Fast Food Industry: The Major Contributor to Global Obesity

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Over the past few centuries, obesity has been a major problem worldwide. Obesity is associated with poorer mental health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and is one of the leading causes of death. The fast food industry is one of the major factors contributing to the world’s obese epidemic. These industries give little to no nutrition facts about the food, and brainwash individuals (typically children) with advertisements. One may argue that it is the individual's responsibility to make healthy food choices, but in fact, it is the fast food industry to blame because they have dominated the world and leave individual with no choice but to support the fast food industry. Worldwide, millions of people are consuming fast food, unaware of …show more content…

Whether it may be on television, newspaper, billboards, the radio, etc. the industry has convinced millions all over the world that it is the best food industry out there. The industry advertises deals they have to offer, such as the popular 5 for $5, which causes individuals to buy them, typically because they have a family and it is conventional. They make their food affordable so anyone is capable of getting their hands on fast food, but ever wonder why the food is so affordable and cheap? In the article Obesity in America the author claims “Researchers suggest that these types of foods - highly refined, processed, and starchy - may be a contributing factor to our obesity epidemic.” For instance, if fast food industries did not advertise and contained better ingredients, the obesity rate would be tremendously lower, so is it the individual to blame or the fast food industry? Fast food restaurants are along the freeways, on every block, every corner you turn, practically everywhere. Let us say for instance, a family was on a roadtrip and one of the children were hungry and begging to eat, but there were only fast food restaurants within few miles distance from their location. They either have the choice to let their child cry in hunger or stop by a fast food restaurant, which in this case, the family decides to get fast food. In the article Fast-food Culture Serves Up Super-Sized Americans the author

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