Running head: FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

A research paper proposal

THE EFFECT OF FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS ON

OBESITY AND WEIGHT GAIN
By

Levy Bravante

30TH May 2016

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

Acknowledgement
I acknowledge and thank etcetc

ii

Abstract

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

According to the world health organization in 2006, there are 1.6 billion people above the
age of 15 years overweight and 400 million are obese.
Fast food is one of the convenient ways people around the world eat these in this new era:
blaming fast food on the increased rate of obesity is becoming almost a daily debate.
Obesity is an issue of the public health concern, though multi-dimensional but requires an
approach of discipline like the providers of health care and the government. Most especially, the
consumer has an important role to play in bringing a solution to obesity as the food industry and
restaurants are committed to provide the consumers with nutritious and healthy foods.

Introduction

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

Though the public debate on obesity is often related to the widespread availability of the fast
food restaurants and is perceived is a major determinant of the dramatic increase of obesity.
Where the basic truth lies on the fact that majority of naguenos and naguenas are sedentary; over
one-half of naguenos and naguenas adults do not meet the recommended levels of moderate and
physical activities, and one-quarter do not engage in leisure time physical activities (Rosenheck,
R, 2008). Furthermore, technological inventions have created more time-saving and labor-saving
products which as a result have reduced the overall energy expenditure in our lives by the day.
Therefore, stakeholders, including the government, food industry, health care ministries,
academia as well as personal individuals have to work together in order to influence consumers
make healthy and better lifestyle choices. Though bearing in mind what an influence the food
industry as a whole has on the consumer and their choices.
The question of who to blame on Obesity is important in solving the issue of obesity, research
has shown that individuals that eat from fast food are more prone to be obese than those who do
not (Daphne P. et al.). However, the burger in a fast food restaurant may not enhance the
consumers health but will the fatty burger one buys in the grocery store do either?

OBESITY
Obesity results from an imbalance of calorie intake and expenditure defined by World Health
Organization (WHO) as a disease whereby the excess body fat has accumulated to the point
where the health of the individual may be adversely affected (Stevens, 2003). Obesity can be said
to be a vast health issue which can be as a result of socio economic factors, attitudinal issues or
disorder with feeding.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

Obesity which is associated with an increased risk of several serious illnesses such as heart
disease, the type two diabetes, cardiac arrest,liver gallbladder disease. Obesity as well as obesity
related diseases have rapidly increased over the years in the United States since the mid-1970s
alongside with an increased number of fast food restaurants.
Causes of obesity can be categorized into two perspectives: economic and non-economic.
Friedman (2000) talking from the non-economic perspective stated that obesity results from the
lack of discipline on the affected consumers part; while from an economic perspective states
that there are three correlating factors that contributes to the rising trend in obesity which are:
socio economic, geographical and individual attitude or perception on feeding.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT

The fast food in the world today is a growing business, Bender and Bender (1995) defined fast
food as a general term which is used for limited food menu that are used in the production line
techniques where suppliers specialize in products such as Ham-burgers, sandwiches, pizzas or
chickens.
Fast food critics have revealed that fast food frequent visitors are less active and lazier in
handling home chores while the other individual that eat home cooked meals is more energetic,
proactive and handle chores better. They also pointed out several reasons why fast food may be
less healthy than other type of restaurant food; these include capital, time, costs and signatory
dishes (Spurlock, 2004 and Schlosser, 2002). But in the actual context, this may not be so for all
fast food restaurants as more restaurants are going into more healthy meals for their customers
and the public in general. In fact; evidence linking fast food and obesity is not strong enough and
much of it is based on studies in small sets of data.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

A recent review of literature on the relationship between the fast food restaurants and obesity
revealed findings from the observational studies are unable to demonstrate a causal link between
fast food consumption and obesity or weight gain (Rosenheck, 2008). Economic studies have
also placed rigid emphasis on the increase in caloric consumption as one primary determinant of
obesity which is a trend consistent with increased availability of the fast food.

The role of consumer and the fast food restaurants

Consumers can be said to be the most important player in giving solution to the obesity epidemic
due to the fact that they make individualized choices about their food and lifestyle. Four
motivators that affect consumer decisions were identified such as: taste, price, convenience, and
quality. Although the consumers indicate healthy eating, proper and balanced nutrition are
important to them, surveys and sales have shown that consumers are more interested in taste,
availability, and price. However they all know the fact that healthy living key to a risk free life
except health issues inherited from parents. Consumers have conflicting reports on how much fat
the body needs and burns and all about metabolism are still not clear to some consumers. There
is need for adequate and concise information to get to the consumer from a source they have no
reason to doubt.
Stakeholders should reach out to consumers and assist in sensitizing on the need for a healthy
diet and nutritious meal at all times. It is a different thing to get full and also a different thing to
consume food that will be beneficial to the body. The food safety and regulation body should
enforce tutorials for consumers through fast food outlets or shopping malls on the need for a
healthy diet and also make the risk of not heeding known in a way as not to ever forget(like a
jingle on radio), across institutions, create awareness in every way possible to the general public.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

Fast food outlets can introduce additional meals on their menu that consist of a balanced diet and
not protecting selfish interest, restructure or adjust the old products to be nutritious and of right
weight.

Conclusion
To eradicate obesity, the body that regulates food safety and the fast food outlet association, the
schools head, captains of institutions, medical practitioners all should come together and work in
unison to gradually put an end to obesity. The general public should have adequate information
at all times on whats best for their health. Food scientist should be encouraged to own fast food
outlets. Those relevant to the business should be allowed to handle public offices so as to
introduce, implement and enforce programs that will make the world a better place to live in and
not a place to die prematurely.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT AND OBESITY

REFERENCES
1. Bender, A.E. and Bender, D.A. (1995), A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition, Oxford
University Press, Oxford.
2. Friedman, J.M. (2000). Obesity in the new millennium, Macmillan magazines Ltd.,
Vol.404, pp 632-634.
3. Manson, J.E; Skerrett, P.J; Greenland, P; and VanItallie, T.B. (2004). The escalating
pandemics of obesity and sedentary lifestyle. A call to action for clinicians.
4. Rosenheck, R. (2008), Fast Food Consumption and increased caloric intake: a systematic
review of a trajectory towards weight gain and obesity risk, Obesity Reviews, 2008, pp.113.
5. Spurlock, M. (2004), Super Size Me," Documentary Film 2004. Produced by the Con in
association with Studio on Hudson.
6. Stevens, J. (2003). Ethnic-specific revisions of body mass indexcut offs to define
overweight and obesity in asians are not warranted, International Journal Obesity, Vol. 27,
pp.287-288.
7. World Health Organization (2006). Obesity and overweight.