Why Is Fast Food Harmful - Essay Example

Fast Food Industries Fast food is consumed by many Americans and it is developing fast to replace other traditional healthy food. Some individuals particularly the consumers think that it is good while others are totally against it. With fast food restaurants everywhere and all the advertisements on the media, it is extremely difficult to resist this kind of food. Fast foods are appealing, tasty, and readily available in various parts of the world. Again, they are less costly as opposed to healthy meals. The number of fast food restaurants keeps on increasing rapidly and this makes many people to be more dependent on this kind of food. The beautiful and attractive pictures of fast foods in advertisements and promos plus their taste makes individuals want more. Reports reveal that majority of American population use much of their cash purchasing fast foods as compared to other things (Schlosser, 2012). Even though fast food has been condemned in the society due to its adverse effects on health, the society has benefited a lot from working long hours in the kitchen. Primarily, some individuals see fast food as a perfect choice since it is easy to acquire and it is very tasty. Moreover, fast food restaurants are situated everywhere and can be accessed in most places worldwide (Goldstein and Goldstein, 2002). Secondly, some people prefer buying fast food because they do not have to spend much of their time to prepare as opposed to traditional food. Fast foods are very easy to prepare and they enable individuals to save time. This type of food is actually an easy solution especially for those who are lazy and do not like to cook or prepare homemade meal. More so, Fast foods have revolutionized the way in which meal times are defined traditionally and it has made life much easier as individuals are freed from their kitchen. Normally, cooking healthy meals is time consuming and needs much effort. For instance, a person needs to buy the ingredients for the meal before starting to prepare. All these procedures make eating fast food more preferably as opposed to preparing a meal. Fast foods are readily available to be consumed anytime and anywhere; there is no need to wait. More so, fast food is an appropriate alternative for some individuals because it is cheaper as compared to eating in any traditional food restaurant. Agreeably, fast foods are cheap and so they are readily available and affordable especially for the disadvantaged in the society. On the contrary, excessive consumption of fast food has been proved to unhealthy and causes serious health conditions. Anti-fast food group claim that fast foods contain high saturated fats that are very harmful when consumed in abundance. Fast foods are unhealthier as compared to prepared meals at home because they contain larger portions of salt, fats as well as calories (Goldstein and Goldstein, 2002). Many people are not aware of the ingredients of the food they are consuming and this is the case with this kind of food. Studies reveal that those individuals who frequently consume fast food are more likely to gain weight and become obese. Nowadays, many Americans are more convinced that fast food restaurants are the leading cause of overweight and obesity among children and some have gone ahead to even suing the company for making them fat. Easy accessibility of fast foods expose individuals especially children to certain illnesses like obesity. Obesity is a serious health problem in the United States with a third of American children suffering from obesity. Undeniably, excessive consumption of fast foods increasing cases of childhood obesity, which leads to psychological problems such as reduced self-esteem among others. Obese individuals also have difficulty in engaging in physical activities. Schlosser (2012) posits that fast food is responsible for some social and health problems affecting the United States including the increased cases of obesity. More so, fast food increases the risk of developing insulin resistance, which in turn leads to health complications such as diabetes and heart diseases. In addition, fast food industries should be banned because these kinds of food contain excess calories, high in sodium from common salt and other additives (Broihier, 1993). Fast foods are also deficient in dietary and important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. This is because most fast foods are fried, large amounts of vitamins is lost in the frying process. Some researchers believe that most fast foods have some nutritional value but low in vitamins and minerals with high fat (Broihier, 1993). Continuous consumption of fast food and living sedentary lifestyles put them at risk of diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and increased cholesterol among others. Researchers have pointed out sedentary lifestyle to be one of the major causes of obesity in both adults and children (Rippe and Angelopoulos, 2012). Furthermore, fast foods are also addictive and scientists have revealed that high calorie foods rich in fats and other additives can reconfigure the hormones in individuals’ body and this can result to addiction to such foods. Lastly, fast food increases the level of cholesterol, which also causes heat diseases. Accordingly, while the emergence and development of fast food restaurants has benefited the society, national economy and other individuals, it has replaced essential traditions connected to meal preparation and sharing meals. Fast food restaurants have led to many health and even environmental problems in the society. Anti-fast food individuals claim that this type of food causes various environmental problems like pollution from the plastic bags in which fast foods are served, and extensive waste among others (Smith, 2006). In conclusion, consuming fast food daily is harmful to health and increases the risk of developing serious illnesses such as obesity and diabetes. However eating fast food occasionally is not that dangerous for individuals’ health. Because fast foods are not healthy and so one should try to minimize the intake of such food, take boiled instead of fried, avoid carbonated drinks and take fruit juices and milk instead. In short, fast food is part of individuals’ fast-paced life in the contemporary world, and just like everything in life, it has its own merits and demerits. Be courteous while taking any kind of food and living an active and healthy lifestyle can be very useful in lessening the adverse effects of fast food. References Broihier, Catherine. (1993). Fast-Food Shakeup. Current Health 2, A Weekly Reader Publication. Goldstein, M. C., & Goldstein, M. (2002). Controversies in food and nutrition. Westport: Greenwood Press. Rippe, J. and Angelopoulos, T. (2012). Obesity: Prevention and Treatment. CRC Press. Schlosser, E. (2012). Fast food nation: The dark side of the all-American meal. Boston: Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Smith, A. F. (2006). Encyclopedia of junk food and fast food. Westport, Conn. [u.a].: Greenwood Press. Read More