dramatic increase in obesity in the United States (US)
There has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States (US) parallel to the prevalence of consumption of fast food. Obesity is the state of having a “weight that is higher than what is considered as a healthy weight for a given height” (CDC). Before the advent of the fast-food industry, adults consumed foods low in calories and had better overall health. The consumption of fast food has become the norm propelled by popular media. People are now less conscious of the food choices they make. Many choose to dine out with friends at fast-food restaurants regularly instead of preparing healthy meals at home. Favorite items in fast-food outlet menus are French fries, fried chicken, hamburgers, pizza, tacos, ice cream, and hot dogs. This essay will show the linkage between obesity and fast food consumption in the US.
Most American families have forgotten the dinner table experience of eating meals cooked at home. Anxiety has increased in society, and many people are living ever-busy lives juggling between many tasks, and they cannot afford the time to cook. Fast food outlets serve as their best choice for conveniently getting food efficiently and expeditiously. The growth of fast-food restaurants has seen exponential growth for the last five decades. Nowadays it is almost funny to miss a fast food restaurant on every street or shopping mall in America. They are ubiquitous. McDonald’s is the most popular fast-food chain in America and is present in virtually every city independent of its size. What motivates adults to help themselves at these outlets is their easy accessibility and sell food cheaply. Data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) points out that adults affected by obesity being in the tune of 93.3 million or 39.8% of the adult population (CDC). Money spent in the food industry is now at par or past that spent on college, technology, and vehicles. Innovations such as ordering fast food via mobile applications and getting door deliveries are perpetuating the concept of convenience.
The lifestyle change has occurred in tandem with eating habits change. On average, more food is consumed by both male and female adults. Eating more food than required means excess calories, which eventually leads to extra weight gain and, thus, the overweight and obesity problem. Food portion sizes have increased in the past five decades. Harvard Men’s Health Watch shows that increased food servings were mainly in hamburgers, salted snacks, soft drinks, and French fries (Harvard Health Publishing). It is now not a wonder why adults are becoming obese in droves. The frequency of consumption has also increased among different people. Some treat themselves thrice a day with fast food, but the majority eat at least two times weekly. Nutritional experts advise that people should completely shun fast at best, or at worst, they should eat fast food once monthly — a problematic option for the majority but the best choice for healthy living.
Fast food also has low nutritional benefits. There are approximately 210 calories in small size McDonald’s French fry while there are about 610 calories in a super-size McDonalds French fry (Woestendiek & Hirsch 2018). Most people have a proclivity for the super-sized French fries. Chips are often served with soda, which is also drunk in large amounts. These sodas have low nutritional value and are high in calories. This glimpse at the poor nutritional content of a typical fast food outlet serving, French fries, and soda, show that people miss out on the daily recommended dietary servings of proteins, vitamins, fiber, and minerals.
American society has experienced a revolution in the food industry. Research has proven eating fast food to have negative health benefits. Unfortunately, it is now commonplace in the US. People have changed from a healthy diet lifestyle to fast food, mainly due to the fast life. Eventually, they end up paying the price with bad health due to low nutritional value in fast food and gain in weight due to the high calories in fast food. Overweight and obese people are the result of this. There is, therefore, no question for saying that fast food menace has led to an increase in obesity in the US.