Oksana Owens

Dr. Molly

Intermediate Composition

16 February 2020

Eat to Live or Live to Eat

As the world quickly evolves, we're finding new ways to go about living our lives with

the utmost convenience. From online shopping to curbside grocery pick up to all of the answers

in the world is but a few clicks away- I'd say we have it pretty good these days. Everything

seems to be in an arm's reach, and this comes in handy as most of us have very busy hustle and

bustle lives. Have you taken the route of convenience when it comes to your diet as well?

America is bursting at the seams with large, flashy advertisements and the savory scent of fresh

fries and greasy cheeseburgers. It seems you can hardly drive a mile down the road without

passing one of the dozens of fast-food chains living in your city.

I wonder if we had always allowed fast food to be such a large part of the American diet.

Whatever happened to dinner at home every night with our families? What happened to packing

our lunches every night before we left to tend to our busy lives the following morning? "Fast

food is relatively cheap, less time consuming, and tasty, and these advantages incentivize

consumers to increase consumption," (Saghaian and Mohammadi). It seems that quick fixes and

increasingly excessive convenience happened.

Growing up, my parents had always educated me on what foods were healthy and which foods I

should try to avoid. My parents rarely allowed us to eat at fast-food restaurants, and I never

really understood why until I was a bit older. I always complained about wanting some of those
delectable cheeseburgers. I wondered what could be so wrong about something that tastes so

good? Now that I'm older, I can only think of something that tastes that good must be bad.

America is coming in hot as the 12th country with the highest obesity rate. Most of the countries

that are in front of us are those that have a lack of healthy foods or funds and rely off of carbs,

soda, and food from tins. A lack of proper food resources is not an issue for most American's. A

recent study tells us, "having children in the home has been associated with significantly higher

rates of reported eating at 'fast food' restaurants." Despite the overwhelming evidence of the

dangers in fast food we continue to indulge.

It's a lot harder to resist taking 3 minutes to zip through the drive-through and grab a

deliciously empty meal with advertisements swarming us at all times in our ears, and everywhere

we look. A lot of the problem is the strong psychology behind what these big companies are

forcing us to acknowledge each and every day. CBS News proves this to be true. They tell us

that "Fast food chains spend a large amount of marketing to get the attention of children. People

form their eating habits as children, so they try to nurture clients as youngsters." Weren't you

excited to open your complimentary toy after finishing your kid's meal as a child? I know I was.

What is even scarier is that the fast-food advertisement industry is beginning to be

compared to that of cigarette ads. There has been talk by the World Health Organization and

others of ways we can reduce and restrict the bombardment of enticing food ads—especially the

ones streaming on repeat on kids' channels. But this isn't the only way fast food is being related

to carcinogens. "Red and processed meat are recognized carcinogens and risk factors for

cardiovascular disease. In 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (the cancer

agency of the World Health Organization) classified processed meat as a Class 1 carcinogen and
red meat as a Class 2A carcinogen to humans" (Argyridou). It is quite shocking that most of our

population is unaware that these processed foods could be as bad for you as smoking a cigarette.

What is inside of this quick and ready food is causing an array of health problems in an

uncomfortable percentage of our population. "Despite widespread knowledge about the harmful

effects of fast food on human health, the demand for fast-food restaurants is still growing."

(Saghaian and Mohammadi) The high sugar, salt, trans fats, and saturated fats, preservatives, and

overly processed ingredients make it much harder for our bodies to digest this food and near

impossible to put it to good use. At the end of the day there is hardly anything in this food that

our bodies can use to turn into energy and what we need to thrive. Eating these foods can lead to

a never-ending list of long-term health concerns such as cancer, depression, heart disease and

stroke, diabetes, and early death (Washington Post).

Many Americans have forgotten the value of healthy eating and the benefits it can have

on their energy, mood, and appearance. I'm sure you have heard the phrase, "you are what you

eat," and in many ways, this saying rings true. Food has such a significant impact on our overall

health that many claim it could be used as medicine. Hippocrates said, "Let thy food be thy

medicine, thy medicine be thy food." All in all, we only really feel as good as the foods that we

eat.

While looking at other countries eating habits and choices, Japan's food culture really

struck my interest. The Japanese diet is primarily plant-based and mainly consists of nutrient-

dense whole foods such as rice, fish and seafood, and vegetables. The primary key in their diet is

that it is deficient in animal proteins and products, fat, and unnecessary added sugars and salts.

The Japanese vending machines consist of a selection of mostly green teas, coffee, and water.

