Introduction
Nowadays, many people, especially children and young people, prefer eating fast foods to homemade diets, and at the same time, obesity is on the rise. Probably, there must be a connection between obesity and fast food. Nestle argues that “In a trend that correlates closely with rising rates of obesity, daily per capita consumption of sweetened beverages has grown by about 200 calories since the early 1980s” (68). These kinds of diets are the population’s best friend and, at the same time, its worst enemy.
Despite the health concerns, there are many reasons people would choose to consume fast foods over healthy diets. Large amounts of this food intake cause hypertension, acne, obesity, and other life-threatening conditions. The popularity of fast food is increasing globally due to its ease of availability and cheapness; meanwhile, the harmful effects of this fast food are becoming evident in society.
Poor living standards may propel one, especially among college students, into buying cheap, available junk meals. The poor value for money makes many students purchase cheap sweetened beverages (Roy et al. 869-871). Roy et al. write, “There is a need and demand to implement price manipulations and increase the availability of healthy foods at university food outlets” (873). Students also consume many hot foods like French fries and meat pies in large quantities, which affects their health. More than half of the learners advocated for the supply of fresh fruits within learning institutions. They were well aware of the dangers posed by the health effects they were implicating on their lives. Some leaders indicated that they required proper visual guides on healthy food choices they had to make.
Main Body
Fast-food businesses sell their products to people without showing proven hazards, and the absence of cautionary labels has increased the consumption of junk snacks. The firms protect themselves by only indicating the nutritional values and not labeling the health hazards that one is predisposed to after the intake of junk foods. Nestle comments that “health claims on the labels of junk foods distract consumers from their caloric content” (62). People fail to read and understand the caloric indications on packages. Children have the biggest challenge in reading and interpreting the indications. They become obese at a very tender age, and they grow up not leaving these unhealthy life practices of consuming such foods. These children, in their interaction, pass these unhealthy behaviors to their mates during their play sessions, thus planting this vice in a significant part of the population, principally in developed countries.
The failure to understand calorie information by people has led to the overconsumption of these unhealthy foods. Some industries even fail to provide the number of calories contained in these unhealthy foods. People find it hard to comprehend attached calorie values and thus make poor choices on a healthy diet (Zinczenko 2). It makes people overdependent on this diet, thus exceeding the required limits of daily calorie ingestion. The high-calorie intake beyond the needed limits makes people develop obesity. A direct correlation between obesity with decreased insulin sensitivity among people increases the risk of diabetes mellitus as the child grows. Zinczenko comments that “before 1994, diabetes in children was generally caused by a genetic disorder” (1). He adds that currently, the cases of childhood diabetes have skyrocketed. The companies should provide nutritional information that is easier for clients to interpret quickly. A limit on the required daily calorie intake should be labeled on the packages containing these foods.
The availability of these junk foods makes people purchase them. Many supermarkets and retail stores have these food commodities in extensive stocks. It makes it even more accessible to young children who need an informed direction on what they consume. It creates an urge in people to try these kinds of foods, unaware of the dangers they pose to themselves. A proactive advertisement of these unhealthy diets on both social media and in shopping centers increases the purchasing power of people (Zinczenko 2). These advertisements do not show the risks related to their consumption, and thus, individuals may develop a wrong perception of these foods. The ads talk more about the benefits of these junk foods, such as increasing energy, while not talking about the health effects associated with them. Nestle notes that “obesity arises when people consume significantly more calories than they expend in physical activity” (62). Such commercials lead to an increase in the cases of obesity due to an increased demand for junk foods.
The improved flavors of some fast foods make people prefer them to natural foods. Junk food has high fat, salt, and sugar content, aiming to improve the taste of these foods. Even if they do not have the required nutritional significance, these flavors naturally attract many potential buyers (Nestle 64). Eating these junk foods triggers brain centers, and thus, people develop an addiction to purchasing these food products. They are ready to be consumed upon their buying, and therefore, people may choose to buy them. People create a feeling they are saving time by not cooking healthy foods like vegetables. These vitamin foods have better nutritional importance as they help to protect the body against many diseases. They improve the immune system and contain antioxidants important in the repair of cellular damage.
The government has a role to play in ensuring a healthy nation. It should come up with regulatory policies that control the junk food industry. They should enforce laws that require enterprises to label the contents of their food products properly. Nestle writes, “It licenses inspectors to ensure that producers follow those rules (64).” The instructions should be clear and easy to comprehend by the client. The government can also tax the companies heavily to discourage their operations. It will lead to a decreased production of junk foods, thus reducing affordability to many. Increased taxation can also cause the prices of junk foods to rise, thus reducing their access to a more significant part of the population. The undertaking of these measures by the government can reduce the number of cases of obesity and cardiovascular diseases leading to a healthy nation.
Conclusion
Junk food consumption causes obesity, principally in developed countries. The lower prices of these foods make them easily affordable, even for children. The flavor of these meals makes them desirable to many clients globally. Many industries advertise these junk foods on social media without warning people about the potential side effects of their intake. Food enterprises provide unclear information about the contents of junk foods, and thus, people end up consuming them unaware of their dangers. Some people prefer to eat junk fund as they think it saves them the time they spend cooking. The government has a vast role to play in regulating the utilization of junk meals in its population.
Works Cited
Nestle, M. “How do you cope with a mountain of conflicting diet advice ?” Www.semanticscholar.org, 2007, Web.
Roy, Rajshri, et al. “Exploring university food environment and on-campus food purchasing behaviors, preferences, and opinions.” Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, vol. 51, no. 7, July 2019, pp. 865–75, Web.
Zinczenko. “Don’t blame the eater.” The New York Times, 2002, Web.