Obesity among Americans has been a growing issue in the United States predominantly over the past decade. Many may argue American’s are obese because of poor food choices, over-eating, genetic disposition, lack of exercise, or the environment which one lives, while others blame it all on fast-food chains and restaurants. Throughout my research I have come to find a lot of facts and statistics about fast food consumption causing obesity. Statistics show that without a doubt the United States is the most obese country in the world. Since Americans typically live hectic lifestyles, fast food is a quick and easy way to grab a meal on the go. However, eating fast food frequently provides the body with high amounts of calories, sugars, saturated and trans fats, while lacking in vitamins and minerals. Overtime, eating fast food can take a toll on ones body and increase the risk of developing illnesses and diseases. These diseases include heart disease; type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cancer, breathing problems, arthritis and even reproductive complications. Candelaria states in her article, “Eating a Western diet with lots of processed or fried foods that can raise blood levels of “oxidized” cholesterol and could increase heart attack risk”. Since fast food contains a surprisingly high amount of sugars it can aid in causing type two diabetes, especially if eaten over long period of time. Diabetes may contribute to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease and blindness (Candelaria). Frequent consumption of processed, fatty foods may lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, which may result in a stroke. Also, an obese person is associated with a higher prevalence of acquiring asthma as well ... ... middle of paper ... ...nsequences." Surgeon General. Surgeon General, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. . Sassi, Franco. "How U.S. Obesity Compares With Other Countries." PBS. PBS, 11 Apr. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/04/how-us-obesity-compares-with-other-countries.html Stanish, Janelle R. The Obesity Epidemic in America and the Responsibility of Big Food Manufacturers 2.11 (2012): 1. RSS. Student Pulse, 2010. Web. 16 Nov. 2013. http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/320/the-obesity-epidemic-in-america-and-the-responsibility-of-big-food-manufacturers Stein, Jeannine. "Wealthy Nations with a Lot of Fast Food: Destined to Be Obese?" Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2013. .
Kushner, Jason, ed. "Fast Food and Obesity Epidemic."Nutra Legacy. Nutralegacy.com , 12 Nov 2008. Web. 16 Jan 2014. .
"The Dangers of Eating Fast Food." Stony Brook University- The Heart Links Project. (1999): n.
Obesity can be caused by a combination of fast food and the environment people live in today. Fast food contains foods that are high in fats, sugars, and starches. These ingredients have rarely any nutritional value to the human body. Most of the foods available at fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, and KFC contain concentrated salt and preservatives to enhance the flavor in them. Obesity has become the defining aspect of our nation by surrounding the people with fast food products. The freedom to choose what one wants, gives the fast food companies the right to give one unhealthy food. The consumption of fast food products regularly greatly increases one’s chance of having health disparities such as Coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers, stroke, Hypertension, and Osteoarthritis. These negative effects are present with the daily eating of fast foods.
However, when creating fast food restaurants, the industries were not thinking about the negative effects such as obesity. Other than obesity, other harmful effects exist as well. Fast food restaurants serve unhealthy products such as greasy foods and artificial meat that lead to dietary health issues in many adults and children. A recent study showed that “Young children who are fed processed, nutrient-poor foods are likely to become unhealthy teenagers, and eventually unhealthy adults. Now twenty-three percent of teens in the U.S. are pre-diabetic or diabetic, 22% have high or borderline high LDL cholesterol levels, and 14% have hypertension or prehypertension”
Finkelstein & Zuckerman (2008). The Fattening of America. How the Economy Make us Fat, If
The obesity crisis is turning out to be a huge issue today in America. According to CDC, more than one third of the adults from the US are obese. Those related conditions consist of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and many others. Also from CDC, the estimated medical cost of obesity in the US annually was $147 billion in 2008. Nowadays, obesity is spreading to the children because of the fast food industry targeting the younger audience to their food. Fast food was created very cheap and turned out to be one of the main causes of obesity. People are now consuming way too many calories and the calories that they are consuming from fast food is all fat calories. All of the ingredients have no nutritional quantity for the body. Fast food contains very much high fating components which is endangering consumers health. Salt, fat and sugar is turning out to be available everywhere. Fast food often turns ...
Engler, Yves. “Obesity: much of the Responsibility Lies with Corporations.” They Say I Say. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. New York. W.W. Norton, 2009. 172-181. Print.
"Obesity." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
Scientists claim that the consumption of fast food leads to rapid weight gain, heart attacks, diabetes, reduced immunity, irreversible changes in the liver, raising the level of cholesterol in the blood. The fat contained in fast food, mainly consists of saturated fatty acids, which are deposited on the walls of blood vessels.
23 July 2018. Print. The. Brody, Jane E. “Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring Out Its Cause.” New York Times.
“The Experts: What Role Should Government Play in Combatting Obesity?” Wall Street Journal Online. 21 Apr 2013: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 7 Nov 2013.
Michael Pollan. “The (Agri)Cultural Contradictions of Obesity.” The New York Times Magazine. Oct 12, 2003.
“For someone not to know that a big mac is unhealthy is ignorance, and ignorance is not the responsibility of the fast food industry,” (Daniel Speiser). The amount of fast food joints has largely increased which has become a problem for many people throughout the United States. Several people place the blame for the rising obesity among children on the rising fast food industries due to its convenience, price, advertising, and somewhat un-nutritional content. Some people even take it as far as court to place blame on the fast food industries and for those industries to make changes to their restaurants. The high percentage of obese children in the United States is not caused by the fast food industry. The obesity epidemic has other outside influences, the fast food industries have changed dramatically, and people should take responsibility for their own consumptions. It is time for people to stop placing the blame on others and take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
There’s much significant health risk associated with eating fast food on a regular basis. One of the health risks is Coronary Heart Disease which is when plaque builds up and it narrows your coronary arteries, decreasing blood flow to your heart. Eventually, the decreased blood flow may cause chest pain, shortness of breath, or other coronary artery disease symptoms. A complete blockage can cause a heart attack. Another health risk is fatty liver or hepatic steatosis which describes the buildup of fat in the liver. The role of the liver is to process everything we eat or drink and filter any harmful materials from the blood. And this process is interrupted if too much fat is in the liver. Also, eating too much fast food can lead to Hypercalcemia.
Since 1970, the number of fast food restaurants has doubled, which equates to about 300,000 establishments in the United States. Coincidentally, 33.8 percent of the U.S. population is affected by obesity and nineteen percent of children and adolescents are also affected, (Muntel, S. Obesity Action Coalition » Fast Food – Is it the Enemy?). These facts prove that the rise of obesity within the world’s population is associated with an increase in calorie intake and with the lack of adequate physical activity. From 1976 to 1980 the quantity and energy density of foods eaten in the United States has increased (NHANES II). Fast food restaurants play a major role in this increase.