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Fast Food Literature Review

Keoni Gumataotao

Weber State

English 1010

Mrs. Miner

November 6, 2023
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Fast Food Literature Review

Obesity has become a huge issue in the United States over the years. Many people are

suffering from obesity and the health problems that come with it. Half of adults, and twenty

percent of children are suffering from obesity in the US(CDC 2018). Many people have offered

alternatives to try and discourage people from eating the “unhealthy foods” to try and lower the

rate(USA Today 2023). In recent discussions of fast food in America, a controversial issue has

been whether fast food contributes to obesity. Some argue that it is the people’s fault due to

what they are ordering. Because there are healthier options people are just not ordering.

However, others argue that the food being served is messing people up due to food being

processed so much. In this paper, I will examine several articles that discuss fast food in

America. Some of the issues in this debate will include the diverse groups eating fast food and

who fast food companies tend to advertise to. This paper will focus on the fast-food issues in

low-income minority neighborhoods.

Which group is being targeted

A big issue discussed about fast food is who they market to. Dakota Kim, who is an

Asian American journalist, claims that fast food companies are systematically targeting ads for

unhealthy foods. She states, “In 2021, Black youth and adults viewed up to 21% more food and

beverage commercials than their white peers, according to the report, which also found food

companies increased their advertising spend on Spanish language TV as a total proportion of

their TV ad budget.”(2023) She also talks about how they use black and hispanic celebrities to

encourage young people to purchase their products. Another view by Gale says that kids in racial

and ethnic minority markets are being targeted far more than their white counterparts. Gale

states, “In 2019, for example, Black children were exposed to 75 percent more fast-food
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advertising than white children.” Fast food companies are also pushing towards more Spanish

language marketing materials. Kristin Messina also has the same claim saying that way more

advertisements for fast food are going to kids of color. Saying that , “ Black youth viewed 75%

more fast food ads than their white peers, up from a 60% difference found in 2012, even as TV

viewership among all youth is down. On both Spanish-language and Black-targeted TV

programming, restaurants advertised their low-cost large-portion value menu items and meal

deals disproportionately more than on other types of programming, and no healthy menu items

were advertised on Spanish-language TV.” This shows how fast food companies aren’t just

advertising fast food, just low cost, high portions, unhealthy food will be geared towards kids of

color.

Groups that eat fast food

Another big issue that has come up is which group consumes the most fast food.

According to the CDC white children and adolescents consume a lower percentage of calories

from fast food. The CDC states, “Non-Hispanic white children and adolescents aged 2–19 years

consumed a significantly lower percentage of daily calories from fast food (12.9%) compared

with non-Hispanic black (16.9%) and Hispanic (14.8%) children and adolescents.” But the CDC

also says that there isn’t a significant difference by race for children from 2-11, but the

difference comes from adolescents. Black Adolescents from 12-19 are eating more than white

adolescents. According to the CDC, “among adolescents aged 12–19, non-Hispanic white

adolescents consumed a significantly lower percentage of daily calories (14.8%) from fast food,

compared with non-Hispanic black (21.5%) and Hispanic (18.5%) adolescents.”

Another view by Dakota Kim claims that this disparity is what is making kids of color

fat. Although 20% of kids in the US are suffering from obesity the disparity between white kids
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and colored kids is quite large. According to Kim, “ While nearly one in five children in the US

is categorized as obese, rates are higher among children of color: 26.2% of Hispanic children and

24.8% of Black children are classified as obese, compared to 16.6% of white children.” showing

how marketing to these kids is actually making a difference.

Fast Food for food insecure

A big topic of discussion that has risen has been people with less money are getting more

fast food. Catherine Keske claims that due to them not having a whole lot of money fast food

companies have taken advantage by putting restaurants in low income neighborhoods and

undergraduate students. Because they have cheaper prices and high portions people gravitate

towards them, but this crowds out healthier options that they could be eating instead. According

to Keske, “ Concentrated purchasing power controls how food is grown and traded across the

world. A basic tenet of my discipline, agricultural economics, is that international trade can

benefit all. But in fact, disproportionate corporate power over the food system has created “food

deserts” where people can’t get healthy food.” According to this view, people with less money

are eating more fast food and are in turn going towards obesity.

Another view by Ashley Stevens really puts into perspective how much fast food has

grown. Stevens claims that due to the growing prices of basic groceries it's forcing more and

more people to eat fast food. According to Stevens, “ 26.5 million Americans reported food

insecurity as of June 19, the most thus far in 2023 and the highest number since December

2020.” Showing that many people are being forced into fast food which in turn is making obesity

numbers rise a lot more.

The Problem with fast food

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Some of the issues that have come up a lot is that there aren’t any healthy alternatives.

