Popularity of Fast Food and its Dangers
Junk food Lovers!
Who doesn't love to gorge on those yummy roadside foods once in a while? Though due to health reasons we tend to keep away from junk food, there is no harm if we tease our taste buds occasionally. I guess, those fast foods and snacks are supposed to be great appetizers!
I have seen that North Americans simply love junk food! Every month nearly 90 percent of the children in America eat at McDonald's! In the United States, the food industry spends more than $33 billion a year to advertise products rich in fat, sugar and salt. Despite all those risks of obesity and cancer, average Americans consume more food rich in fat and sugar, than their European or Oriental counterparts. Aerated soft drinks, milkshakes and smoothies contain twice as much fat as hamburgers. However, these are a huge craze among school, college and even office goers.
Speaking of India, the fast food craze is rising among youngsters every day. People now consume more roadside junks and snacks than they did before, not considering the health factors or the quality of ingredients that are used in preparing them. Rather than eating homemade food, working people and school children prefer eating fast foods, which are tasty and pocket-friendly at the same time. How many of them know about the risk factors involved? In America, popular fast foods are French fries, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizzas, burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches, along with ice creams, soft drinks and milkshakes. Fish and chips are popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Fish is battered and then deep fried. In India people have great fondness for kebabs, rolls, fries, pizzas, bhelpuri, chaat, panipuri or phuchkas, samosas, dosas, dahi vadas, dhokla, and many others. One will get awestruck with the smorgasbord of fast foods and snacks that India has to offer!
In India also, the fast food craze is growing fast and people are slowly forgetting the taste and health benefits of home cooked food. People working in tight shifts and late hours have little or no time cooking meals. They are regular consumers of McDonald’s, Burger King or Pizza Hut. Thousands of fast food chains have cropped up in the recent years. Then there are roadside eateries, which serve food at cheap rates. But the quality of food served here is questionable. But most people seem to have no concerns regarding the quality of food.
Popularity of junk food is inviting a lot of serious ailments like Cancer, Ulcers, Hepatitis, Skin diseases, Stomach disorders and so on. Though people read about these health threats in newspapers, magazines and on television, they take little or no precaution at all to cut down on their daily fast food intake. If proper awareness is not created, this is a serious concern which is sure to affect people on a large scale in the years to come.
By Indranee Batabyal
Who doesn't love to gorge on those yummy roadside foods once in a while? Though due to health reasons we tend to keep away from junk food, there is no harm if we tease our taste buds occasionally. I guess, those fast foods and snacks are supposed to be great appetizers!
I have seen that North Americans simply love junk food! Every month nearly 90 percent of the children in America eat at McDonald's! In the United States, the food industry spends more than $33 billion a year to advertise products rich in fat, sugar and salt. Despite all those risks of obesity and cancer, average Americans consume more food rich in fat and sugar, than their European or Oriental counterparts. Aerated soft drinks, milkshakes and smoothies contain twice as much fat as hamburgers. However, these are a huge craze among school, college and even office goers.
Speaking of India, the fast food craze is rising among youngsters every day. People now consume more roadside junks and snacks than they did before, not considering the health factors or the quality of ingredients that are used in preparing them. Rather than eating homemade food, working people and school children prefer eating fast foods, which are tasty and pocket-friendly at the same time. How many of them know about the risk factors involved? In America, popular fast foods are French fries, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizzas, burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches, along with ice creams, soft drinks and milkshakes. Fish and chips are popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Fish is battered and then deep fried. In India people have great fondness for kebabs, rolls, fries, pizzas, bhelpuri, chaat, panipuri or phuchkas, samosas, dosas, dahi vadas, dhokla, and many others. One will get awestruck with the smorgasbord of fast foods and snacks that India has to offer!
In India also, the fast food craze is growing fast and people are slowly forgetting the taste and health benefits of home cooked food. People working in tight shifts and late hours have little or no time cooking meals. They are regular consumers of McDonald’s, Burger King or Pizza Hut. Thousands of fast food chains have cropped up in the recent years. Then there are roadside eateries, which serve food at cheap rates. But the quality of food served here is questionable. But most people seem to have no concerns regarding the quality of food.
Popularity of junk food is inviting a lot of serious ailments like Cancer, Ulcers, Hepatitis, Skin diseases, Stomach disorders and so on. Though people read about these health threats in newspapers, magazines and on television, they take little or no precaution at all to cut down on their daily fast food intake. If proper awareness is not created, this is a serious concern which is sure to affect people on a large scale in the years to come.
By Indranee Batabyal
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