In the 1980s, the sales of fast food in Japan doubled, as did the rate of obesity among children there, he writes. People in the United Kingdom eat the most fast food in Europe, and also have the highest obesity rate on the continent. It's not only the meat industry that Mr. Schlosser chews out. In 1960, the typical American ate 36 kilograms of fresh potatoes and about two kilograms of french fries each year. More than 130 types of fries are now manufactured.
Nobody is forced to buy fast food.
These companies do an enormous amount of market research and focus groups. And if they sense that people aren't going to buy their product because of what they're doing, they're going to change what they're doing. There are those who aren't enthralled with Mr. Schlosser's work. The National Council of Chain Restaurants is one of several American lobby groups to have criticized the book. Ms. Dort says restaurant workers are taught entry-level skills and the industry allows for flexible hours.