Clare Mulroy from USA today says that there are more alternatives to burgers and fries than just

eating salads. According to Mulroy, “If you really want to nail down a restaurant, Hughes said

the healthiest fast food locations are those that offer “more of a hybrid between a traditional fast

food with a drive-thru and a restaurant where you would go in and sit down.” She shows that

there are more options to the ones that people will gravitate towards. Rasha Ali shares this view

stating, “Fast-food and fast-casual chains do have low-calorie and low-fat options that won't

derail you from your healthy goals and go beyond salads.” Though they follow a different

content their views are the same. Both authors give alternatives that aren’t all that different to the

fast food that everyone else gets, but are also still good and could still appeal to the general

public. Both authors give alternatives in their own way. Ali gives people low calorie options that

may not be a high portion but will be low in calorie count. While Mulroy gives alternatives such

as going plant based, or getting less things put on your burger like sauce. Another thing that

Mulroy focuses on is also the minerals inside the food. She doesn’t just give you alternatives, she

gives you what you're actually putting into your body. She talks about how with fried foods

you're putting a lot of sodium into your body with fast food.

Fast Food and Money

Another issue is compensation to these fast food workers. Francis Dodds shares a view

that shows some of these fast food companies are raising their wages. Francis states, “Imagine

making $17 an hour working at a fast-food restaurant,” a local ABC anchor said, introducing the

segment. “And you’d get sick time, personal days, vacation days. Well, that is going to be the

reality for one Chick-fil-A here in Sacramento.” A widely known issue is that fast food
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companies will always pay employees very low. Many people have said working fast food

doesn’t give you a liveable wage. According to Catherine Keske the problem with these wages is

that they don’t have enough money for good food. Fast food employees do fall into the food

insecure and most of them will go and eat fast food more. With these people living in low

income areas they are living in areas that won’t have a lot of fresher options. Fast food

companies are going more towards low income neighborhoods which will crowd out fresher

options and healthier alternatives. Keske states, “Corporate fast-food chains undermine food

security by weakening local control over food production. In turn, diminished local control over

food production perpetuates food insecurity.” While wages are low and these companies

undermine food insecurities it leads to higher rates of obesity. With wages coming up

significantly fresher options may come out more because people have the opportunity and money

to eat healthier alternatives.

Conclusion

In sum, then, there are many issues surrounding obesity and fast food. The literature

seems to be indicating that fast food is the cause and that they are marketing so much it crowds

out healthier options. This conversation is important because it can give an opportunity for

people to see how fast food is affecting them and maybe a way they can change. Those who have

a vested interest in this issue include the CDC, University of Connecticut, and the Guardian.

Further Inquiry

Some of the things that weren’t discussed are how fast food can be healthier and other

options to go to instead. This is important because if we can get it more well known obesity rates

could lower a little bit.

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References

Remember to alphabetize your list by author last name. You must cite at least six sources

in the body of your paper with in-text citations and have the corresponding citations here.

Ali, R. (2019, January 24). 6 healthy options beyond salad at your favorite fast-food
restaurants. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/01/17/healthy-fast-
food-mcdonalds-taco-bell-starbucks-chipotle-chickfila-panera/2582149002/

Dodds, F. (2022, October 5). What if a fast-food restaurant paid $17 an hour?. Magzter.
https://www.magzter.com/stories/Business/Entrepreneur/What-If-a-Fast-Food-Restaurant-
Paid-17-An-Hour

Fryar, C. D. (2020, August 14). Products - data briefs - number 375- August 2020. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db375.htm

Fast Food. (2023). In Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Gale.

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/LIDAJE508241817/OVIC?u=ogde72764&sid=bookmark-
OVIC&xid=05da9e71

Keske, C. (2023, September 14). Fast food is comforting, but in low-income areas it
crowds out fresher options. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/fast-food-is-
comforting-but-in-low-income-areas-it-crowds-out-fresher-options-136227

Kim, D. (2022, November 11). A constant barrage: US companies target junk food ads to
people of color. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/11/junk-food-marketing-children-of-
color

Messina, K. (2021, June 17). Rudd Center: New study finds fast-food companies spending
more on advertising, disproportionately targeting black and Latino youth. UConn Today.
https://today.uconn.edu/2021/06/rudd-center-new-study-finds-fast-food-companies-
spending-more-on-advertising-disproportionately-targeting-black-and-latino-youth/#

Mulroy, C. (2023, August 28). Does Healthy Fast Food Exist? look out for this type of
menu for the healthiest option. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/food-
dining/2023/03/26/what-is-the-healthiest-fast-food/11467771002/

Stevens, A. D. (2023, August 15). Amid growing hunger, Americans turn to fast-food
joints - whose workers say they can’t afford to eat. Salon.
https://www.salon.com/2023/08/15/amid-growing-hunger-americans-turn-to-fast-joints--
whose-workers-say-they-cant-afford-to-eat/
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