Obesity And Fast Food
While for long it was being postulated that fast food increased obesity, due to lack of any substantiated evidence, it was difficult to convince others on this issue. However, some of the recent studies have not just proved it but also put it beyond doubt that fast food in fact increased obesity. These studies have published in journals like Public Health Nutrition (January 2007) and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (January 2007).
During their study, scholars have found that – “families whose meals frequently consist of fast food are more likely to have unhealthy eating habits, poor access to healthy foods at home, and a higher risk for obesity”. (AJCN Jan. 2007)
The study also established a positive correlation between a higher frequency of fast food dinners and obesity and a higher body mass index (BMI) in adults.
In another study looking for a correlation between fast food and body mass index, Dr. Barry M. Popkin of the University of North Carolina and his team found that the fast food consumption had a direct impact on an individual’s health so much so that it could convert a non-diabetic to diabetic. This study also compared the increase in body mass index (BMI) of fast food eaters and those eating at traditional restaurants. In case of traditional restaurants, the studies couldn’t establish a correlation between food and BMI.
More studies, particularly the one conducted by Kavnagh and her team found that the fat content in burgers and French fries could make one fatter by nearly 1/3 with same calorie count in other food. The study, which was conducted on monkeys over a period of six years, confirmed that the monkeys who were fed on fast food had 30% more fat around their bellies.
These studies have just confirmed the trends, which were already visible. With the spread of fast food culture, obesity has also spread. Obesity has reached the proportion of epidemic in the U.S. It is also said that people have chosen this kind of lifestyle and they are now facing the consequences. The easy availability of fast food and tempting aroma and tastes have led to mushroomed growth of fast food outlets. Add to that aggressive advertising strategies adopted by the industry have increased the consumer base by manifolds and so has been the growth of obesity.
Fast foods items are usually fried preparations and increase problems like indigestion and acidity. This type of food also acts as retarding agent for Metabolic functioning due to recurrent intake of fast foods that can result in unrestrained overeating tendencies, which are undoubtedly one of the major causes of obesity. More than twice consumed fast food in a week can increase weight by over ten pounds. Therefore it’s in one’s own interest to avoid it.
While, the fast food companies are doing a little to check their unhealthy practices, awareness has also led to imposition of ban on trans-fat in countries like Denmark. New York City is also going to impose certain restrictions on such unhealthy food.
However, these are just a few of the isolated cases. Fast food industry is growing and obesity is growing. The big question is how long this can be allowed to happen. These big companies on the basis of their wide networks and multinational presence are bound to spread these killer diseases like diabetes and heart problems through obesity before they are not permanently stopped.
Generally, fast food restaurants serve food that is very low in fiber content. Consumers can add fiber content to their food by adding weight loss products like Bios Life Slim or other similar products, which are otherwise healthy options and balance their diet.
Health experts make some recommendations towards healthy eating habits like:
- Say No to foods like doughnuts, burgers, fries, sugar cereals, processed meat or canned soup, etc.
- Take small and frequent meals instead of few large meals
- Make fruits, green vegetables and pulses part of in your diet
- Alcoholic beverages and artificially sweetened beverages are also fattening.
Laura 2:48 am on January 3, 2009 Permalink
Morbid Obesity – Big Questions
The modern world is a big complicated and confusing place. Americans seem to have reacted to that confusion by becoming bigger themselves. In the past two years I’ve seen my own weight climb steadily until it reached 190 pounds on my 5’6″ frame – at which point I realized that there was an ISSUE here. An issue that couldn’t be ignored or denied any longer. I’ve whittled myself down to a more normal 168, but I’m still a big woman, and have a ways to go before I hit a healthy BMI (body mass index) of roughly 154 pounds, which puts me in a healthy weight range.
Cable television has filled many time slots with shows on the morbidly obese. Having spent three days in bed recovering from the flu I’ve had ample opportunity to watch shows on the “Half Ton Man…Woman…and Teen” and seen “Big Medicine,” along with a slew of others devoted to the morbidly obese.
The primary question that springs to mind is how can people afford to be so heavy? Especially the people who manage to reach 500 plus pounds? Many of these shows feature people who are unemployed and bed ridden. So how do they get the vast quantities of food needed to stuff their over-stuffed bodies.
The obvious answer is that each obese person is paired with one or more enablers who are willing to purchase food, in most cases prepare it, and feed their loved ones to death. It’s obvious from these programs that most of these people abhor their hefty hindquarters. It’s also apparent that the mothers (yep it usually seems to be the mamas) live in fear of their pudgy progeny dying. And that is a very real possibility. The morbidly obese are more prone to heart attacks and diabetes along with any number of health concerns. TLC’s “Half Ton Woman” died from obesity related complications on cable TV, leaving behind two beautiful young daughters, who will have to grow up without a mother.