What a drastic difference from our syrupy beverages! The Japanese have some of the highest
predicted life spans, and the majority of the people are quite slim and healthy. The fast-food

culture has not progressed anywhere near the amount that it has here in the U.S.

Eating and making healthy choices is something that we all have to make a point to act

on in order to attain its benefits. There is a fine line between treating yourself to the occasional

greasy meal and that meal becoming a regular part of your diet. "Food processing has allowed

the development of very safe and convenient food products. However, with the goal of

increasing shelf-life or reducing costs, the food industry uses methods such as hydrogen, removal

of water, the addition of salt, sugars, fats, and additives, thus creating energy-dense and

nutritionally imbalanced foods" (Nardocci). The lack of nutritional value and excess energy

density is where the problem lies. Americans have to fight a little harder to resist the constant

reminders of how easily they could grab something quick and convenient, but I can assure you

that the benefits will be worthwhile.

Something else I've come to realize is a big issue in the U.S. is portion sizes. Whenever

you go to a restaurant nowadays, most places will serve your food on a ginormous platter sized

plate. On top of the dish being so large you might notice that you have just been served enough

food for three grown adults. I am not sure at what point down the line that there was a decision

that we needed to be fed multiple times the amount that is needed. In a study done by the

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, it was found that there has been "detrimental changes in

fast-food restaurant offerings over a 30-year span including increasing variety, portion size,

energy, and sodium content." The research shows that there has been a drastic increase in the

portion sizes, sodium, and selection at fast-food chains over the past 30 years. (McCrory et al.)

A suggestion for allowing your mind to recognize that you have had your share of food is trying

to eat your meals on a somewhat smaller plate. Another tip is to make sure that you are drinking
lots of water throughout the day and 30 minutes before your body will not mistake hunger for

thirst. Do your best to stay in the outer parts of the grocery store. In these areas, you'll tend to

find your staple foods such as fresh vegetables, bread, meats, and eggs. Once you enter the

never-ending aisles, you will be bombarded with tempting processed foods and ingredients.

At the end of the day, it is up to you to make healthy eating choices.

As modern technology has evolved, so has the way our society markets food. Modern-

day advertising has developed into a science to convince consumers to buy products through

various methods that most people would condemn if this information were public knowledge.

The main problem that stems from this is the subconscious effect that advertisements have on

people without them knowing. In a recent study, it was found that children consumed 45% more

when they were exposed to food advertising (Harris et al.). Whether they are using these

methods to target specific demographics or hoodwink consumers into buying unhealthy products,

these unjust practices have flooded the United States and is the main facet of modern-day sales.

Companies are targeting the younger generations as we normally develop our lifelong

eating habits as children. Fast food companies are spending millions each year, specifically on

advertising towards children. The researchers at Dartmouth found that "children with moderate

and high levels of McDonald's ad exposure were 38 percent more likely to have eaten at

McDonald's in the past week compared with children with no exposure. Not only did

McDonald's take up the majority of advertising space, but the chain also accounted for 79

percent of the surveyed children's fast-food consumption." In another study composed by the

Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, they took a look further into childhood obesity

and its relationship with the fast-food industry. They found that families with young children

were significantly more likely to dine at a fast-food restaurant. They also bring a correlation to
the surface regarding the distance of fast-food restaurants from neighborhoods its relationship

with childhood obesity.

There are many things that modern-day science is doing to help improve food in a variety

of ways. One of the primary goals of food science is to create methods for helping food to last

longer and increase its shelf life. When looking at this on the surface, food preservation seems

like an excellent method of making the best of our food resources. The adverse effects of using

preservatives are often overlooked and noticed long after they have been added. Historically, it

has taken up to years for the FDA to catch the notice of the negative effects of food additives

after they have been introduced to the public.

We have to be much more conscious of what is going into our food these days but your

body will appreciate the effort. Instead of reaching for an instant ready meal or running through

the drive-through, think about planning a nice dinner cooking together with your family. You can

try and learn to cook something new each week, significantly improve your health and positively

influence those around you. The fast-food industry is continuing to expand, but you can make a

choice to lead a healthier life and stick with whole foods.

 Works Cited

Brissette, Christy. “Perspective | This Is Your Body on Fast Food.” The Washington Post, WP

Company, 1 Mar. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/sneaking-a-little-

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147dd2df3829_story.html.

Shubrook, Nicola. “Why Is the Japanese Diet so Healthy?” BBC Good Food, 12 July 1970,

www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/why-japanese-diet-so-healthy.

CBSNews.com Staff. “Americans Are Obsessed with Fast Food: The Dark Side of the All-

American Meal.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 31 Jan. 2002,

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