Fast food consumption has been on the rise with adolescents taking up to 52.8% for girls and 60.9% for boys. In addition, America has shown the lowest consumption of fast food while Southeast Asia has the highest consumption (Li et al.). At country level, Pakistan has shown the lowest rate while Thailand has the highest consumption. The modern culture has been set upon consumerism of fast food. It has become is an inherent part of the modern food culture. There are many brands available in the city, offering nutritious suppers. It is basic information that the way these foods from brands such as McDonalds including burgers, sandwiches, crisps, and other seared food sources are readied can have an ill-disposed impact on wellbeing. However, flavor choice and taste appeal to youngsters aged between 15-25 years of age (Crouch). Fast foods are readily available in the market and sold at a reasonable price. The main question is the impact of these fast foods on the health of young adults and what triggers consumption of fast foods. This work seeks to explore the impacts of fried foods on the nutrition for young adults with a view of the genesis and conditions related to unhealthy eating habits.
Without investigating the impacts of consumption of fast foods, it is not difficult to fall into the snare of uncontrolled utilization. The bigger importance lies in the need of public attention to the threat of toxic food sources. The main aim of consumption of fast food is the American cheap food customer society. Youthful grown-ups have a high craving for fast food dinners. One illustration of such an item is KFC’s Double Down chicken sandwich, which was sold for a limited period in 2014. It has come to attention that this specific sandwich had “around half of a day’s suggested fat, cholesterol, and sodium” (Crouch). The healthy benefit is high to the point that an individual needs to change their everyday consumption of food so that eating this sandwich does insignificant harm.
In light of the unhealthy eating, there are three stages to exploring the plan. The first is examining the ordinary healthy benefit a normal American youngster needs day by day. The second is investigating the particulars of seared food sources – how much sustenance they really have. The third is choosing the best way to deal with burning-through cheap food with negative wellbeing outcomes. In observation of these limits, it is expected that the rate of consumption of fast foods will lower. Teens eating habits on fast foods have been tracked to be high especially with television advertisements that target them. Diabetes cases involving teens are also high emanating from consumption of fast foods. This work seeks to explore the impacts of eating fast foods on nutrition of young adults.
Television viewing behavior has been associated with dietary intake five years later (Barr-Anderson et al). A study carried out by Barr-Anderson and colleagues indicated a positive correlation between television viewing and poor dietary among middle and high school teenagers (p9). Young adults are the primary targets of advertisements for fast food restaurants, SSBs and snack foods which significantly influence their dietary patterns (Barr-Anderson et al. p10). Television viewing has negative impacts on the dietary as people tend to skip important servings. For instance, the advertisements of KFC’s Double Down chicken sandwich that pops whenever one is online or in televisions after every hour triggers cravings for such foods.
The relationship between sedentary living style by watching television and dietary behaviors has been observed in children and teenagers. Cross-sectional studies have reflected that television watching is closely related to eating behaviors such as lower fruit and vegetable intake (Barr-Anderson et al. p 9). In addition, it has been attributed to higher consumption of sugary foods, and increased intake of fast foods. Two studies using Planet health data, on 19-month obesity reduction intervention for middle school students observed that each additional television viewing hour beyond the base line resulted to reduced fruit and vegetable sere in each week (Barr-Anderson et al. p.7). In addition, the researcher found that it increased the intake of foods such as salty snacks, and Sugary Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) as advertised on television. The same pattern is also observable for adults as they tend to extend television viewership, they take energy drinks and foods such as popcorn.
There is a close relationship between energy drinks, fried foods, and consumption of high-sugar foods. Williams and colleagues conducted research to assess the relationship between energy drinks, fried foods and high-sugar food consumption (557). The results indicated that energy drinking on weekly basis was 14% among the participants. Those who took energy drinks also reported to have eaten fried and high sugar foods as compared to those who did not have energy drinks over the past 7 days (Williams et al.). These foods included candy, cake, sugary cereals, desserts, chips, fried chicken and fried potatoes. Based on research, energy drink consumption among young adults can be linked to other high-risk nutrition intake behaviors, particularly the increased intake of high-sugar foods and fried foods.
The United States Centers for Diseases control has reported an increase in the number of U.S. citizens diagnosed with diabetes over the last three decades. Total diagnosis has risen from 55.5 million in early 80s to 21 million in 2012 (Williams et al.). This reflects a curve that nearly 33% of all United States adults could be at a risk of having diabetes by 2050 (Williams et al.). Even so, the increase of type 2 diabetes among young adults and children is occurring at an alarming rate (Williams et al.). The once thought to be a disease connected with the elderly, type 2 diabetes now makes up to 42 of new onset cases among adolescents (Williams et al.). Recent estimates have suggested a prevalence of 4 for every 100 youths aged between 10 and 19 years (Williams et al.). The rates among females are higher that those of males with 5 and 3 respectively for every 100 people (Williams et al.). diabetes has been on the rise for the past three decades impacting both the young and old.
The rise in type 2 diabetes among young adults has been coincided with increase of obesity among youths. Even though the overall epidemiological reports indicate overall United States childhood plateauing, the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey indicate obesity rates of 20% among adolescents. This is a prevalence that has increased over the last three decades at a rate of 250% increase (Williams et al.455). For young adults, each of these conditions or presence of both can have dire consequences throughout lifetime (Williams et al.). A research on social, environmental and behavioral influences on young adults’ obesity and diabetes has attributed them to behavioral intake of beverage. One study has revealed a positive relationship between early consumption of energy drinks and adolescent intake of sugary beverages including sports drinks, sweetened fruit juices, and soda.