So what’s the deal? If I can hit 190 and think – wow – this is unacceptable. I’m one chubby little monkey and have to do something now, why can’t everyone? An 800 pound teenager could keel over at any moment because of heart attack. As far as I know even heroine junky alcoholic crack heads have a better life expectancy than that.
The striking thing about many of the people on the cable programs is that they generally have one or more obese parent and so the child’s weight gain may at first be considered less concerning than if the child were born into a family where people maintained a healthy weight.
My own father was obese for long periods of time. My own weight inched higher in conjunction with the weight of my sisters. We were skinny together…and grew increasingly chunky together. It’s much less disconcerting eating pizza and burgers when you’re surrounded by others who are also chowing down.
One recent article also suggested that obesity and poverty go hand in hand. Those who can afford to shop at Whole Foods may surround themselves with healthier organic foods, but while lovely, expensive foods are not necessary to maintain a healthy weight.
I hate to say it, but a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Two thousand calories from cake – and two thousand calories from three balanced meals still equals the same amount of weight.
My grandparents were meat and potato folk, long before the concept of organic food and personal trainers hit the national consciousness. My grandfather had a desk job, my grandmother was a housewife, and their diet was heavily tilted toward eggs, red meat, potatoes, flour, and pastas. Yet, they weren’t fat, and they didn’t have magic metabolisms. They simply ate less than we do today. Supersize was not a part of their vocabulary.
I’ve lived in poor neighborhoods, where Walmart and McDonald’s and variations of greasy fast food joints, were the primary food vendors for the neighborhood. I’ve also lived in large cities where the limited choices in the small corner store were the only options available. Even in those situations it is possible to have a reasonable diet.
The average American woman can maintain her current weight eating 2,000 calories a day. The average American man can eat 2,500 without gaining weight. McDonald’s may be the obvious choice in a poor neighborhood, but that doesn’t mean it needs to make you fat. A cheeseburger, soda, and a small fry at McDonald’s is 550 calories. A breakfast of three eggs, two slices of bacon, and toast is roughly 500. A dinner of spaghetti with meat sauce is roughly 280 calories per serving – have two and that’s still only 560 calories. This leaves 390 calories for a glass of milk, a soda, or a reasonable snack. Eating less food, even if it’s unhealthy food, may not do much for your cholesterol, but it will save a person from a whole slew of other health problems. Figure out what a portion of food really is – eat crap if you must – just don’t supersize it.
And it is possible to do better than this. Most fast food restaurants do have other choices. Burger King offers sliced apples instead of french fries. McDonald’s and Wendy’s offer salads that could replace french fries. French fries are basically evil – replacing them with any sort of healthy choice will go a long way in shrinking the waistline.
Big box stores like Walmart do offer fruits and vegetables – and even the small corner markets have canned fruits and vegetables if fresh aren’t available. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a great alternative since they don’t usually add sodium and will last months if necessary.
Being poor doesn’t mean being stupid.
Another thing parents absolutely should be doing is making sure that the calories that their kids ingest are in line with what is healthy for their age and activity level. If not bring them into line – and that will probably mean changing the eating habits of the entire family since it’s really hard to make changes when junk abounds.
Given the high cost of obesity we should be looking at how to deal with it as a society. Obesity clearly negatively impacts the health of our children and in many cases it can impact their academic progress. In schools obesity should be treated with the seriousness given to any other addictions students may have. And frankly – perhaps enabling your minor child to become obese should be looked at like any other form of child abuse – necessitating state intervention and counseling for both parent and child.
HMO’s and Employers and the government should be allowed to intervene if an employee or a HMO participant tops 300 pounds – offering counseling, nutritional interventions, and surgery if necessary before weight gets to the point where it’s endangering the health of the patient – and most likely the health of patients’ family, as well. The morbidly obese cost us all money in disability payments and raised health care costs. Obesity, like crime, is everyone’s problem and our society should have better tools for dealing with it.
I wish my peer group had come to me somewhere around 170 pounds and said, “Look – this is not a road you want to travel. Here are some options, let me help.”
The good news is that healthy eating is just as contagious as bad habits. When I began to change my eating habits my obese father followed suit. He is now able to tie his own shoes for the first time in years and is at healthy weight for his frame. He was able to cut his blood pressure medication in half.
