What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Burger King? McDonalds? Wendy’s? Everyone has chosen one of these fast food safe havens as their favorite thing to eat on a lazy Monday, but has the thought ever crossed your mind on exactly what they do to you? Hidden away from your point of view, inside your body, the fats and carbohydrates are working to ruin your life. But, why do people eat at these places, even when they’re well informed of the possible dangers of eating too much of it? Depression or a large amount of stress can cause this spur of the moment feast, and what can it lead to? Obesity, heart disease, and so many more illnesses that you haven’t even heard of can creep up on you.
What is one of the main reasons people eat fast food nowadays? Well, statistics show that 43% of adults suffer from stress. Stress often leads to bad choices, laziness, and a tired body. It creates a path for said person to order from a fast food restaurant, because they’re much too stressed to make dinner when they arrive home. “Because of increased levels of Cortisol, the stress hormone, people tend the crave foods high in fat, sugar, and salt” (Scott). Without even realizing, these same people drive straight to their local fast food joint to pick up a burger. “Instead of cooking, people eat at home less because it’s easier to drive through a fast food place or go to a restaurant. It gets expensive and unhealthy” (unknown). Stressed people ignore their instincts that tell them the McDonald’s their driving up to is bad for them, and would rather get a fast food high and feel better about themselves at that moment, then later in the long run.
The high statistic of adults with stress can lead to many bad choices in the future. These bad choices can take a horrible turn into just as bad effects which leave you regretting that Hershey pie you ate at Burger King. Obesity is one of those turns. Although this effect doesn’t happen in all people, many do gain these same similarities over a long period of time. “Many Americans eat poorly because many depend on fast foods for their daily sustenance” (Main). People who grow to become obese have grown addicted to the fast food they often eat, which includes all of the fats, calories, and sugars inside them, which eventually makes up their daily meal. “A main cause of obesity is the consumption of fast food meals, which has quadrupled from 1977 to 1996” (Michaels). This has happened through the generations of obese families, who have a high chance of producing children who will be obese, which is one of the reasons the other countries call us ‘the fattest country in the world’.
Obesity is not the main effect of eating fast food a lot. From eating all of that fattening, calorie-filled meals can come many other types of diseases and illnesses. “What you eat can affect your heart’s health and your chances of developing life-threatening heart disease” (Robin). Although fast food is not the leading cause of heart disease, it is a large threat. “A recent study has revealed that a full 48% of soda fountains at fast food restaurants contain Coliform bacteria- which grows in feces. 11% contained E. Coli too” (Merchant). The fast food industry doesn’t seem to care much about their consumer’s health, because they will always know that no matter what, customers will always come back for more. They have lowered their quality of food, and now drinks, in all aspects.
Stress is a large part of why people consume fast food, and obesity and heart disease, as well as many other bacteria appear from that choice. Fast food has never been the correct choice of meals for the American people, or even the world. A meal from McDonald’s is all right once in a while, but making it a daily habit can put your life at serious risk for any of these effects. Do the right thing. When you’re having a stressful day at work, just remember that even though fast food sounds good at the moment, it could have a long term effect on you from then on.












Citation Resources

Merchant, Brian. "48% of Fast Food Soda Fountains Contain Bacteria That Grew in Feces." TreeHugger. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/01/48-percent-fast-food-soda-fountains-contain-bacteria-grew-feces.php>.

Michaels, Janine. "What Are the Main Causes of Obesity in America Today? 7 Possible Answers." Ezinearticles.com. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Are-the-Main-Causes-of-Obesity-in-America-Today?-7-Possible-Answers&id=2104013>.

Robin, Suzanna. "Heart Disease As A Result Of Eating Fast Food | LIVESTRONG.COM." LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition & Fitness Tools. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/296966-heart-disease-as-a-result-of-eating-fast-food/>.

Scott, Elizabeth. "Stress and Nutrition - The Relationship Between Stress and Poor Nutrition." Stress Management - Stress Information and Resources from About.com. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://stress.about.com/od/dietandsuppliments/a/stressnutrition.htm>.

"The Main Causes of Obesity in America Include Poor Diet and Limited Exercise." The Health Care Center. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.thehealthcarecenter.com/main_causes_of_obesity_in_america.html>.