Abstract
In this paper, I will explore the effects of fast foods on children in relation to their mind and body. Children today love consuming fast food, and this is not a new habit. Fast food has been in vogue since over a century, and they are advertised in a very appealing manner which makes children want to eat them. This paper explores how fast food causes addiction and why many parents and children like to consume it mainly because of its taste and price. There are many negative effects associated with fast foods as well such as obesity, heart disease diabetes and other problems such as early puberty, eczema, asthma and other health problems. It also affects their academic performance. The paper describes how parents can prevent obesity in children by controlling their diet, discouraging fast food consumption and encouraging a greener, healthier diet, and well-balanced diet.
Fast foods have been the favorite of foods amongst American children, as well as other children all over the world. The appeal carried by fast foods in terms of their savory and sweet flavors and irresistible taste make them a tempting food choice for children and they demand fast foods as a part of every meal. However, children fail to realize the health risks associated with fast food consumption and why they need to avoid fast foods at all costs. It is, however, the portrayal of fast foods in the form of advertisement, more than the taste, which makes it alluring for children and they need to consume it. Fast foods have negative impacts on the mind and body of children due to the nutritional composition of the foods. It affects the development of a child into an adolescent, disturbing hormones and an increased occurrence of health issues like diabetes and heart disease. (APA). Even restaurants and cafes promote fast foods because they are cheaper and favored by the general public. It is fast foods to blame for the extremely high rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes amongst children and adolescents and the booming fast-food industry only increases these risks further. Therefore, not only the government and schools need to realize and educate children about the negative effects of fast foods, but rather it is also the parents of the children and general lifestyles of the people that need to change so that dietary habits can be improved for children. (Fleck).
Looking back in time at where all of it began, history traces the beginning of fast food in the world. Apparently, it began with the invention of the first car. This was linked to the idea of having food delivered with the help of a mobile service of delivery and cars were also prospering at the time. McDonalds seems to take the credit for inventing fast food, but history shows the fist hamburger shop opened at White castle, dating back in 1916. The concept of delivering food to people in their homes began as the curb service in the 1920s. Soon by the 1940s, the carhop service bloomed where the delivery boy would deliver food on roller skates and the availability of food fast and easily became an appealing aspect of fast food for people. Following this were the drive-through windows. The boom of the fast food industry began in the 1950s. As more awareness and marketing sense reached people and they began to strategize how to reach the masses and appeal to them, the fast food industry took full advantage of their skills and spread like wildfire, influencing almost every person in the country. Franchises spread from coast to coast, and soon different franchises of the American fast food chains opened up in various countries of the world. For example, there would hardly be a developed or developing the country without a McDonalds. Merriam-Webster recorded the term ‘fast food’ in 1951 and since then, it has become a frequently debatable term, in terms of its realistic benefits and harms. Today however fast foods constitute a multi-billion dollar industry with millions of people employed in fast food restaurants, serving a large population of men, women and children with varieties of fast food. (Godman).
The biggest benefit of fast food is that it is cheap, made quickly and can be eaten on the go. Initially, the concept of fast food relied on fries, burgers, and soft drinks but it has diversified and evolved, taking the form of a varied menu that ranges from foods high in fat content, calorie count and sugar levels. (Hitti). In America, fast foods have also taken the form of the ethnic food industry where different cultures have assimilated the same ingredients and products to suit their taste and serve it amongst their community (APA).
Today, parents are well-aware of the fact that fast foods are not good for their children, yet they choose it for them as a food choice. There are several reasons why parents, as well as young adults, go for fast foods instead of homemade food. The first reason is in the name; the food is quickly prepared and takes less waiting time. It is easily available and accessible by people. Moreover, a majority of the people like fast food because it tastes good and it is inexpensive. Other reasons are that most homes have both parents working their jobs, and they don’t have the time to make food at home. Thus, they like to go for the easier option and serve their child with fast food. Also, since fast food is available at popular food chains designed to create an inviting ambiance, people prefer to go and eat there as a means of socialization and recreation. Burger and pizza places are filled with families with children, and they are also premeditated to accommodate a play place for young children, which is another reason children insist on eating fast food. (Svokos).
It may seem that apparently nothing is wrong with fast food because everyone eats it and parents might also get the impression that everyone cannot be wrong. Moreover, they believe that their children will exercise it off and would remain unaffected by fast food. This is a mere fallacy. Fast food has a taste and appeal which children cannot resist- this is the reason broccoli might not be liked so much even if it is served at every lunch and dinner, but ice cream or fries will be eaten with the same interest and appeal every time they are served. Yet this food is only addictive in nature, and all it does is make the child crave more for it. Children then adopt a habit of consuming fast food because it is delicious and satisfies their hunger. Studies have found that fast food actually releases chemicals in the body which stimulate it to consume fast food hence it explains the craving for it and the urge to eat more.
The most important reason, however, is, that it is unhealthy. The amount of fat and carbohydrates being consumed by children in one meal are more than enough of what is needed on a daily basis. Many children have voracious appetites, and they can eat large quantities which only increases the intake of the unhealthy food. For instance, a study showed that one burger from a well-known fast food chain contained about 670 calories and 39 grams of fat- a child would need about 40 grams per day. (Kunz). This is the nutritional content of one meal. This fat content includes the risk of high cholesterol because of the presence of saturated fatty acids in food prepared through various levels of processing and preservation methods. There is also a risk of contamination and food poisoning through consuming fast food. Restaurants can have poor hygiene, lack of cleanliness of the staff and workplace as well as improper storage and preparation of food which can result in contamination and spread of disease. (Lewis). Stomach problems and various other diseases related to bacterial and viral infections can affect children when they consume fast food. It raises serious moral and ethical questions, but the explanation given by fast-food chain owners is that the food is prepared in such large quantities that at times, a glitch can occur which may result in an unpleasant outcome, yet the workers are only human and things like these can happen to anyone. However, a moral question still stands at whether parents should shirk off their responsibility and let their children feed on unhealthy food only to ease themselves. If their child develops a habit and taste for fast food then normally he would return to healthy food only after incurring a disease or health problem.
