Fast Food Restaurants - Essay Example

The essay will include a possible solution of bringing healthy restaurants that will encourage healthy eating to avoid obesity and overweight problems amongst students.

In the last three decades, the Sale of fast foods in university restaurants has increased dramatically. Fast foods from retailers such as McDonald's and taco bell are served in school restaurants in most colleges and universities. Junk food and sweetened drinks are what most students at the University of Colorado depend on. Most of them do so due to a lack of other options. Snacks such as fries and burgers are very popular amongst students. Lack of healthy alternatives in school restaurants makes most students turn to eating junk food without considering the side effects (“Havard University” Web).

 There are several risks associated with eating fast foods, which comprise junk snacks. The Fantods have a high level of calories in addition to excess fat. The major risk increase in cases of obesity and overweight. Being overweight is associated with other problems such as low self-esteem amongst students, which can affect their academic performance. Additionally, being overweight exposes the student to other disorders such as heart problems and high blood pressure. Studies have shown that food with high levels of fat slows down blood flow since they lead to the accumulation of bad cholesterol in the body (“Harvard University” Web).

There is a need for the introduction of restaurants that will offer healthier foods to curb cases of obesity and overweight amongst students at the University of Colorado. Having an organic restaurant at the University of Colorado would improve the food environment for the students. The best option would be the opening of organic restaurants to offer foods with adequate nutritional value without risking the health of the students. Other than offering sweetened drinks, organic restaurants would provide fresh fruit juices, which are sweet but healthy as compared to sugary drinks.  Additionally, most fast foods fail to provide fruits and vegetables in the diet, which results in unhealthy eating among students. Organic restaurants would make fruits and vegetables available, which would encourage healthy eating amongst students. In addition to having an organic restaurant, there is a need for laws to limit the sugar and fat level in food offered in the University restaurants (“Harvard University” Web).

Conclusively, the introduction of fast foods from retailers such as McDonald’s into restaurants at the University of Colorado Denver has influenced the eating habits of the students negatively. The foods offered have high sugar content hence rich in calories, which results in overweight and obesity. There is a need for the replacement of the existing fast-food or restaurants with organic ones to encourage healthy eating amongst students at the University of Colorado.