Effects of Fast Food on Health - Essay Example

An added factor to its attractiveness is the economical and affordable price of fast food as well as the convenience of purchasing it. Not only is fast food prepared quickly, but it is also available easily on every busy street corner and in various fast food restaurants and fast food outlets in abundance. Moreover, it more than satisfies a “hungry man’s appetite”. More than a necessity, fast food has become a social and cultural standard. Originating from the West, the fast-food trend has expanded and spread in all countries of the world as a new fashion or a new social standard.

However, the negative aspects of fast food are many. Even before the health aspects are considered, there are several social stigmas attached to the trend of fast food. The concept of meal preparation in the home is not as prominent as it previously was. This tends to reduce the bonding between families of cooking and eating together. It also means that mothers who used to pass on their cooking skills to their daughters do not find time to do so anymore or do not find it as important. Moreover, this fast-food trend has put a few large corporations in power and destroyed the local food industry of countries. These large corporations hire unskilled workers in Third World countries and offer them low wages which leads to the exploitation of workers in these countries; while these corporations make large profits. These are only a few of the social problems caused by the trend of fast food. The health stigmas are far more dangerous and harmful.

Fast food is one of the main factors causing obesity in adolescents in countries all over the world. Since fast food outlets are located close to schools and colleges, adolescents tend to skip breakfast and indulge in the intake of fast food all day resulting in the intake of an excessive amount of calories which causes obesity (Richardson, 2006). Moreover, greasy fast food is known to cause high cholesterol which is a cause of high blood pressure and heart disease. Mothers were not wrong when they forced their children to eat vegetables and milk along with their meals. The intake of vegetables, fruits, and milk is essential for a balanced and nutritious diet. However, fast food has caused today’s population to have a poorly balanced diet, which is only attending to their hunger but also giving severe consequences in return (Carpenter & Davis, 2009).

Other stigmas for health include the cleanliness of these restaurants and the ingredients they use for making the meals we devour so persistently. It is often alleged that the meat used in these restaurants comes from chickens with “bird flu” and from cows with “mad cow disease,” which later inflicts many other health problems on the person eating them. Moreover, it is also alleged that the meat used in such restaurants is artificially kept fresh and the animals used for the meat are on steroids and medication which suck the nutrition out of the meat (Richardson, 2006).

Hence, a person needs to take a nutritious diet that contains all types of food such as vegetables, fruit, home-cooked meat, milk, and other preservatives. Excessively eating fast food is not only harmful to your internal health but is harmful to your weight and skin. Hence, the intake of fast food should be controlled and reduced to ensure a long, healthy, and happy life.