In the contemporary rapidly developing world people are always on the move. They want to save time whenever it is possible. Hence, people prefer not to spend evenings in the kitchen cooking fresh dishes or wait at the restaurant to have dinner. The image of a happy housewife wearing a bright apron is not popular anymore. The way-out for a modern society with women who work equally with the men and have no time to cook is evident. Fast food is gaining leading positions in the food culture. A person may visit a fast-food restaurant, buy a takeaway, or order fast-food home. Anyway, one will get something tasty and nutritious quickly. However, the permanent consumption of fast food can have negative health effects. They include the development of diabetes, hypertension, heart and liver problems, and gaining weight with the following obesity. Whereas individuals cannot blame fast food for their obesity as long as they choose to eat there, fast food causes obesity in America given that the rise of obesity among the world’s population could be attributed to an increase in calorie intake.
Thus, the rise of obesity among the world’s population could be attributed to an increase in calorie intake. It is connected with the fact that people eat more and move less. A lot of people have meals while watching TV or working on the computer. While the brain is busy, a person does not notice overeating. People often eat automatically, not feeling the taste of the food they have. However, overeating is not the only reason for the increase in calorie intake. The consumption of sugary soda, other fizzy drinks or fruit juices is growing. Those liquid calories are often not noticed, but they are the most harmful. Apart from gaining weight, they influence the health of teeth and digestion system. As a result of drinking them, people consume more calories than they need or may lose during the day. This situation certainly leads to gaining weight and further obesity unless the food practices are revised.
Another important reason for people getting fatter is the fact that they are surrounded by unhealthy foods that are incredibly cheap. First of all, food variety has increased substantially in recent decades. A big part of this variety belongs to the so-called junk food. If at the beginning of the 20th-century people preferred home-prepared simple meals, the 21st century is marked with the popularization of fast food. Since trying something new is a kind of fashion today, people enjoy tasting new dishes. It is particularly characteristic of vacations in some exotic countries. People take pleasure in trying every kind of unusual food, salty or sweet, spicy, or greasy. Unfamiliar meals may be a curious experience, but a shock for the digestion system. Moreover, the prices for food are lower than they used to be some decades ago. It makes the food available, but in most cases, it is junk: either fast food or prepared. Real food is still expensive, and not everyone can afford it. Consequently, the majority of the population with medium and low income choose available but not healthy products.
However, individuals cannot blame fast food for their obesity as long as they choose to eat there. It is easier to place responsibility for people’s overweight on popular fast-food chains. Nevertheless, no one can make a person eat something that is not good for him. It is a choice of a person, to cook a salad or buy a burger. If an individual is educated enough and takes care of his or her health, the choice will be obvious. Still, many people prefer ordering a pizza or chicken for dinner instead of cooking. It is always a choice of a person, and no one should be blamed if eating burgers and drinking soda make one by a new pair of jeans.
There can be many various reasons, but the fact is that more and more people eat fast food. They go to fast-food restaurants, order meals home or the office, or just eat in the street. One of the possible reasons for fast food popularity is the change in lifestyle. Many citizens, both men, and women work long or extra hours; children may have extended school days. As a result, people do not have enough time to do shopping for products and then cook. Spending an evening in the kitchen and preparing good food is often considered a waste of time. The active advertising of fast food should also be considered as a factor influencing the people’s choice. They depict bright images of delicious and cheap breakfasts and dinners thus appealing to one of the basic physiological needs for food. Since the food is tasty and not expensive, few people care about its impact on health. The effect of mass fast-food consumption was not slow to arrive. The US faced the problem of increasing obesity both among children and adults. It is a threatening situation since the health of the nation is in danger. Still, people may eat everything if they are active enough to burn unnecessary calories. The primary reason for gaining weight by the people is an energy imbalance. It means that people get more calories from food than they can use during their daily activities. However, the causes of obesity cannot be limited to overeating or low willpower. It is a complex problem comprising metabolic, genetic, behavioral, cultural aspects. It will be wrong to name one factor and neglect the others.
In conclusion, it should be said that the problem of obesity in the United States reached an epidemic level. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, more than 30% of adults are considered obese. The situation is slightly better among school pupils and adolescents. One in 6 children or teenagers is considered obese. It is a dangerous tendency since people with obesity are less productive at work and are more vulnerable to diseases. The problem should be solved both on the local and national levels. Of course, it does not mean that fast food should be eliminated. However, the population should be informed of the consequences of overeating fast food. The primary issue should be that of health. Obesity as a result of fast food overconsumption leads to other diseases like diabetes, hypertension, or liver problems. Another aspect that should be considered is the social impact of fast food expansion. The global spread of fast food culture diminishes the value of the family tradition of cooking or eating together. Children and their parents do not eat together often; consequently, they do not have much opportunity to talk.