My sisters have slimmed down and now fall within a normal weight range. My sister’s family are watching their habits more closely in order to impact the slight chunkiness of my 11 year old niece, before her weight gets out of hand. Now when I meet my family members they are as likely to suggest going for a walk or hike – instead of meeting over a meal. If we start making changes, instead of excuses, there is a much healthier light at the end of our big fat tunnel.
Eugene 11:07 am on January 3, 2009 Permalink
Hi Laura,
Glad to know that you have slimmed down and am working on to slim down further. There are some things that one can do to increase his or her fat burning ability. You may want to take a look at the following video presentation to see what can be done:
http://www.howcanigethealthy.com/healthblog/weight-management/science-of-bios-life-slim/
All the best!
Eugene
bodydetoxdiet 11:07 am on August 4, 2009 Permalink
lots of americans and europeans are getting obese these days because of over-eating. people should be controlling what they eat or they should workout their body to burn fat.
~ melatonin side effects 11:20 pm on September 26, 2009 Permalink
i was obese a few years ago but now i have reduced my weight by diet and exercise.
| Arthritis pain relief 10:46 am on October 9, 2009 Permalink
Obesity is really a bad condition to be with. it is the cause of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. i always see to it that i have a healthy diet and a good exercise to avoid being overweight.
Caramoan8 11:17 pm on December 26, 2009 Permalink
The only way you can manage obesity is throught Proper Diet and lots of exercise. The human body is designed for work so we should always get some form of physical exercise to stay fit.
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admin 12:00 pm on December 28, 2009 Permalink
I agree completely that we need to exercise regardless if we want to lose fat or lose weight as that is a key thing to keeping one healthy. However, not many people can take a proper and perfect diet and we can use supplements to help us to achieve our goals sooner.
Bridgette 11:08 am on January 13, 2010 Permalink
Obesity and diabetes is a growing problems nowadays. It is caused by todays lifestyle which does not involve lots amount of exercise. Most people are just happy sitting in their office chair and they do not even want to sweat.
Kaye Abad 2:08 pm on February 22, 2010 Permalink
Obesity is a growing health problem these days because people are too lazy to do some extra exercise and they eat too much. i always exercise and do cardio regularly to maintain a healthy weight.
Jamie Apple 7:31 pm on March 1, 2010 Permalink
Obesity is really an epidemic these days. People have become very lazy and does not want to exercise anymore. I do a lot of jogging and brisk walking everyday just to be fit and healthy.
Jimmy Cruz 10:20 pm on March 28, 2010 Permalink
here in Philippines, obesity is also becoming a problem. More and more children are getting obese due to a lifestyle that is not fully of physical activities. most kids just wants to watch TV, play computer games and surf the net.
Gelly Anderson 4:30 pm on April 7, 2010 Permalink
Obesity and diabetes are becoming more and more of a problem these days. Actually it is easy to avoid being overweight by just having the proper diet and exercise.
Brian Hughes 3:19 pm on June 17, 2010 Permalink
Healthy weight is easy to maintain, just watch your diet and always exercise.:-”
Ella Walker 2:40 am on September 9, 2010 Permalink
it is easy to achieve healthy weight by just being conscious with what you eat:~’
Amy Morris 10:42 pm on September 9, 2010 Permalink
i often get indigestion when i eat so much without taking foods high in fiber-.`
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Anthony Wilson 4:10 pm on October 5, 2010 Permalink
obesity kills people, lots of diseases are triggered by obesity;~:
Bench Saw 4:58 pm on October 20, 2010 Permalink
obesity is a grownig problem these days coz of a bad lifestyle and diet”`.
silver photo frame 9:55 am on October 31, 2010 Permalink
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DL-Phenylalanine Dosage : 2:05 pm on November 1, 2010 Permalink
fast foods are of course very popular these days because the price is cheap and there are lots of menu to choose from ..
Shower Radio · 12:10 am on November 15, 2010 Permalink
i have a very busy lifestyle too, and i would always frequently eat on Fastfoods :`;
Benzoic Acid 3:36 am on December 2, 2010 Permalink
of course when you dont have time to cook, fastfoods would always be the best option *;-
Canon Camera Bag 2:05 pm on December 16, 2010 Permalink
maintaining a healthy weight can be tricky because it revolves around genetics and some other factors ‘*.
Medical Treatments Forum 2:31 pm on December 16, 2010 Permalink
if you are not eating much fiber, then you will always get indigestion. so eat lots of dietary fibers ~’.
Carrol Schrupp the SR22 Insurance Guy 2:58 pm on February 24, 2011 Permalink
Extremely inspiring. It’s amazing what can be done when we put our minds to it.:)