Fast Foods and health issues Research Proposal
The fast growing world has made people have very busy routines and the social lives are busier which makes it hard to prepare food or wait for it to be prepared in restaurants. People have therefore turned to fast foods without taking a thought about its advantages and limitations (Ellwood, 2013). This argumentative essay seeks to determine the pros and cons of fast foods. It is safe to minimize the consumption of junk foods given the health risks that come along with the.
Fast food is prepared and served within a very short notice by the customer. Most foods are prepared earlier on then preheated when an order for the food comes up hence making it fast. The fast food industry is rapidly growing and there is a lot of competition regarding the same. Starbucks, Chipotle, McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut have loads of customers quieting for the fast foods. Many people have given up on cooking and are updated on the best provider of junk foods but cannot recall the best recipes for cooking the best meals (Burns et al, 2015). Junk food consumption is particularly on the rise among the youth who are afraid to cook as they feel that it is burdensome.
The main objective of this research paper is to weigh the pros and cons of junk foods and determine the best option as far as eating habits are concerned. The advantages of fast foods are on the lesser side hence there is a need for individuals to make a choice to minimize their consumption of junk foods.
Fast foods are associated with unhealthy food choice which contains a lot of salt and calories. The foods also contain very high sugar contents in the desserts and beverages which increase blood sugar and eventually diabetes (Taylor et al, 2016). The meals are upsized by drinks which are also unhealthy and prompt an individual to consume more than they can.
Obesity is another disadvantage of junk foods and the number of obese youths is increasing day in day out. The high caloric content of junk foods causes deposition of the extra carbohydrates in the form of fat which causes obesity (Dunford et al, 2017). Obesity affects the physical appearance of individuals and predisposes them to heart conditions which lower the quality of life and reduces the life expectancy.
The harmful effects of additives and preservatives are also felt by the person who takes junk foods. Some components of preservatives are carcinogenic while others may predispose an individual to kidney and cardiovascular problems due to their high sodium content. Fast foods also interfere with the quality family time which mostly happens during mealtime (Chen & Huang, 2013). People are slowly spending less time together since someone can order in and consume while going on with their business.
Bad eating habits in kids cannot be left out while addressing the issue of fast foods. Kids and teenagers could develop bad eating habits due to frequent visiting of such food joints with their parents (Poti, Duffey&Popkin, 2014). The youngsters will thus develop poor eating habits at a very early age and this implies that they will be predisposed to the associated risks for a longer time.
Some people could argue that there are some healthier foods in fast food restaurants. The truth of the matter, however, is that this is just a recent phenomenon and most of the foods in such restaurants are French fries, burgers, and pizzas which are unhealthy (Rivera, 2014). The temptation to consume such foods is so high and making the healthier choice is a hard thing to do.
Some individuals believe that fast foods are convenient as they save on costs and time. It is, however, unrealistic to consume fast foods and forget about the adverse effects of such foods. Some individuals also believe that a person is at liberty to select the healthy fast food whenever they visit the joints (Johnson & Wesley, 2015). The temptation to consume the junk foods at a joint is however very overwhelming for an individual to forego.
In this fast paced world fast foods have become part of the lifestyle of many individuals. There are always readily available justifications that people will have in support for fast foods if they want to consume it. It is very important that people should make healthy choices for the benefit of their bodies as the decision to give in or avoid junk foods lies with an individual.it is also vital that people minimize the harmful effects of junk foods if quitting becomes difficult.
Tentative bibliography
Burns, C., Bentley, R., Thornton, L., & Kavanagh, A. (2015). Associations between the purchase of healthy and fast foods and restrictions to food access: a cross-sectional study in Melbourne, Australia. Public health nutrition, 18(01), 143-150.
Chen, M. F., & Huang, C. H. (2013). The impacts of the food traceability system and consumer involvement on consumers’ purchase intentions toward fast foods. Food Control, 33(2), 313-319.
Dunford, E., Wu, J. H., Wellard, L., Watson, W., Crino, M., Petersen, K., & Neal, B. (2017). A comparison of the Health Star Rating system when used for restaurant fast foods and packaged foods. Appetite.
Ellwood, P., Asher, M. I., García-Marcos, L., Williams, H., Keil, U., Robertson, C., …& Beasley, R. (2013). Do fast foods cause asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema? Global findings from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Three. Thorax, thoraxjnl-2012.
Johnson, P., & Wesley, Y. (2015). Obesity in Black Girls: The Curse of a Poverty Diet and Fast Foods. Black Girls and Adolescents: Facing the Challenges: Facing the Challenges, 121.
Poti, J. M., Duffey, K. J., &Popkin, B. M. (2014). The association of fast food consumption with poor dietary outcomes and obesity among children: is it the fast food or the remainder of the diet?. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 99(1), 162-171.
Rivera, L., Leung, C., Pustovit, R., Angus, P., & Furness, J. (2014). Harmful effects of ‘fast foods’ on enteric neurons (903.1). The FASEB Journal, 28(1 Supplement), 903-1.
Taylor, B. R., Pope, B. T., Franklin, A. M., Harris, P. R., Wyatt, B., &Hongu, N. (2016). Cooking Meals More Frequently, Eating More Fruits and Vegetables, and Less Fast-Foods among Students in Nutritional Sciences Majors than Non-majors. The FASEB Journal, 30(1 Supplement), 675-7.
