Why so many people eat fast food - Essay Example

Why So Many People Eat Fast Food Fast food restaurants continue to hit the food industry with many individuals consuming their products at a regular basis. This is in contrast with the past when people used to consume healthy and freshly prepared food. However, the current society, especially the young people, prefers fast food as their meals. The idea behind change pattern on food consumptions follows a diverse perspective, which this paper will highlight some (Sheldon). People take first food in the current society because of change of lifestyle.

Looking at the current job structure, most people have prolonged their working hours, changed their working schedule or even extended their schooling days. This change in lifestyle has interfered with their time for finding or preparing healthy food. The remaining option is reaching out for the fast food, which will save time. Likewise, women who were entitled to prepare food for their families are also competing in the job markets. They happen to secure popular titles in the job market thereby limiting their time for preparing food for their families.

This change in lifestyle happens to be a significant reason as to why most people prefer fast food in most nations (Smith 7). Ideally, the current generation has proved to access extra finances compared to the past generation. The availability of money probes individuals to stop at the fast food joints and take anything ready. This also has a significant impact on the rising statistics on fast food consumption. As people access more money, they tend to eat outside their homes more often. Eating outside means taking food from a fast food restaurant thus increasing the statistics as to why individuals take fast food (Taylor, Funk and Craighill).

Finally yet importantly, the statistics for fast food consumption is on the rise because of the modern life. Most food industries have advanced in their marketing strategies, and this probe people to change their eating habits. This concern with the advertising agencies, which make adverts on the fast food on media. Families will always want to taste new things due to change in their desire. Likewise, the moral advice on the food choice continues to slow down as the hosts have limited time with their family, thus exposing them to poor choices of food.

This modern lifestyle altogether changed the eating habits of most people in the family most of them relying on fast food as the main alternative (Taylor, Funk and Craighill). Change of diet can have a serious impact to the lives of consumers in many perspectives. First, fast food consumption can affect the health of individuals. Most consumers who consume fast foods are becoming obese. Obesity is a sign of less productivity in the economy with adverse health conditions like heart diseases and diabetes.

Janet Curie stated in her article stated that schools that are located very near to a fast food restaurant or chain is likely to experience higher rate of obese children (Currie 32). Fast food culture also leads to loss of family tradition of eating together. With the modernization and change of lifestyle, most families are becoming independent in terms of eating habits. Family members will always return home satisfied limiting their time for bonding. Eating time happens to be the best time when children and other family members could interact over matters affecting their lives.

With the introduction of fast food, families lack this time where they could talk to each other concerning various aspects of life. Fast food eating habits have not limited the amount of time that families spend together it has even decreased the quality of the food consumed. According to a research conducted by Rutgers, children who eat with family eat healthier food than children who eat fast food and spend money on fast food (Sifferlin, 2012). Lastly, fast food consumption has a significant effect on the economy.

This is in relation to how individuals spend a lot of money buying fast food. A clear comparison shows that fast food are more expensive compared to home prepared food. Likewise, most of the companies, which offer fast food, are normally franchisees of foreign corporations. This is a clear indication of outside channeling of a nation’s revenue to another country. This has a significant impact to the economy of the firm (Sheldon). Fast food even has an impact on government and individual spending patterns of health care.

The health care system of United States now covers more children than it used to do before. Due to this government, spending increases as more and more children fall sick due to consumption of fast food (Dunn 231). Individuals feel that fast food is a great time saver. Simply by purchasing fast food, individuals can save time that they would have spent on making homemade food. The problem is that they do not realize the amount of time they will waste due to the negative health effects of fast food.

When individuals fall sick due to bad eating habits, they end up obtaining health care services and the time they spend in these services results in the time lost if they were involved in productivity. Due to this, the productivity of individuals decline which results in productivity of organizations and organizations experience economic issues. In conclusion, fast food, as enumerated above, has diverse heath and social effects despite the conveniences and the tasty addition the food has to the diet of an individual.

People need to understand these diverse effects and learn to make a choice when consuming fast food.Cause and Effect: OutlineThe following table will give an outline for a cause and effect essay on fast food. The contents will highlight the reasons why fast food is very popular and the effects to the individual and the country. Introduction Past Present Thesis What individuals used to eat What people currently consume The change in eating pattern has significant effect Causes Many reasons as to why fast food is very popular among individuals The first cause is lifestyle The second cause is extra finances The third cause is modern life Most people change their lifestyle in terms of working hours, thus having limited time to prepare their food.

Current culture allows women to work there limiting their time for preparing food.Youths in the current generation have enough money to spend.Most people have changed their eating pattern spending most time eating outside.Advertising agents probing for fast foodPeople spending less time with their families Effects The changes in eating habits have significant effects Health Families Economy DiabetesObesity Heart diseases Lack of family union in eating Waste of money Channeling of finances to other countries Conclusion Both sides Future Fast food is convenient Fast food is harmful Consider health in future Work CitedCurrie, J, S DellaVigna, E Moretti, and V Pathania.

"The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity and Weight Gain." American Economic Journal Economic Policy. 2.3 (2010): 32-63. Print.Dunn, Carolyn. Nutrition decisions: eat smart, move more. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2013. Print.Sheldon, Andrew. Why Do People Eat Fast Foods? 2011. 24 October 2012 .Sifferlin, Alexandra. "Why Families Who Eat Together Are Healthier | TIME.com." Health & Family | A healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit | TIME.com. N.p., 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. .Smith, Andrew F.

Encyclopedia of Junk Food And Fast Food. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Print.Taylor, Paul, Cary Funk and Peyton Craighill. Top Reasons People Eat So Much Junk Food. 2012. 24 October 2012 .