Fast Food, Fast Fat
Tags: McDonalds, Food, Trending, Weight Loss, Cars

The welcoming golden arches of Mcdonald’s seem incapable of trickery. KFC’s Colonel Sanders is just a jolly old man. The Burger King has so graciously invited you to dine with him, how can you refuse? By simply driving past these restaurant chains you can resist the temptation of an affordable juicy burger and make your health a priority. One third of the American population goes to fast food restaurants on the daily for a quick bite and even quicker service. What these customers don’t know is how many deaths, diseases and major health concerns occur each year as a result of this industry. Whether or not fast food is responsible for the rising rate of obesity has been a heavily debated topic over the past few decades. With research showing an increase of daily caloric consumption of fast food from 11.3% to 35.7% from 2010 to 2013 alone with no signs of slowing down, fast food’s prevalence on people’s daily lives has become unavoidable (1). Having a significant increase as well, rising from 33.7% to 39.6% in adults from 2008 to 2016, obesity in America is often seen as a resultant of Ronald Mcdonald’s, Colonel Sanders, and The Burger King’s enticing dishes (2). What once started as eating establishments for families to gather and dine in, fast food restaurants have caused a rise in obesity is the United States through their money hungry attitude toward advertising and sales, addictive qualities in the food itself, and overall harmful ingredients in the dishes, and must be held accountable.

The fast food industry did not have malicious roots. In his New York Times best selling non fiction work, Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser details the origins of the once positive places to have meals (3). He credits Carl N. Karcher for being one of the pioneers of the industry who fulfilled his personal American dream. After working as a salesman in a family shop, he moved westward and spent whatever money he had on a humble hot dog cart. Realizing that the world was modernizing because cars were frequently owned, Karcher saw value in bringing people the convenience of food on the road. As Carl Karcher Enterprises advanced and restaurants expanded, Karcher accumulated a lot of debt. Staying true to himself, he worked his absolute hardest to still achieve his goals without having to declare bankruptcy. It is quite obvious that modern fast food restaurants are nothing like that of Karcher. With current chains having the mindset of monopolizing the industry, care toward food preparation and overall health of customers is an afterthought, to say the least.

Stating that an industry is the cause of a major issue affecting millions of Americans is extremely bold. To prove this true, obesity must be defined and then related to the fast food industry. According to the Mayo Clinic, obesity is, “a complex disorder involving an excessive amount of body fat… [which] increases [one’s] risk of diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure” (4). While many factors contribute to this disorder such as genetic predispositions and medical issues, obesity generally occurs when one takes in more calories than than those which are burned through exercise and daily activities. The principal causes of obesity can be linked to unhealthy diet and eating habits, which are ultimately spear headed by the fast food industry.

The recommended daily caloric intake is 2,000 calories. A combo meal at any fast food restaurant can be from anywhere between 1,100 to 1,360 calories, thus making it nearly impossible to lead a healthy lifestyle. These calories, however, are not the only issue leading America to obesity. Fast food is also extremely high in sodium, trans fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar and chemicals. In his book, Schlosser notes that for decades Mcdonald’s cooked its french fries in 93% beef tallow. After major criticism surrounding this high cholesterol choice, they switched to pure vegetable oil in the 1990s. This switch presented the company with a hefty challenge as to how they will make their fries remain tasty without the beef tallow.

Mcdonald’s now uses “natural flavor” to provide a beef tang to their side dishes. While at first glance this may seem organic because they are distinct from “artificial flavors”, they are really just long lists of chemicals. At the heart of these delicious tastes and of fast foods is the secretive flavor industry. Schlosser specifies that these companies will not divulge the formulas in order to protect the reputations of the beloved brands who would like the public to believe that their flavors originate from restaurant kitchens. Research has shown that these chemical agents affect our metabolisms and trigger the body to gain weight through the interference of hormones and the promotion of fat cell growth. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, a factor contributing to the obesity epidemic is our exposure to obesogens, which includes fast food chemicals (5). Hoping to remain multi million dollar companies, fast food chains use these chemicals to produce tasty food achieved and lower production costs. What they completely ignore is how dishonest they are with their customers by misinforming them about the obesogens found in their meals.

As if mislabelling chemicals isn’t bad enough, the fast food industry creates a “high fat” environment through their intense marketing strategies which lead to obesity as well. The weight set point theory suggests that the body does not try to maintain weight, rather it has a settling point which is determined by genetics and the nature of the environment in which we live. According to this theory, if high fat foods are prevalent in our environment and we have some sort of predisposition toward being overweight, we settle into an equilibrium that maintains relatively high weight. With free prizes accompanying many meals, billboards plastering highways and schools, and female models appearing in commercials to attract teenage boys, the fast food industry has used advertising to create a high fat environment destined for obesity. Studies have found 98% of television commercials to feature unhealthy foods with a majority of them being fast food. Even during employee orientation this mindset is pushed. Workers are told to suggest a larger size to customers in order for them to “save money” when in reality the only money they are concerned with is that of their company. Fast food chains are more concerned with spending their profits on anything and everything besides for improving the quality and health of their food. Their money driven attitude not only strays from the positive roots of the industry, but additionally puts people in serious health predicaments, which is completely unacceptable.

