Fast Food and Obesity

Fast food and obesity is a controversial subject and has been the subject of a number of books and, of course, the film Super Size Me. It's a problem on both sides of the Atlantic and is also spreading to countries where obesity was previously unheard of, such as China.

Fast food appeals to us all, children because it tastes good and adults also enjoy the taste but are also attracted by the fact that it is cheap and saves the time otherwise needed for grocery shopping and cooking.

Fast food gets its name because it can be prepared quickly and this means it is usually prepared in advance and heated up before serving. In Britain, the traditional fast food dish is fish and chips, but now the US fast foods such as hamburgers and fries are popular all over the world.

Fast food from other cultures is also popular in the US and UK, typical examples being pizza and Chinese food, often to take away.
Fast food is usually served with high calorie, high sugar soft drinks, which are also low in nutritional value.

Government Concerns about Fast Food and Obesity

The relationship between fast food and obesity has been recognized by the UK government, who are introducing healthier food in schools. But is there really a connection between fast food and the growing number of overweight and obese adults and, more worryingly, children?

According to Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, US citizens spend more money each year on fast food than they do on Higher Education, computers or cars! I don't know if that's also true for the UK, but Britain now tops the table for obesity-related deaths in Europe. So, if we don't do something about it, we're in big trouble. Why does fast food make you fat?

The ingredients of your fast food meal are obtained in ways which will make the end product as cheap as possible - even a few pennies difference in price is crucial for the success of the companies which manufacture fast food. The relatively low prices associated with fast food are also attractive to low income families who would struggle to afford regular healthy alternatives.

And because it is so cheap, fast food outlets can afford to give you a supersized portion for very little more than a normal portion. Since most of us can't resist a bargain, this tactic is very effective.

The fast food restaurants ensure that their food tastes the same every time you buy it, whichever part of the world you find yourself in. To make sure this happens - and that the raw materials are the cheapest on the market - farming, processing and packing are all carried out in ways which reduce cost, and which also diminish quality.

As packing became automated, the need for skilled labour was eliminated and immigrant workers are now employed, at low wages, to pack meat. Little attention is paid to hygiene and bacteria causing food poisoning can easily go undetected, adding yet another problem.

In addition, fast food is high in fat, high in refined carbohydrates and high in sugar, not to mention being high in calories. And it is also low in anything of nutritional value. Moreover, refined carbohydrates make you hungry, leading to the desire for that extra portion of fries or the extra large burger.

Alternatives to Obesity and Fast Food

There is no quick fix to the problems related to junk food, but a first step would be to educate ourselves and our children so that we develop healthy eating habits.

If children are brought up on fast foods, they will continue to eat them as adults. And although it is not always easy to find time for cooking healthy meals, parents could save their children a lot of health problems in the future if they introduced more healthy meals to the family.

Parents who can't cook should consider learning the basics and if their kids are old enough, parents and children can learn basic cooking together. Since obesity and fast food are clearly linked, it makes sense to at least reduce the amount of fast food eaten by your children and cooking together can make this fun.

In terms of costs, it has often been suggested that the government subsidize healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables, but this has not been followed up.

However, there are ways to decrease the food bill and still buy healthy items. Our obsession with perfection has led to the requirement for perfectly formed fruits and vegetables, all the same size and shape. Some supermarkets now offer “misshapes” or more natural fresh products at a lower price.

Obesity and fast food will continue to be a subject for discussion, but action is needed and we have to take that action individually to create a healthier future,

Source: Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser, published by Harper Collins in the US and Penguin in the UK.