food restaurants increases the risks of the obesity epidemic with the main reasons being the reduced travel time and purchase costs.
How to Control Fast Food Linked Obesity
Because of the alarming rates, at which overweight and obesity are affecting the world’s population, it is dire that urgent well-thought interventions are formulated and implemented to help to improve the overall human wellbeing and possibly reduce or stop the incidences of obesity and obesity-related conditions. Various solutions are viable and can be helpful when well-implemented.
To begin with, there should be a transition from fast foods to organic foods consumption. A firm research evidence has indicated that organic foods can contribute to reversing the current trends in overweight and obesity. People’s conscious decisions to purchase organic foods mark the critical first step towards healthier diets and lifestyles. Organic food is said to contain 50 percent more nutrients, vitamins and minerals than the non-organic food such as fast food. Besides, organic foods have lower fat contents, and thus help to fight and prevent obesity. Health specialists state that organic foods are less likely to lead to heart diseases, strokes, and other long-term threatening conditions. Therefore, organic foods are healthy for the human body because they are not chemically altered and have a higher nutritional value.
The second solution is public education and increasing the awareness. It is dire that the public receives educational messages that not only emphasize the importance of regulating the consumption of high energy density foods, but also encourage the consumption of organic foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Consistent educational messages would require collaboration with food and restaurant industries, scientists, and policy makers. Public education would allow consumers to understand and accept the importance of eating healthy products at reasonable portions for a better health.
The last solution is the formulation of relevant policies and legislations. Local and state governments would be instrumental in promoting healthy eating laws and guidelines in a myriad of ways. For example, the authorities can use urban planning tools such as licensing and zoning laws and incentive programs to regulate the location of fast food outlets, as well as promote the availability of healthy food. They can also use zoning variances and financial incentives to encourage developers, grocers, and other property owners to situate their food outlets in underserved areas rather than around schools and homes. Local and state laws can also set the minimum nutritional standards for foods served in restaurants, school lunch programs, and child care settings. Moreover, they can oblige the fast food restaurants to label caloric levels on the foods they sell. These interventions would help to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages.
The paper discussed how fast foods contribute to the alarming rates of obesity incidences among children, adolescents, and adults. It notes that obesity is among the most challenging health conditions affecting the world’s population today. In the United States, more than two-thirds of adults and one-third of children and adolescents are obese. The proportion of population affected by obesity has increased sharply since the mid-1970s, and the trends have been attributed to an increase in fast food restaurants and increased consumption of fast foods. The paper notes that fast foods and restaurants contribute to obesity through four main factors. These are ingredients, cost, large portion sizes, and proximity and convenience. As a rule, fast foods comprise unhealthy ingredients such as saturated fats, high energy levels, and salts. They also contain little amounts of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and calcium and vitamins such as A, C, and E. Compared to healthier foods, fast foods cost up to ten times less, and thus people prefer it to healthier foods because of affordability. Additionally, fast foods are served in large portion sizes, leading to energy imbalance. Further, the location of fast food restaurants close to schools, workplaces and homes makes people tend to consume more fast food because they can acquire it quickly and cheaply. The paper offers suggestions that can be used to control the obesity epidemic. The possible solutions include nutritional transition towards organic foods, public education and awareness creation, and formulation of relevant policies and laws to restrict the consumption of fast foods.
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