Some might say that these are mere coincidences and that high correlations between fast food growth and waistline growth do not prove causation. In Nutritionist Andrea Garber’s (professor of UCSF Division of Adolescent Medicine) podcast, “Is Fast Food Addictive?” she sites the Cardia Study to combat opposition (6). It was a research experiment on the relationship between fast food and obesity conducted over 15 years and included 3,031 young adults ages thirteen through thirty who were followed up with repeated dietary assessment. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the association of frequent fast-food restaurant visits with with changes in body weight and the homoeostasis model for insulin resistance. At the end of the 15 year period, comparison between frequent fast food eaters and infrequent fast food eaters with relatively similar lifestyles showed a significant weight gain in those who regularly ate fast food. Not only did these people gain ten pounds, they additionally had a two fold greater increase in insulin resistance, a component of type 2 diabetes (7).

As if this wasn’t enough proof of fast food leading to obesity and health issues, Garber also noted that majority of impoverished families ultimately turn to inexpensive fast food meals and are therefore significantly overweight. Statistics that support this claim include the ADA which states that “counties with poverty rates of >35% have obesity rates 145% greater than wealthy counties…it has been suggested that individuals who live in impoverished regions have poor access to fresh food” (8).

Another major objection to the relationship between fast food and obesity boils down to the responsibility of an individual. Many critics believe that it is ultimately a personal choice as to what food we choose to put in our bodies, and therefore an entire industry cannot be blamed for the obesity of a nation. The addictive qualities of fast food, however, leave little choice to the consumer in regards to purchasing and eating these foods. Garber outlines the list of criteria for substance dependence from the American Psychiatric Association and notes that the first two criteria, tolerance and withdrawal, need to be met for something to be considered addictive. Eating highly palatable foods, like fast food, which are high in sugar, fat, and salt, release dopamine in the nucleus accumbens area of the brain. This reinforces the pleasurable activity which triggered the release of dopamine. Researchers at UCSF have attempted to block the dopamine signaling using antagonists and note signs of withdrawal. They additionally have found that as people ate more fast food it required larger quantities to initiate the release of dopamine. These discoveries show that fast food can fit the first two criteria of substance dependance of tolerance and withdrawal. It can therefore be assumed that there is some sort of addictive component to fast food, and a person’s choices in this setting are not completely independent of a greater issue.

Garber also notes that as of recent, fast food restaurants have begun to battle this massive problem by implementing the nutrition policy of menu labelling, or writing calorie values next to items on a menu. While it is displayed prominently, studies show that there have been little to no behavior changes as a result. In a large New York experiment, a group of researchers kept track of the number of calories ordered by a group of 15,000 people in 11 chain restaurants before and after menu labelling was implemented. No difference was noted. Additionally, Starbucks, in conjunction with Stanford University, compared the calories in one million orders before and after the establishment of menu labelling and only saw a 14.4 calorie difference, which is essentially negligible.

It is clear that the fast food industry has partially realized the damage that it has done to the American way of eating. Menu labelling, however, is not a solution to the problem. More must be done. The use of obesogen chemicals needs to end, ingredient listings need to be honest, advertising needs to be monitored, and the money hungry attitude must subside. The fast industry should take responsibility for the obesity which they have caused in America and take preventative measures for the future. Restaurants should be investing in the quality of their food for their customers and should stop pushing a “high fat” environment on an entire nation. It is undeniable that the rising of obesity is directly related to the growth of the fast food industry. All those who disagree simply don’t treasure the healthy, thriving, and productive society that America can be once alterations are made to the fast food industry. So next time you drive by a Mcdonald’s, don’t let Ronald or the arches fool you. Not all that glitters is gold, after all.

Works Cited

Levine, Beth. “Fast Food Consumption.” Doctor Shortage and Physician Burnout | Natural Health Blog, The Baseline of Health Foundation, 7 Mar. 2013, jonbarron.org/natural-health/american-fast-food-consumption-statistics.

Simon, Stacy. “Obesity Rates Continue to Rise Among Adults in the US.” American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society, 6 Apr. 2018, www.cancer.org/latest-news/obesity-rates-continue-to-rise-among-adults-in-the-us.html.

Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Debolsillo, 2007.

“Obesity.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 10 June 2015, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20375742.

“PFASs, Chemicals Commonly Found in Environment, May Interfere with Body Weight Regulation.” The Nutrition Source, 22 June 2018, www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/pfass-chemicals-environment-body-weight/.

Garber, Andrea, and University of California Television. “VIDEO: Is Fast Food Addictive?” UCTV — University of California Television, UCSF, 8 Oct. 2012, www.uctv.tv/shows/Is-Fast-Food-Addictive-24012.

Pereira, M A, et al. “Fast-Food Habits, Weight Gain, and Insulin Resistance (the CARDIA Study): 15-Year Prospective Analysis.” Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 16 Mar. 2005, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15639678.

Levine, James A. “Poverty and Obesity in the U.S.” Diabetes, American Diabetes Association, 1 Nov. 2011, diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/60/11/2667.