The problem with this operation is, in order to attract enough customers, the final product must be affordable and yet, still delicious. This brings up many problems with the dietary quality of the food produced by fast food restaurants. The food is often cooked in grease and oils which increases the amount of calories and fat grams per serving. With less home cooked meals on the plate and more foil wrapped sandwiches and fries hitting the table, people’s diets are being neglected of their basic necessities. However, fast food companies are managing to keep their drive-thrus filled by spending millions of dollars on advertisements.
Blaming Fast Food Restaurants for Obesity Let’s face it; everyone loves a Whopper every now and then. Yet we are all aware that one too many can bring on dangerous and life-threatening results. Obesity is a growing problem in the United States and more and more children are being affected. But do uneducated families have the right to put the blame on fast food restaurants for their health issues they could have easily prevented? I believe that we are taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants for obesity and that it is an individual’s responsibility to take the blame.
The accessibility of fast food in schools encourages students to eat unhealthy, which is detrimental to their health. For example, students are always buying foods such as fries and burgers; they are not realizing how bad this food is to their health and body. When students are severely overweight or obese, they may get diseases in the future such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cardio-vascular disease. Fast food is one of the factors leading to these dreadful diseases. A fast food meal may contain 900-1600 calories, which is almost half of the calories most people need each day.
Even with healthier choices, one cannot be aware of exactly what is in the food cooked in restaurants, while families can opt out of the drive-through and go in to sit and eat together at fast-food establishments it isn't as intimate and the time is rushed, low-cost options on fast food menus cost more than cooking a family meal at home. Pollan writes, “The fact is that not cooking may well be deleterious to our health, and there is reason to believe that the outsourcing of food preparation to corporations and 16-year-olds has already taken a toll on our physical and psychological wellbeing” (106). This essay will prove that eating fast-food threatens physical health, weakens the family, and is costly. Physical health is influenced directly by our meal choices. Choosing to order a healthier meal option at a restaurant is not equal to a home cooked meal made with fresh foods.
However, since the modern evolution of television and the Internet consumers are only becoming more vulnerable to harmful food ads promoting things like fast good and snacks. All thanks to television, obesity rates have sky rocketed within the past thirty years, prompting children to refrain from physical activities and regular exercise; it is simply easier (and seemingly more enjoyable) to stay indoors. Because of this lack of activity, it is quite common for children to be diagnosed with early on conditions such as diabetes. But are the children really to blame? It is a well known fact that advertisers will target their ads towards children.
Thus, the earlier people recognize the damage fast food is doing to our society, the easier it will be to reverse its harm. There are endless accusations that fast food and its effect on our society is the sole cause of many problems within the U.S. Fingers are pointing at the large fast food companies, but can they be proven guilty? The answer is no, and this can be proven within many lawsuits against companies such as McDonalds and taco bell. They all end up in the same ruling that its the consumers choice to enter a fast food establishment and consume their products.
In addition, without the supports and supervision of our parents, this can corrupt our kids in many ways in their behavior, relationships, and possibly ruining the life. After work or dinner, spending rest of the evening parked front of the T.V does not help burn calories much at all. In addition, people consuming high calorie snacks during T.V time can cause health problems in the long run. It's also been a problem that more and more of younger generation consuming too many hours T.V causes obesity, and obesity has been proven to be the one of leading causes of death in the United States. Lastly, watching T.V for certain period of time can be relaxing, help you relieve stress from work and home.
In his article “Don't Blame the Eater” David Zinczenko has pointed out that all the fast food industries are the one responsible for making the children's in America fat and unhealthy. Zinczenko believes that the fast food centers aren't providing any kind of warnings about the effects and extra calories that a fast food can cause, instead they are eager to supply their so called “cheap and tasty fast food”. When he was young he had no choice except for eating at fast food centers as his mother was busy earning money to pay the bills because of which he ended up overweight. According to my view, I believe that it isn't the fast food industries who are to be blamed, it is the parents. Eventhough nowadays all the parents have to work long hours to earn their living but still they shouldn't forget their responsibility towards their children.
We cannot turn on the television without commercial after commercial advertising one type of food or another; most of which is greasy fast food that is full of fat. The primary goal of the food industry is to make money with very little concern for what it is doing to the health of Americans. Recently fast food restaurants have tried to add some things that are healthier to their menus, but if you notice they usually add something very fattening and enticing at or around the same time. Most people when faced with the choice of a bland salad or hot sandwich are going to choose the sandwich. Not only does it taste better it is also more convenient.
How Fast Food Choices Affect Our Diet Rhonda Gilbert DeVry University Professor Tennyson October 24, 2013 How Fast Food Choices Affect Our Diet In today’s busy life, everyone is looking for a fast, cheap, and easy way out for the inevitable question, “What’s for dinner?” Pollan (2006) stated, “…how such a simple question could ever have gotten so complicated…..figuring out what to eat—has come to require a remarkable amount of expert help” (pg.1). Fast food restaurants are easy, mostly cheap, and are a readily alternative to home cooking. Fast food chains claim that they have increased their awareness about nutrition and are trying to respond to the public’s concern about health. Their menus have ingredients and nutrition information available, if you are able to determine what it all means. However, you still need to be very careful about what items you choose, if you are trying to eat healthy.