Americans are getting fatter and fatter every year and today's fast food industry is growing rapidly and attracting numerous misinformed customers daily with its low priced food and million dollar advertisements campaigns. Eating fast food and watching TV add up to a high risk for obesity and diabetes. Even eating fast food meals twice a week can contribute abnormal glucose control and increase the chances of acquiring diabetes by 50% according to researchers. The association between eating fast food and obesity has never before been thoroughly researched until now. Fast food chains do not alert their customers to the hazardously high calorie and fat content of the food they offer.
"It is estimated that as many as one in five Americans is obese, a condition defined as being more than 30 percent above the ideal weight based on height. Even more alarming is that fact that obesity rates for children have doubled over the past 20 years, and overweight children are being diagnosed with obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes, sleep apnea and respiratory illnesses that in the past have only afflicted adults," according to an article in speakout.com.
Fast food restaurants like McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, and Burger King are very convenient and for the most part low priced in their menu items. Since their rent and labor are inexpensive business expenses, they can offer larger portions to customers in reasonable attempt to make them feel that they"re getting their moneys worth. That becomes a problem because the more Americans eat out the more they become accustomed to eating larger than recommended portions, which only leads to their invalid assumption that those portions are normal. On the contrary, they are far from normal and can result in serious health problems.
Americans may be susceptible to television advertising of fast foods, but most people probably don't realize the long-term effects on their lifestyle and health.