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The Consumption Of Fast Food

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The number of kids affected by obesity has tripled since 1980, and this can be traced in large part to lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet (Pedro et al.). Caloric intake has increased enough since the 1970’s which explains the rising trend in obesity, while caloric output has remained essentially unchanged. Americans are eating more unhealthy food and intaking more calories, causing this nationwide epidemic. The big fast food chains market their foods to Americans constantly. On average, teens see three to five fast food ads per day (Muntel). Fast food is ingrained into the minds of children and the craving for it stays with them even when they are adults. Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because the fast …show more content…

Extra fat in the body can lead to numerous amounts of diseases. Including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and asthma. This is a major issue, since obesity rates are much higher among children, teens, and adults who consume fast food regularly. Obesity leaves adolescents with problems for the rest of their lives, which is why Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food from their diet.
Nonetheless, it is a remarkably tough task to get Americans to eliminate fast food from their diet. The expenditure of this unhealthy food is very common in young America. Fast food consumption has greatly increased in the past forty years because of low prices compared to the rest of the market and the fast-paced American lifestyle. America has the fifth highest teen obesity percentage in the world, with more than fifteen percent of teenagers being considered obese (Muntel). According to Dr. David Ludwig, director of the obesity program at Children 's Hospital Boston, “teens who consume fast food regularly intake 190 more calories per day than ones who did not. Adding up to eleven extra pounds per year” (qtd. in Holguin). This is a pressing issue, considering 1/3 of adolescents aged four to nineteen eat fast food daily. Conceding that this high of a percentage of the adolescent population eats unhealthy fast

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