Jane Kimani
Ms. J.Bowen
English 1101
30 March 2015
The Popularity of Fast Food Restaurants
I believe the popularity of fast food is a major cause in the decline of our nation’s
health. Almost two-thirds of Americans are considered obese according to
www.clinicaldiabetes.com, which is mainly due to our diet. High salt content in these
foods also lead to high blood pressure. An excess amount of sugars is also found in fast
food meals and can contribute to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Fast food is
putting our nation on the fast track to poor health.
Eating too much fast food leads to unhealthy weight gain. Most meals from popular
fast food chains contain 150% of your daily caloric needs. It does not take long to gain
excess weight and being obese when you eat that many calories regularly. The reduction
of eating foods with a lot of sugar could lead to weight loss. Eating too much
processed food is also another reason why we gain more weight and instead we should
take a lot of vegetables and fresh fruits. We should also eat whole grains and foods with
legumes. If you have to go to fast food restaurants, request for information on calories,
fats, and sodium. Order food low in sodium, sugars, and avoid eating cheese since it is
full of fat. Another important option is choose to drink water rather than ice tea or sodas
which have a high content of sugar.
Fast foods are very high in sodium and a high salt intake leads to high blood
pressure. High blood pressure causes stroke, seizures and fatigue. Eating too much salt
could also cause kidneys to fail. We reduce our risk by not overeating fast foods. Another
reason to reduce salt intake is by cooking whole foods at homes and avoid eating too
much restaurant fast foods. Additional reason is to check on the labels on foods when
buying and eat more fresh fruits and green vegetables.
Excess sugars are not just found in fast food sweets. Fast food fries, breads,
butters, sauces, and soft drinks all contain a lot of sugar. Too much sugar intake can
cause heart attacks and strokes. According to www.drmirkin.com, people who eat fast
food once a week increase their risk for dying of a heart attack by 20 percent. We are all
aware of the