Jydell Hill
Professor Metenko
October 20, 2024
Description: In this assignment, I did a bibliography where I had to find four different sources that relate to my question “How does fast food affect health?” After using the four sources I summarized each source.
Introduction:
My question is “How does fast food affect health?” I genuinely want to go deep into this question and I’ve been thinking about this question for a while which made it very interesting to me. I am interested in my question because in the real world I see a bunch of people going in and out of fast food stores, seeing them with various amount of to go bags, and seeing people on social media such as tiktok, instagram, snapchat, and twitter posting mukbangs. This is when creators record eating large amounts of foods. This is when I get so concerned and interested on how people can eat so heavy and unhealthy. Do they ever think about their health? Do they ever regret eating all of it? Do they ever think about their weight? Or how much weight they can gain?
You can gain so much weight eating fast food which can cause obesity, heart diseases, diabetes, digestive issues, nutrient deficiencies, and mental health issues. Fast food shouldn’t be an everyday thing. It should be once in a while because eating fast food everyday is not good at all because this means your calories would just keep adding on which can lead to obesity.
You can also get very sick due to eating fast food all the time because sometimes all you need is a homemade cooked meal. Homemade meals are healthier than fast foods because homemade meals are usually healthier because you can control what goes into them, avoiding a lot of the unhealthy stuff found in fast foods. Lastly, In this research I hope to find information on how fast food regularly can lead to health problems and I hope the sources I’m using get to talk about the nutritional content of fast food, high levels of fats, sugars, and salt, and how all of this can contribute to health risks.
Source Analysis:
Source #1: “Do Calories Counts On Menus Really Help Americans Stay Healthier?” Video By: New York Times Company, June 16 2020.
Summary:
In the video “Do Calories Counts On Menus Really Help Americans Stay Healthier?” It talks about putting calorie counts on menus which could save many lives. Researchers used a model to guess that if one million Americans ate fewer calories because of these labels, It could mean way fewer cases of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in the first five years. This change might also make people live healthier for longer and save a lot of money in healthcare. The benefits could be even bigger if restaurants made their food with fewer calories. I agree with this video because this also relates to my research question, paying attention to your weight and diet, and also it’s a good idea because knowing how many calories you’re eating can help people make healthier choices. It’s way easier to avoid overeating and picking out foods that are so much better for our health which can lead to fewer health problems such as heart disease and diabetes meaning people live longer and have healthier lives. Also, it can save a lot of money on healthcare costs. Calorie labeling can really change and improve on how people eat. When you do calorie counts it makes you think twice on what you want to eat which helps you pick healthier options or eating smaller portions. Over time, this would lead you on to better eating habits and better health. When people calorie count do they find things tempting whenever going to stores or restaurants? I think so because this can be very tough to resist because seeing high calories options can make you crave them even more. If I can say something to the author I would tell them that their study was very interesting and important and they explained very well that calorie counting makes a huge difference in people’s health and how encouraging to see a research like this that can lead to healthier choices.
The author’s writing style was very short but also got straight to the point which made it even more interesting for me. The New York Times Company intended audience is public and to people who are health conscious or interested in nutrition and public health policies. The purpose of this video is to inform people about potential health benefits of displaying calorie counts on menus. Also this is why I find the genre effective. This video gives me more information based on my research question and also tells me ways fast food can or can not affect you based on the way you’re eating as in saying if you don’t count your calories you can have more health problems but if you do you would have less health problems.
Source #2: “ Introduction to Fast Food: At Issue” Reference By Greenhaven Press, Editor: Tracy Brown Collins 2009.
Summary:
In this reference “Introduction to Fast Food: At Issue” in 2004 Morgan Spurlock ate Mcdonald’s 3 times a day for 30 days straight which caused him to gain 25 pounds and had to deal with health issues such as depression and liver damage and led to obesity. Mcdonald’s stopped serving supersized meals and started having healthier options. In 2008 Chris Coleson lost weight because of eating light foods at Mcdonald’s. Chris was cutting his calories but experts say that Chris’ diet wasn’t a very healthy diet. Both Morgan Spurlock and Chris Coleson cases make us think about how much fast food chains should care about customer health. Fast food is very addictive but not everyone sees that. Experts want healthier choices while Mcdonald’s has made some changes, people worry that focusing on health could hurt the brand. As you can see obesity rates going up this is why fast food is a hot topic. I agree with this because eating too much fast food is not good for your health at all. “Morgan Spurlock ate food purchased only at McDonald’s three times a day for thirty days.” Morgan ate all of that fast food and gained a lot of weight which led to obesity. I can’t imagine how he felt after that due to all the health problems he has to deal with. On the other hand Chris lost weight eating at Mcdonald’s. “ In June 2008, another man who ate mostly at McDonald’s also made headlines—but for becoming slimmer. In six months, Chris Coleson of Virginia downsized his five-foot, eight-inch frame from 276 to 199 pounds—shrinking his waist from fifty to thirty-six inches—by eating McDonald’s salads, wraps, chicken sandwiches, and apple dippers (without the caramel sauce on the side). How do you lose weight eating at Mcdonald’s? I never knew this was possible. I did more research on “can you lose weight eating fast food?” It’s true. If I could say something to the author I would tell them how shocked I am because I only heard of fast foods that make you gain weight. This document tells me that you can gain and lose weight at fast food restaurants so I guess that can still affect your health for both.
