How Obesity and Fast Foods Affect Our Health?

Fast Food Obesity: We lead hectic lifestyles to keep up with competition and to meet up to social prestige and status expectations. There is hardly anytime for relaxation or even having a good meal. We skip breakfast, have a bite along the way and dinner seems to be the best meal of the day. Lunch, of course, generally consists of fast foods and sometimes, in case you cannot cook, then dinner also means an outing to a fast food joint. What does all this lead to? Obesity, of course. Doesn’t sound good at all do it?

People who have regular meals are generally considered to be leaner as compared to those going in for fast foods. Fast foods lack the necessary vitamins and minerals. One may find them tasty and convenient, but one is missing out on the necessary nutrients necessary to maintain the body. Fast foods cause increase in body weight. Let us understand the link between obesity and fast foods better.

Why fast food is so hard to resist

It is not only about willpower. These foods are built to be eaten quickly and in large amounts. They are soft, so you chew less and finish sooner. The mix of fat, salt and sugar hits the tongue in a way home food rarely does. Portion sizes have also grown over the years, and a large meal now feels normal. Add the price and the speed and it is easy to see why the habit sticks.

How Does Fast Food Obesity Affect Us?

• Obesity can cause diabetes. Fast foods are directly related to Type 2 Diabetes.
• One is at the risk of suffering from heart attacks or strokes.
• Children can become obese at an early age.
• Obesity makes physical activity difficult.
• Fast foods lack in nutrient value. They only add fat, which in turn leads to obesity, a health hazard.
• Children are deprived of the essential minerals and development for healthy growth if they take fast foods. They only become obese as they spent more time watching T.V. and having a burger, coke and chips.
• Teenagers who are figure conscious also face problems since they gain weight by eating fast foods. They find these foods convenient and tasty.
• Fast foods contain a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, which can cause weight gain.
• The calorie in-take is higher while consuming fast foods which can upset the dietary restrictions to maintain weight levels.
• One’s physical appearance is not so good as one will look fat. One may lose out on the much cherished figure.
• Children who consume fast foods now are likely to be obese in adulthood.
• Much of arterial damage can be caused by fast foods as they contain fat. One can suffer from cardiovascular diseases.
• Fast foods contain high levels of refined sugar, oil, sodium and refined flour, which are bad for health.
• The high carbohydrate content of fast foods places strain on the ability of the body to produce insulin. In other words, overweight caused due to fast foods is a strain on the healthy functioning of the body.
• Apart from causing weight gain, fast foods do not provide any energy required to be productive throughout the day.

The salt problem nobody talks about

Weight gets all the attention, but sodium is the quiet issue. A single fast food meal with fries and a sauce can carry most of a day’s salt in one sitting. High salt over the years pushes up blood pressure. Blood pressure damage builds slowly and shows no symptoms until late. So a person can look perfectly fine and still be heading towards trouble.

Smarter choices when you do eat out

Nobody is going to give up fast food completely. The aim is to make the habit less harmful.

• Skip the sugary drink. That single change removes a lot of empty calories.
• Order the regular size instead of the large or the combo upgrade.
• Choose grilled or roasted over deep fried where the option exists.
• Ask for sauces and dressings on the side.
• Add a salad, curd or fruit to the meal so it is not only refined flour.
• Check the nutrition chart on the app or the board. Most chains publish it now.
• Do not eat straight from the packet in front of a screen. You lose track.

Building the home cooking habit

Most people skip home food because of time, not taste. A little planning solves most of it. Cook once and use it twice, such as extra rice or dal that becomes the next day’s lunch. Keep simple things ready in the fridge, like chopped vegetables and boiled eggs. Carry a lunch box two or three days a week to begin with, not all seven. Small and steady beats a full lifestyle change that lasts a week.

What parents can do

• Keep fast food as an occasional outing, not a weekly routine
• Do not use a burger or pizza as a reward for good marks
• Eat together at the table so children learn normal meal patterns
• Let children help in the kitchen. Kids who cook eat better as adults
• Keep sugary drinks out of the fridge at home
• Follow the same rules yourself, since children copy what they see

Obesity and fast foods are like hand in glove. Both cannot be separated. If you eat too much of fast foods, you will put on weight. You are at high risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Being overweight can cause much discomfort, both physically and emotionally. After all, a fat person stands out in a crowd and is often ridiculed. Healthy dietary habits should be preferred and one needs to develop a taste for home foods rather than foods from fast- food joints.

Frequently asked questions

Is it fine to eat fast food once a week?

For most healthy people an occasional meal is not the problem. The harm builds up when it becomes the default choice several times a week.

Are salads and wraps at fast food outlets healthier?

Sometimes. Dressings, cheese and fried toppings can push a salad past the burger. Check the nutrition chart rather than trusting the name.

Does fast food alone cause obesity?

No. Sleep, activity levels, stress and genetics all play a part. Fast food is one strong factor, not the only one.

Is home cooked food always better?

Usually, because you control the oil, salt and portion. Deep fried home food eaten in large amounts is not much better.