Despite the significance of food, most of us have little understanding of the influence of food on our lives. This activity focuses on nutritional aspects of fast-foods and soft drinks. To understand the relationship between food consumption and health. To evaluate the potential influence of fast-food on our health. To encourage students to take more responsibility in choosing specific fast-food items or the combination of items.
Procedures Ask students to list the foods that they eat at fast-food restaurants.
Ask students about the nutritional qualities of fast-foods. Using a reference source on nutrition, ask students to count up the amount of calories, fat and salt in the foods that they listed. The nutrition guidelines of the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend a maximum of 2,400 calories per day for adults, with 2,000 milligrams of sodium, 150-250 milligrams of cholesterol. In principle the more calories one consumes, the greater will be the gain in weight. Weight gain or loss is mediated by the metabolic rate, which is in turn related to genetic make-up and exercise.