The author’s writing style is great, it’s very descriptive, interesting and entertaining. The author’s intended audience is the public or for those who are interested in health and nutrition. The purpose of this is to highlight how fast food, particularly Mcdonald’s can significantly affect health, both negatively and positively. This genre is effective because it shows real life effects of eating fast food and it also helps to show someone losing weight by making healthier choices at Mcdonald’s which also adds to the message. This was a credible author and document because it was very detailed and the text also included a contrasting example of someone losing weight by making healthier choices at Mcdonald’s.
Source #3: “Stealth Changes To Fast Food May Combat Obesity” Audio By: National Public Radio, 2012.
Summary:
In this audio “Stealth Changes To Fast Food May Combat Obesity”, The National Public Radio talks about Mcdonalds and its health habits. Mcdoanlds is making efforts to encourage healthy choices by putting calorie numbers on menu boards and progressively cutting back on calories, saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium in its products. The corporation wants to make these adjustments so subtle that customers won’t even notice by 2020. Public health professionals contend that even slight calorie reductions can have a substantial impact on overall consumption, despite some customers’ doubts about the efficacy of these minor changes. For instance, reducing the caloric content of popular foods by 10% may have significant long term advantages, particularly for kids. Experts stress that combating obesity necessitates concerted efforts from the food industry, with some businesses pledging to provide healthier options. I agree with this audio because I personally think that this can be a good move that Mcdonalds is trying to make healthier choices easier for everyone which is by putting calorie info on the menu and slowly cutting back on things like calories and sugars, they’re helping people make better choices without making it too obvious. Even small changes can add up and this can really help with obesity. Do you think people would care if McDonalds put calorie numbers on menu boards? Would they ignore it? Some people would and some people won’t because some people don’t watch their weight often while some people do.
The National Public Radio helped me understand how small changes in fast food can have a big impact on health and they made it very clear that minor reductions in calories can make a huge difference over time. As you can see, this audio really helped me with my research question because in the audio it states that fast food can cause obesity which affects your health and also finding ways to prevent it with small changes. The National Public Radio audio was very interesting and entertaining; The National Public Radio purpose of writing this is to inform the audience about Mcdonald’s recent efforts to make their menu healthier by reducing sodium, added sugars, saturated fat, and calories. The genre appears to be effective and the genre works well because it helps the author share facts and different opinions about Mcdonald’s menu changes. This is a credible author and document because the NPR is a well known news organization which adds credibility and the focus on specific changes like sodium reduction and health goals suggest it’s based on facts.
Source 4: “Fast Food Options Have Not Actually Gotten Healthier” Viewpoint By: Barbara Bronson Gray, Edited: Tamara Thompson, 2015
Summary:
In this viewpoint “Fast Food Options Have Not Actually Gotten Healthier” researchers found that 53% increase in fast food menu options over 14 years. Some foods that people think that’s healthy or seem healthy such as certain salads can actually have more calories than fried foods or burgers. Some people add unhealthy stuff to their salads that’s why sometimes it’s not healthy. People add fried proteins and extra toppings. Sodium in general. Researchers say that having too many unhealthy options and not understanding calories counts lead to overeating. They rather eat at home more often and eat smaller portions at fast food places, since even healthy choices can be high in calories. I agree with this because some people actually ruin their healthy foods and mess it up by topping it with unhealthy foods. What’s the point of buying something healthy if you’re going to make it unhealthy? Do people do this often? If I can say something to the author I would say despite more menu options, calories content hasn’t improved which can mislead health-conscious consumers trying to make healthier choices. This tells me that people don’t care for their health which can affect and have problems with their health. This relates back to my research question.
I feel like the author’s writing style was good and informative overall. The author went straight into detail and included quotes from experts to support the study’s conclusions. The author’s intended audience is for the public and the purpose would be to inform them about potential health risks. This genre is effective because the use of research study from this viewpoint adds credibility which helps inform the audience about the impact of fast-food menu options on calorie consumption. This is a credible author and document because it’s published in a journal and has a lead author who is an assistant professor in public health. Also this research was reviewed by experts.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, in my research I found out that some people count their calories so they can maintain their weight instead of gaining weight but also found out that some people don’t count their calories and just continue eating at fast food restaurants. Some people don’t care about their weight which can cause health problems. Fast food can lead to several health problems like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It’s often high in calories, unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt, which can negatively impact your health over time.
Something that surprised me is when I read “Introduction to Fast Food: At Issue” I never knew you can lose weight at a fast food restaurant. I only thought you can gain weight because of their oiled foods and sugary drinks. After reading this article I thought my understanding of my question might’ve changed but it didn’t because either way it is still unhealthy eating at fast food restaurants but i realized how fast food can significantly affect health, both negatively and positively.
Learning about “How does fast food affect health?” is important because it helps us humans make better choices for our well being. Don’t get me wrong fast food is convenient and delectable, but knowing its health risk, which can cause obesity, heart diseases, and diabetes can encourage us to pick and choose healthier foods. Also, understanding these impacts can drive us to advocate for better nutritional standards and hold fast-food chains accountable for their role in public health.
I feel like the people that eat fast food everyday and overweight people need to know about my research because eating fast food is not good for their body and health because like i said earlier there are many health conditions that can occur due to eating fast food all the time. You might not see or feel the effects right away but it will catch up to you but people don’t realize until they actually just relax one day and question themselves “what is going on?” This is a serious matter because it can lead to serious health issues. It can also cause nutrient deficiencies because fast food often lacks essential vitamins and minerals. Here are some tips for breaking the habit of eating fast food. Plan your meals, cook at home, healthy snacks, stay hydrated, limit fast food visits, find alternatives, and be mindful while eating. Pay attention to what and when you eat. Lastly, avoid eating out of boredom or stress. As you can see, you can reduce your dependence on fast food and make healthier choices.
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