In addition, the research reflected that individuals who consumed energy drinks were likely to have higher BMI as compared to those who were not on energy drinks. Sugar intake among youth has raised concerns in public health and nutrition professionals with some research indicating that energy drink is closely related to intake of high sugar. With the popularity of energy drinks increasing among young adults, overall sugar intake is expected to rise which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes among young adults (Williams et al.). Examining the correlation of energy drinks may see the prevalence of type 2 diabetes decrease among adolescents.
Some of the glaring impacts of consumption of fast foods include contracting cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD prevalence has been attributed to majority of deaths in the United States. CVD is closely related to dietary intake involving fatty foods, proteins, sugar and fiber (Chen et al.). Dietary patterns represent a broad picture of food and nutrient consumption and hence can be more predictive on health outcomes as compared to foods and nutrients. For instance, the dietary pattern for the west is closely associated with elevated risk of developing CVD risk. Teens in these locations are on the verge of contracting CVD due the consumption trends.
A study conducted by Chen and colleagues on race, gender and prevalence of cardiovascular disease depicted a higher prevalence of CVD across southeastern U.S. diet characterized by relatively high number of fatty foods, proteins, animal organs, processed meat, and sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) (Chen et al.). Results of the research revealed four dietary patterns including healthy (17%), SSBs and fried foods (37%), processed meat (20%), and snacks, and sweets (26%) (Chen et al.). The whites and females were placed at high chances of having a “healthy” dietary pattern. For whites, higher education levels among parents were associated with low chances of taking SSBs and fried foods (Chen et al.). Among the minority groups including blacks, higher mother’s occupation and father’s education as well as living with both parents was associated with high likelihood of observing “healthy” diet.
Stay-at-home fathers were associated with less chances of taking “snacks and sweets”, and SSB and fried foods. Intuitively, adolescents with unbecoming dietary patterns showcased high intake of body fat, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, fasting insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (Chen et al.). In view of the data of the research, it can be concluded that family structure, work status of parent, and SES are related with dietary patterns among young adults. In addition, processed mean, SSBs, and fried foods are associated with CVD risk profiles. According to the research, the mean sodium consumption across this population was twice than the recommended American heart Association (AHA). There was also increased intakes of sodium and decreased intakes of fiber which are associated with CVD biomarkers, visceral fat, blood pressure and inflammation (Chen et al.). There is therefore the need of nutritional epidemiology studies in this stroke belt region. All in all, children are at a risk of developing CVD based on social status of parents, gender, and race.
Following the increased intake of fast foods, the American Dietary Guideline (ADG) is out. The ADG aims at bringing together scientific information on what to eat and drink for healthy living, reduce risk of chronic disease while simultaneously meeting health needs. To benefit from the ADG guideline one must make changes that follow the guideline (New Dietary Guidelines: What They Mean for You). A healthy dietary pattern that includes core elements such as vegetables fruits, grains, dairy, protein containing foods, and oils.
For dairy products, one should choose that have low fat content, and lactose-free or fortified soy beverages. The oils considered include oil in foods like seafood, and plant oils. The goal number two is making every bite count by choosing low calorie foods (“Counting On Calories – Harvard Health”). Recommendations on this tenet is choosing nutrient dense foods and beverages within calorie limit. The GDA guideline emphasize on choosing meal patterns that fit personal needs. In each group one should pick the health promoting foods that appeal to personal preferences, cultural traditions and budgetary considerations. The last goal is deciding to limit nutrients that may not be required in body or are required in small units (New Dietary Guidelines: What They Mean for You). Dietary patterns that have added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium have been associated with chronic diseases.
In conclusion, intake of fast foods among young adults has been on prevalence following wide array of factors. Television watching and sedentary living style has been attributed to consumption of fast foods salty snacks, and Sugary Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) as advertised on television. Television watching among school teenagers and dietary have a significant relationship. Children who watch television are found to have high tendency of missing fruit servings severally in a week. In effect, they end up consuming fast foods which are adequately advertised in television channels. Consumption of energy drinks has also been associated with low dietary. Those who take energy drinks are likely to take fried and high sugar foods as compared to those who did not take energy drink over the past 7 days. These foods included candy, cake, sugary cereals, desserts, chips, fried chicken and fried potatoes. These foods have compounded the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among young adults. There is the need to check diet especially for parents to their children since diseases such as diabetes, obesity and CVD among other healthy related conditions are on the rise.
Works Cited
“Counting on Calories – Harvard Health”. Harvard Health, 2019, Web.
“New Dietary Guidelines: What they Mean for You.” Tufts University, Barr-Anderson, Daheia J., et al. “Does Television Viewing Predict Dietary Intake Five Years Later in High School Students and Young Adults?”. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, vol 6, no. 1, 2009, p. 7. Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Web.
Chen, Li, et al. “Race, Gender, Family Structure, Socioeconomic Status, Dietary Patterns, And Cardiovascular Health in Adolescents”. Current Developments in Nutrition, vol 3, no. 11, 2019. Web.
Crouch, Ian. “Fast Food Doubles Down”. The New Yorker, 2014, Web.
Li, Lian, et al. “Fast food consumption among young adolescents aged 12–15 years in 54 low-and middle-income countries.” Global health action 13.1 (2020): 1795438.
Williams Jr, Ronald D., Mary Odum, and Jeff M. Housman. “Adolescent Energy Drink Use Related to Intake of Fried and High-Sugar Foods”. American Journal of Health Behavior, vol 41, no. 4, 2017, pp. 454-460. Web.