The Link Between Fast Food and Obesity - Can We Change It?
The link between fast food and obesity is astounding, but so many people don’t see it. Fast food is a convenience and is fairly inexpensive, and with the offers of value meals we just can’t pass it up. So, if we know that there is a link between the two, what can we do to change it?
Fast food offers us burgers, chicken sandwiches, soft drinks, desserts and salads. If we are able to make our own food choices and salads are available, how is it possible that we become obese by eating it? The truth is, if we are getting fast food for lunch or dinner we are usually in a hurry so we need our food “fast”. When this is the case, we usually opt for burgers and fries because it tastes good, and it’s easy to handle. Salads still require you to slow down and sit down to eat them. When we think of fast food we rarely consider ordering a salad.
A large percentage of fast food is fried, and this one fact alone shows a strong link between fast food and obesity. French fries, chicken nuggets and chicken sandwiches are always fried, but more and more fast food joints are offering grilled chicken sandwiches and salads as an alternative. The fried food is cooked in oil, and the breading is high in carbohydrates and calories, thus increasing ones chances of gaining weight.
Soft drinks are also the main choice of drinks at fast food restaurants, which also causes weight gain. Soda is high in sugar and calories which can really pack on the pounds. Iced tea is a great option without choosing sweet tea. If you want an iced tea, order it unsweet and add Stevia instead of sugar. Stevia is not actually a sugar, but this plant’s extract was found to act as a sweetener and is naturally high in fiber. You can buy Stevia by the packet, and you can also find it in liquid form. This is a small change that you can make along the way if you like iced tea.
Fast food restaurants also offer tempting desserts that are inexpensive and loaded with fat and calories. Many restaurants offer sundaes that have caramel and chocolate sauces on them, and whipped cream and nuts on top. While whipped cream has no fat content, it is high in sugar which will convert to fat. With all of the convenience and inexpensive pricing fast food is hard to avoid in a bad economy when families want to take their children out for a meal. So, when these prices are low and your kids enjoy it what do you do?
The first step in preventing the link between fast food and obesity is to avoid it. Training your children from the time they are young to eat fresh fruits and vegetables is critical. Exposing them to fast food early in life is a big part of the problem. If we expose them to a certain way of eating they become conditioned to expect it. So, if we constantly take them to McDonald’s then they will get accustomed to that and over time they will discover which foods they love and ask for them.
Your children will be able to tell you what they like and what they don’t like with more wholesome foods as well. Then, it’s our job as parents to find ways to create better meals using those things.
Organic fruits, vegetables and free-range meats are always the best options for you and your family, but the cost can be steep depending on where you shop. Get creative, and get those things that you know you can’t do without then look for sales on the other things you would like to have. Over time, you will find that there are ways to overcome fast food and obesity but it’s all about trial and error.