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Essay / Fast Food Should Be Banned: Analysis of Health Effects
Table of ContentsIntroductionWhy should fast food be banned?ConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionFood is one of the most important factors in our lives. Everyone needs to eat to survive. These days, everyone's lives are busier than ever. We don't have time to sit back, relax and spend all day preparing food. But as our world develops, so do food industries. As we all know, we now have a new type of food called “fast food”. Fast food is tasty, cheap and convenient. They are everywhere, always open, and we can get them using the drive-thru. Most people, especially in the United States, love fast food. However, despite all the benefits, everyone also knows that fast food is bad for our health because it causes obesity as well as other diseases and is addictive. This is why fast food should be banned. This essay will explain how fast food is slowly killing everyone. Would it be okay to see ourselves and our loved ones killed by fast food? Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayWhy should fast food be banned?Fast food is undeniably unhealthy and causes obesity. We can consider fast food junk food because it contains high amounts of calories and gives a lot of energy, but lacks micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fiber. These foods don't contain the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Despite this, people still love fast food. People of all ages can quickly become overweight or obese by eating fast food regularly. Some fast foods actually contain vegetables, for example, a hamburger contains a piece of lettuce, a slice of tomato, a few pieces of onion and about two small pieces of pickle. These vegetables are good for your health but the problem here lies in the quantity. There are large amounts of carbohydrates and fats in fast food, but there are very few vegetables. This is not enough to support our body throughout the day. Many may not know how to cook efficiently, but even simple foods like scrambled eggs, sandwiches, and salads are better than fries and burgers. As many of us already know, in the United States, more than two-thirds of the population is obese. Obesity can affect not only your health, but also your social status. Here in the United States, many people don't care about their appearance. We don't judge or stereotype others when they are overweight, except perhaps in school, but not in everyday life. This can be considered an extremely rude action. However, in other countries, for example where I'm from, Thailand, we stereotype others a lot, mainly based on their appearance. Those who are obese would be looked down upon. Among children, some may even be victims of verbal and physical bullying because they are fat. This is why there are far fewer obese people in Thailand than in America. Everyone must stay in shape to avoid being stereotyped by the community. Many researches have shown that fast food can cause many diseases. According to the National Center for Health Statistics,Heart disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in the United States. Many diseases here are directly associated with diet and can be avoided through proper nutrition. Cardiovascular disease is generally defined as a narrowing of the blood vessels to the heart due to plaque buildup inside the arteries. These plaques could eventually burst in the artery and create a blockage, potentially causing a heart attack (or stroke if it's the blood vessel leading to the brain). Since fast food contains high cholesterol and promotes obesity, it could cause heart disease. Fast food is addictive. “Because fast and junk foods do not contain sufficient amounts of protein and good carbohydrates, blood sugar levels drop suddenly after eating, leading to feeling grumpy, tired and craving sugar. ". Fast food is usually accompanied by a soda that has a huge amount of sugar in it. Once we drink it, we may feel a burst of energy coursing through our body, but it only lasts a short time. Once we get used to eating or drinking sweets, we no longer want them. An English chef, Jamie Oliver, was invited to talk about food on the “TED” show. Oliver claimed that "adults of the last four generations have handed their children the destiny of a shorter lifespan because of the food landscape we have built around them." Children born in this generation will literally grow up with fries, chicken nuggets, hamburgers, etc. Some of them may never even have the opportunity to try other types of foods and may even refuse to do so. When it comes to choosing between fast food and healthy food, everyone would prefer fast food. The question is: what will happen if these children grow up and raise their own child? Of course, they will also raise their children on fast food. Soon, healthy foods will be forgotten and fast food will take over. According to statistics, the rate of obesity among children and adults is trending upward and will continue to do so unless we stop it. If we don't do something now, it's like we're killing our children, taking away much of their precious life expectancy by letting them eat whatever they want. Oliver also told some stories of people around him whose lives have been negatively affected by fast food and obesity. One of them was a sixteen year old girl, Brittany. Brittany had only six years to live. Her life hasn't even started yet, but she already has a countdown to her remaining life. It's heartbreaking to know that a life can end so quickly. Another was Stacy, the Edwards family. All the food Stacy and her family ate was fast food and junk food. Justin, her son, weighs 350 pounds and is only twelve years old. He is bullied because he is fat. Katie, his daughter, was four years old. She was obese before she even reached elementary school. Stacy was shocked and depressed after knowing that all the fast food and junk food would kill her children early. Stacy said she wants her children to succeed in life, but this food won't get them there; I kill them. “The fact is that obesity and diet-related diseases don't just harm the people who have them; these are all their friends, families, brothers and sisters. – Jamie Oliver Many people might argue that food is not the only factor in weight gain. This.