Introduction
The fast-food industry has gained massive popularity in the United Arab Emirates, especially the City of Dubai that has experienced massive growth in the recent past. Most people prefer fast food joints because of their convenience and the variety of foods they offer. However, health experts have warned that this industry poses health risks, especially among the young population (Schlosser, 2012). However, it is worrying that many people in this society are not aware of the dangers that this industry poses to young people. The industry has continued growing in Dubai as many people like most of the delicious products such as chicken, hamburgers, and fries. What they fail to realize is that such foods have high calories that put their health at risk when consumed in large quantities frequently.
According to Smith (2012), children were previously considered to be at less risk of high-calorie foods because of their physical activities. Outdoor games such as football, athletics, hide and seek, and many such games are very effective in burning the excess calories in the body. It means that if these youngsters take excess calories, the calories would easily be burned off in the body through the physical games. However, that is no longer the case. Children are embracing indoor games, especially computer games. They no longer have time to go to the field and get into physical activities. This means that the food rich in calories found in fast food stores poses dangers to them (Width & Reinhard, 2009). There is a need to create awareness in society on the dangers that this industry poses to young people. In order to get the primary data from people involved in this sector, we conducted research by interviewing a dietitian within the City of Dubai. Below is part of that interview.
The Interview
The Researcher: For how long have you been practicing in this field within this city?
The Dietitian: I have been practicing in this field for about six years now.
The Researcher: Do you believe that fast foods pose a danger to the young people of this city?
The Dietitian: Yes, I strongly believe that some of the health problems that have been reported in the recent past are directly related to fast foods.
The Researcher: Do you believe that the people of Dubai have the knowledge that fast food poses a threat to these youngsters?
The Dietitian: I strongly believe that the majority of the population does not have enough knowledge of the dangers that this industry poses to their health, especially the health of young people. I say this because these youngsters get money from their parents to purchase these foods. Sometimes it is the parents purchasing unhealthy foods.
The Researcher: Do you believe that young people are aware of the dangers they face from fast foods?
The Dietitian: No, because the people who should be informing them of the dangers are ignorant of these health problems. I believe that only 10% of the population of the entire population in Dubai is aware of the dangers of the real dangers of fast food. It is unfortunate that of this small group, only 20% of them are willing to lead a healthy lifestyle based on their knowledge of the dangers of these foods.
The Researcher: How much do you think the government spends every year in the sector of health? Do you believe that this amount has been increased by our eating habits?
The Dietitian: The recent statistics released by the government show that the country has spent slightly over US$ 500 million on healthcare alone over the last six years. The statistics from the private sector is yet to be released, meaning that this amount is higher. Eating habits are one of the leading causes of some of the lifestyle diseases, and therefore, it plays a part in the high expenditure on healthcare by the government.
The Researcher: What is the way forward?
The Dietitian: The solution lies with the awareness campaign. Mass and social media should be used to pass information to the parents, guardians, teachers, and the youngsters, of the dangers that young people face by taking fast foods. This information should also be incorporated in the syllabus.
The Research Method
The research specifically focused on public schools and social workplaces; the results of the research will also be made available at public libraries. It is important to note that the results of this research will be made available among young people, especially in institutions of learning, to help them know how to eat responsibly. The analysis of the data will be done using a quantitative approach. Graphs and figures will be used to report on the findings.
The strategy used would focus on targeting the audience in public forums, such as schools and religious centers. The key message will be on how to deal with the problems posed by fast foods, and how society can work as a team to ensure that we eat responsibly. The media vehicle for this message will be social media such as Facebook that will easily reach the youth. There will be a creative communication plan that will seek to reach out to both the parents and young people at the same time so that they can realize the need to re-evaluate their eating habits. There will be an evaluation plan to determine the impact of the findings on the target population. The follow-up plan will be implemented after two months of the release of the report.
Discussion
It is clear from the above interview that fast foods pose a serious health problem for young people in Dubai. It is unfortunate that this group lacks information on how to address this problem. They need information on the dangers that these foods pose on their health, and how they can regulate their intake of fast foods to avoid health risks. The fact that the government alone spent over USD$ 500 for the last six years, with a population of 9 million people is a clear indication that the expenditure of healthcare is rising. This is about 5% of the country’s gross domestic product. Something must be done to address this issue. This percentage must be reduced to about 3%, given that the private sector is also participating actively in this industry.
Conclusion
As confirmed from the interview, most of the young people in Dubai do not understand the threats they face by eating fast foods. The only solution to this is to create awareness using mass and social media. They also need to be taught about these dangers at school.
References
Schlosser, E. (2012). Fast food nation: The dark side of the all-American meal. Boston: Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Web.
Smith, A. F. (2012). Fast food and junk food: An encyclopedia of what we love to eat. Santa Barbara, Calif: Greenwood. Web.
Width, M., & Reinhard, T. (2009). The clinical dietitian’s essential pocket guide. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Web.