Hannah Jones College Composition and Research Argumentative Essay November 22, 2016 The Negative Outcomes of Fast Food Grabbing a quick meal at the nearest fast food restaurant may seem to be the best solution to quenching hunger on a busy day. Ordering a grilled chicken sandwich with a fruit and yogurt parfait from Mcdonald’s because the menu reads, “Choose a healthier option” may seem like a healthy alternative; in reality, it is the opposite. Some believe ordering a salad or a chicken sandwich from fast food chains will give them the nutrients they need without the negative health effects; however, these beliefs are completely erroneous. All fast food creates negative health issues in modern America providing little nutritional value and creating major complications. Even though the majority of people do not believe fast food is linked to obesity and other health problems, large portions, low nutritional value, and fast food’s addictive and cheap taste all have a major affect on the obesity percentages all over the world. First, portion control when ordering fast food is a major concern when calculating the long term effects it might have on a person’s health. A normal drive-through meal from Mcdonald’s contains a main course (large sandwich or some type of wrap), a side (french fries or an equally unhealthy alternative), a dessert, and of course, a drink to wash it down. While this is an excessive amount of food, opposition points out that a person is able to limit themselves, or simply order a smaller size. While this may be true, even though ordering a smaller size is an option, it doesn’t mean the customer will order the smaller size. Not many people order small sized meals and they aren’t able to limit themselves when the food is in front of them. Author of the article Americans Weigh in Over Time, Barbara Wexler states, “Because humans are genetically programmed to eat when food is abundant, larger portions trigger the natural impulse to eat more” (Wexler par. 67).This becomes a major problem when the portion sizes of junk food are much larger. If a person were to eat large portions of vegetables and protein it wouldn’t be as big of an issue, but Americans today are more likely to eat larger portions of fattening foods, such as pizza and cheeseburgers, than they have in the past (“Diet and Obesity” par. 4). Cutting down portion sizes at fast-food restaurants will help combat the obesity epidemic in America, and in return will decrease the amount of health issues in today’s society. Secondly, even if a person does not eat fast food on a regular basis, the nutritional value of just one burger or an order of fries is considerably low, eventually putting that person at risk for health problems. Popular fast food items such as hamburgers, fried chicken, and fries contain high amounts of saturated fat, salt, and sugar (“Children and Fast Food” par. 5). After consuming an excess of these unhealthy meals, overweight and obesity can occur: According to the CDC, children who are obese are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which put them at increased risk of cardiovascular complications. Obese children are also at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as well as breathing problems, such as sleep apnea or asthma. Furthermore, obesity can lead to joint and other musculoskeletal problems (“Diet and Obesity” par. 30). Altogether, the decline in the consumption of fast food from a young age will only decrease the chance of the child having health issues associated with obesity. However, on the other side of this statement, people argue a fast food meal once in awhile will not do any harm. This is a true statement, but more times than not, a person will not just eat one burger once in awhile. With the contributing factor that a fast-food hamburger or cheeseburger is always in arm’s reach, the average american consumes more of these poor sandwiches than they think. Certain actions can be made to avoid the consumption of fast food like packing a lunch before a person leaves his or her house or eating before they leave. With these healthy alternatives, obesity will not be as big of an issue in America today. Additionally, on top of portion sizes and low nutritional value, the addicting and cheap taste fast food has increases the amount people eat, and as a result increases obesity rates. More and more individuals are consuming fast food every day. As author Melanie Warner states, “The enormous success of the Dollar Menu, where all items cost $1, has helped stimulate 36 consecutive months of sales growth at stores open at least a year… (Warner par. 4). Therefore, families around the world who have tight budgets and can not afford high dollar meals often fall victim to the nutritional nightmare called the “dollar menu.” Aside from the cost, fast food is also an extremely addictive type of food. A surprisingly high number of Americans consume fast food regularly. One in four Americans eat at a fast food restaurant every day of their life. (Andrea C Nakaya par. 2). This is a major problem when it comes to health issues coming from consuming fast food. On the other hand, many argue that even though fast food is cheap, a person can find many cheap and healthy meals in the market today. They will also argue fast food isn’t addictive, but they eat fast food more than they think. If America can somehow create a way for healthier meals to be less expensive, obesity rates and health issues will begin to decline. Though most people do not believe fast food has a direct correlation to obesity and certain health issues, fast food large portions, low nutritional values, and cheap price all play major roles in the high obesity percentages and health issues in the world today. The next time an American wants to grab a quick and easy meal for lunch, he or she should consider the nutritional value of the meal. Is the meal healthy? Does it contain the nutrients I need for the day? If the answers are no, a different option should be considered. If, on occasion, fast food is the only option for a person, he or she should eat only half of the meal he or she orders, decreasing the portion size. The only benefit of fast food is its low price, but America will hopefully create a cheaper and healthier way for Americans to grab a quick meal without putting his or her body at risk. Works Cited “Children and Fast Food.” Gale Student Resources in Context, Gale, Detroit, 2016, Student Resources in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Reference&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=SUIC&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|SKRVLW771823461&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=chil38234&jsid=14e7dfd9aba765ab10028db5b3540ad1. “Diet and Obesity.” 11 Feb. 2013. “Fast Food and Obesity.” Gale Student Resources in Context, Gale, Detroit, 2016, Student Resources in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Reference&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=SUIC&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|AVBMDU026288353&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=chil38234&jsid=490e4c3cf8fa736d164d44ed41e2f589. Nakaya, Andrea C., editor. “Introduction to Obesity: Opposing Viewpoints.” Obesity, Greenhaven Press, San Diego, 2006, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Reference&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ3010380101&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=chil38234&jsid=cb1386499c5d9dab5783a6f3ce7b3974. Warner, Melanie.“Salads or No, Cheap Burgers Revive McDonald's.” The New York Times, 2006, p. A1(L). 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Wexler, Barbara. “Americans Weigh in over Time.” Weight in America: Obesity, Eating Disorders, and Other Health Risks, 2012th ed., Gale, Detroit, 2013, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=Reference&currPage=&scanId=&query=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE|EJ2069700101&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=chil38234&jsid=96863a39a3f5e1acea3b1b2f91b67f1a.