American eating habits almost became a global role model of how one should not eat to avoid developing metabolic syndrome and many other associated illnesses of poor food choices. In fact, the traditional Western diet is now a synonym for processed food that elevates one’s cholesterol (Pollan 141). This problem stemmed from the second half of the twentieth century when the fast-food industry started to expand, offering tasty and convenient meals to millions of U.S. citizens who were too busy to cook. For example, working mothers found snacks, frozen pizzas, Lunchables, and other inventions of fast-food companies as a savior of their time and energy (Moss 5). However, the rise of the obesity and diabetes epidemic among youth was the cost. According to Zinczenko, “before 1994, diabetes in children was generally caused by a genetic disorder,” and only 5% of these cases were type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or obesity-related (2). About 30% of childhood diabetes incidents are T2DM in the United States in modern times (Zinczenko 2). Over the last several decades, Americans developed severe health issues because of their eating habits, spoiled by the fast-food industries’ marketing strategies.
The most critical issue caused by the fast-food industry is the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and many other associated diseases and complications. The annual healthcare costs for treating T2DM increased to unprecedented levels, from $2.6 billion in 1969 to $100 billion in 2002 (Zinczenko 2). Metabolic syndrome and T2DM have long been associated with increased calorie consumption and a sedentary lifestyle. For instance, an average lunch in a fast-food restaurant equals 1500 calories, considering that the recommended amount for an adult person with mild physical activity is about 2000 calories (Zinczenko 2). Dr. Peter Attia claimed in his TED talk that obesity might be caused by insulin resistance, not vice versa (Attia). Still, the fact that overeating unhealthy food leads to weight gain cannot be denied because high-sugar content beverages, artificial sweeteners, and processed grain disrupt metabolic pathways, cause oxidative damage, and damage the human microbiome.
Even though healthy nutrition is a new trend nowadays, many clinicians continue to underestimate this part of the human lifestyle. Many of them prefer to medicate the problem than address the cause, inadequate eating regime and fats food (Pollan 1). According to Pollan, Americans spend “less than 10 percent of their income on food, … less than a half-hour a day preparing meals and little more than an hour enjoying them” (2). Nations that eat high-quality natural food and are more mindful about their choices are healthier than many U.S. citizens. It appears that cheap fast food became part of the U.S. culture because of people’s busyness. Skipped breakfasts, snacks for lunch, and large-size meals ordered in KFC for dinner became the new normal of an average American, working for a rapidly developing firm with tight deadlines and an intense environment.
People in the United States quickly became supporters of this lifestyle because it was cheap, convenient, and tasty. Indeed, scientific studies revealed that every four years, American watched more TV, exercised less, ate more calories, and gained about four pounds (Moss 10). It was also found that they preferred to buy red and processed meat, mashed potato and French fries, and sugar-sweetened soda drinks (Moss 10). Office workers purchase several caffeinated beverages every day to stay alert after scrolling social media or watching Netflix all night. Children and teenagers choose chips, chocolate bars, or hamburgers for lunch instead of salads, jeopardizing their physical and mental well-being. Still, individuals should take ownership over their health and change their lifestyles (Balko 3). Processed food is closely associated with weight gain and metabolism disturbance, but people seem to lack the knowledge or motivation to change their habits and rely on medications to solve their issues.
It will be unfair to blame individuals for eating junk food and becoming obese because this issue is more systemic than personal. Indeed, fast-food corporations have big teams of well-trained professionals who understand the biochemistry and neuroscience of addiction that helped them increase sales and companies’ revenues. Their initial task was to make people crave more of these products utilizing their knowledge of food chemistry to attain this goal (Moss 3). Furthermore, every new product is pre-tested in experimental groups before being released to the market, allowing the manufacturers to eliminate imperfections. The success of Lays, various ice-creams, and Coca-Cola was possible due to the two phenomena known as “sensory-specific satiety” and “vanishing caloric density” (Moss 4, 9). In fact, these features allow industrial researchers to create formulas that confuse human receptors, making the brain think that the body did not have enough of that specific food.
In summary, metabolic diseases caused by overconsumption of junk food are tremendous problems in the United States. Unfortunately, the demand for sugar-sweetened beverages and quick lunch sets persists because U.S. citizens seem to be too busy to cook healthy meals. The outcome is that our country has an increased number of children and young people with obesity and diabetes. Although Americans are not forced to select these items, fast-food companies manufacture their products and organize marketing campaigns to make those compelling and addictive for consumers.
Works Cited
Attia, Peter. “Is the Obesity Crisis Hiding a Bigger Problem?” TED, 2013, Web.
Balko, Radley. “What You Eat Is Your Business.” Cato Institute, 2004, Web.
Moss, Michael. “The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food.” The New York Times Magazine, 2013, Web.
Pollan, Michael. “Escape From the Western Diet.” In Defense of Food. An Eater’s Manifesto, The Penguin Press, 2012, pp. 140-146.
Zinczenko, David. “Don’t Blame the Eater.” The New York Times, 2002, Web.