The Struggles of Fast Food and Obesity

Calabrese 1

The Struggles of Fast Food and Obesity

Andrew Calabrese

December 1, 2009

ENG 100E / TR 10:00

Shevaun Donelli

Calabrese 2

The Struggles of Fast Food and Obesity

“Everything is bigger in America, we have the biggest cars, houses, companies, foods, and finally the biggest people” (Super Size Me). This statement holds true due to the fact that the United States is ranked number as the fattest country in the world (Super Size Me). In the last ten years obesity has grown into more than just a problem. It has turned into more of a national emergency due to “nearly 100 million Americans today that are either overweight or obese. That is more than 60% of all U.S. adults” (Super Size Me). Mississippi is the fattest state in America where one out of every four people in this state are obese (Super Size Me). Obesity has been growing at a rapid rate in America and it doesn’t seem like it will slow down anytime soon. Since 1980, the number of overweight Americans has doubled and there are now twice as many overweight children and three times as many overweight teens (Super Size Me). One of the main reasons for this out of control problem is fast food. It is the main cause of obesity in America and seems to be taking over the world. Fast food is like a steroid for obesity because it helps the problem of obesity grow bigger and bigger. Why is fast food industry such a powerful market? How can it be controlled to help slow down obesity?

I believe that fast food is not just a habit but also an addiction like drinking coffee or smoking cigarettes. Recent studies show that “obesity is now only second to smoking as a major cause of preventable death” (Super Size Me). There is no better way to show that fast food is an addiction that this statistic. If people know that fast food is a preventable cause, the only reason they would consume it is because they are addicted.

There are four signs that could lead to fast food addiction and even possible death. First, sugar is addictive in all ways and it triggers reactions in our bodies that make us feel “high” due to the

Calabrese 3

insulin spike from the sugar (Dal 1). According to Neuroscientist Bart G. Hoebel “When combined with the fats from fast food, sugar and fat form the perfect combination that is almost as addicting as heroin” (Dal 1). Secondly if you feel weak and shaky without fast food then you are definitely going down a problematic path. Studies show

...