Bad Habits of Fast Food Eating

4. DISCUSSION

Majority of the students in our study are consuming fast food more than recommended by nutritionist: at least once a month (Weil, 2014). Based on the comments made by respondents, the proliferation of fast food outlets has provided much convenience for students especially those with time constraints in university, whereby they are becoming more reliant on these quick-serving foods compared to a proper healthy meal. In addition, as a student ourselves with tight monthly budgets, we tend to find something that is worth it, in this case the price of fast foods compliments the delicious taste.

An interesting finding from our survey is that the number of students who claimed their eating habits have or have not changed, is almost equal. Although both genders mentioned about having self-control towards fast food consumption, the increased availability and access to fast foods seem to have overpowered the changing eating patterns of most females where they tend to consume more of these fast foods. A possible explanation for this is found on a research that says the chemicals found in fast foods such as Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Casein can trigger the brain to always prefer fast food, resulting in food addiction (Cardiff, 2013). Moreover, one of the driving factors for choosing fast foods is the convincing advertisements where the males have especially been influenced.

Blythman (2012) states that since our diets rely on convenient ready-made food, our consumption of salts is worrying to an extent where it may cause health concern. These findings can correlate to the rising obesity issue in Brunei as our results indirectly point not only to the much lacking desire to understand the nutritional value of fast foods that students are consuming excessive amount of sugar and salt, but also the practice of sedentary lifestyle since more than half of the respondents’ are reluctant to exercise and lose the calories gained after consuming fast foods. A study shows fast food consumers may underestimate their calorie intake up to thirty-six percent, which may explain why their unwillingness to exercise (Block et al., 2013).

CONCLUSION

This study about the relationship between UBD students’ eating habits and the proliferation of fast food outlets in the last five years has highlighted three main findings: majority of the students’ intake of fast foods are more than nutritionists recommended, whereby the time and convenience of fast foods play an important role in their choice of consuming fast foods and the eating habits of the female students in the last five years were claimed to have changed.