However, there is little that even parents can do because children and teenagers go out with friends, and fast foods are the only affordable option for them. Eating at high-end restaurants is not something that children can afford thus their options are pizza and burgers.
Moreover, the advertising by these fast food chains is so attractive and appealing, underlined with subliminal messages, that it makes avoiding fast food really difficult. Advertising and marketing agencies leave no page unturned in the book of creativity and appeal which makes the advertisements for various companies very appealing and the food, especially is shown to entice the audience into having it for sure. For example, McDonalds has chosen its motto ‘I’m lovin’ it’ even before people would give their opinion about the food at the company and what it tastes like. (Franchise Help). Moreover, the appearances of celebrities in advertisements and the use of catchy songs and the food’s appearance as delectable and irresistible for them creates another impression that the food is bound to be good. These messages are an obvious influential factor into purchasing fast food. Fast food advertisements also feature the various deals on their menus with reduced prices which are another attraction, mainly for the parents in most of the cases as they are ones paying for the children (Fast Food Marketing).
Growing childhood obesity and the high prevalence of heart disease and diabetes is dedicated to fast food. Research proved this years ago, and it stands by this notion till date. As per the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, about 16-33% of the children in America are obese. Obesity strikes in when the weight of the child is 20% or more, greater than the normal weight according to age and height. Moreover, the studies showed that children consumed more calories when they ate fast food as compared to when they ate at home. Younger children were consuming about 160 extra calories apart from their normal diet whereas teenagers were consuming over 310 calories on a daily basis. This is true for America as well as all other countries of the world where obesity exists as a threat to children’s health. Moreover, another alarming fact about fast food is the negative impact is has on growing children and adolescents, especially at the time of puberty.
Obesity has been linked to early development of children into adolescence, developing secondary sexual characteristics earlier than the usual age. This may be linked to high nutrition content in the diet which can resultantly trigger the release of gonadotropins in the body which triggers their growth. For girls, the normal age for the on-start of puberty is 8 till 13 whereas for boys it is 9 till 14. In the recent years, children have started to mature earlier than they did in previous times. This is especially true of girls who mature much earlier than boys. The reason is that processed foods, even many brands of milk in the market, contain added hormones to increase their longevity or effect. These hormones include testosterone, progesterone, estriol and others which, when taken in large quantities, can trigger the secondary sexual characteristics, leading to early puberty. Moreover, estrogen hormone is produced as well as stored in the adipose tissue, which causes an increase in the incidence of overweight and obesity young girls. (Landa).
Not only does obesity, early puberty and struggling with weight maintenance bother the children, but it is also an equally difficult and worrisome issue for parents who are not sure where they are going wrong. Children are bullied and affected socially, emotionally and psychologically due to their weight by other children. Their early growth spurt can also become a source of ridicule and embarrassment for them, especially when they are too young. (Fleck). This problem can become aggravated in adolescence, and it is not only obesity, diabetes or heart disease which is the problem, rather there are other health issues as well such as asthma, eczema, and rhinitis which had a great risk of developing in children who consumed fast food over thrice a week. Teenagers were at a 39% increased risk of severe asthma and in children, it had a 27% chance of occurrence. Studies also show that children who consume fast foods lag behind those in academics who do not consume fast food. They mostly suffered in math and had lower test scores. Experts say a lack of nutrition in the diet leads to sluggishness and lack of attention required for studying. Hence, fast foods have a negative impact on the mind as well (Svokos).
It is up to the parents to decide what they need to feed the child and once gaining knowledge about the benefits and disadvantages of fast foods; they need to decide what to feed them. The first move is to shift to organic foods because even though they are expensive for some families, they are hormone-free and safe for the child. Children need to be taught why fast foods are dangerous and what alternatives they can have for fast foods. Parents need to step up and become role models because if they avoid and discourage fast food, so will the children. Parents need to incorporate a greener diet which is free of unnecessary fats and sugar and enriched with fiber, carbohydrates and mineral and vitamins which help boost their immunity and help them maintain healthy bodies. (Svokos).Improving the diet is a major step. Furthermore, parents need to encourage their children into exercising and preventing their bodies from becoming obese. It is true that there are many people who do consume fast food, but they don’t become overweight, yet their secret is exercise and consumption of a balanced diet. (Schlosser).
Conclusively, fast food is a kind of food made to ease the lives of the people through the provision of cheaper, tastier, round-the-clock available food which is mainly loved by children. However, children are unaware of the deleterious effects of fast food on their bodies. The high calorie and fat content of the diet lead to obesity, heart problems and diabetes in children. Moreover, the hormones present in the food can lead to early puberty, also causing diseases in adolescence. It can also affect the academic performance of children, making them slow and sluggish. The advertising of fast food makes it irresistible. Yet it is the duty of parents and educators to help children eat greener and healthier and to exercise, avoiding fast food so they can save themselves from its negative impacts on their minds and bodies.
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