fast food restaurant essay

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Causes and Effects of Fast Food: Essay Example

Essay about fast food: introduction, causes of fast food: essay body paragraph, effects of fast food: essay body paragraph, fast food causes and effects: conclusion, reference list.

Food is an integral part of any culture and society around the globe. Until the last century, most people used to eat fresh, home-cooked food. Eating was a process that required specific preparations. However, now, we see that they prefer to eat fast food such as pizza, hamburgers, or fried chicken.

These fast-food restaurants have become common on our streets, and people of all ages visit them. The popularity of these restaurants has increased internationally. There are many reasons why fast food has become popular, and fast food also has some serious effects on humans and society.

The basic question is, what made fast food so popular this last century? One answer would be that the change in lifestyle compared to before is a cause for this. It pushes workers or people to eat fast food than cook food themselves.

For instance, two working parents are a good example of this. Due to their jobs, they do not have time to cook for their children or even themselves. As a consequence, they find it easier to order from these fast food restaurants rather than cook. That is why they favor fast food over their own cooked food.

Another cause of fast food usage is long working hours, which may also lead people to eat outside the home. There are many fast-food businesses in our cities. Some are McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, etc. We can make a long list with hundreds of names from these restaurants.

During the last couple of years, we saw a lot of advertisements and promotions for those restaurants. Nevertheless, there still remains a question of why they spend to promote ineffective food. What are the reasons for this? The answer is that fast food is easy to cook. It does not take long to cook, and it is readily available. The shareholders of these businesses have their own goals, that of the profits they get from these restaurants.

Above, we have seen the causes that may have led to the flourishing of the fast-food industry. However, what is more important, is its effects on society and human beings. The primary effect that fast food has on human beings is that it can get your health in danger status. First, fast food can cause vitamin deficiencies that may, in turn, help to cause diseases.

Obesity is one of the consequences of fast food on the human body. Obesity comes because fast food is the factor that enriches the body with fats. So people will become less healthy, less effective, and less productive, and this is the conclusion of obesity (Adams, 2007, pp. 155).

Another serious effect of the popularity of fast food presences is the loss of the family tradition of eating together. The family used to eat together, and thus they had the opportunity to talk with each other about daily problems.

Fast food also affects the income of the family. The conclusion is that fast food is more expensive than the food you cook for yourself.

In conclusion, it can be said that fast food has been born out of the modern way of living in our societies. Unfortunately, its effects on the human body and health are unfavorable. It also has other adverse effects on the income of a family. It would be best to avoid eating fast foods as much as possible.

Adams, C., 2007. Reframing the obesity debate: McDonald’s role may surprise you. Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics, no. 35: pp. 154-157.

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Causes and Effects of the popularity of Fast-food restaurants

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Fast Food Essay | Essay on Fast Food for Students and Children in English

February 12, 2024 by Prasanna

Fast Food Essay:  A type of mass-produced food, designed for commercial resale is known as fast food. In this type of food items, strong priority is given to ‘speed of service’ over any other relevant factors involved in culinary science.

Fast food is a type of food that is designed to deliver the order in the quickest way possible available at any eating joints. Fast foods were developed to make the process of food serving as smooth as possible, and it indeed has been able to meet its demands in the best ways possible.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Fast Food for Students and Kids in English

We are providing the students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic Fast Food for reference.

Long Essay on Fast Food 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Fast Food is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

As the name suggests, fast foods are food items that are quickly made, quickly served and quickly eaten. Life today has become fast, and the changes in the lifestyle of people have gotten them addicted to food items that can be readily made. Fast food is the name coined for food items that are either available pre-cooked or can be cooked in a lesser time than regular food.

People find it desirable and convenient to eat such food items as they please their taste buds more than regular food. Fast foods can be easily prepared without much hustle and are served in many places like take-outs, sit-down restaurants, counter services, drive-thru and delivery.

Fast food has gained its popularity as it is convenient, tastes good and inexpensive. Fast food was created as a commercial strategy to accommodate the larger number of by travellers, wage workers and commuters who often did not have the time to sit down at a table and wait for their meal.

When the speed of service was made the priority, the inconvenience of the customers who had limitations on their time and could not wait for their food was tackled with. Even though several items can be cooked fast, the commercial term for food items in restaurants or stores with precooked, frozen or preheated ingredients is ‘fast food’. These stored food items are served to customers in a packed form for takeaway.

Processed food items like pizzas, noodles, white bread, diet soda etc. are various fast foods. Fast food is often prepared with ingredients that are cheap such as high-fat meat, added sugar and fats and refined grains instead of nutrient ingredients such as whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables and fresh fruits.

Fast food is high on sodium as it is used as a preservative, making the food more flavourful and satisfying. There is no such thing as ‘bad’ food, but there are some food items that should not be consumed regularly. Fast food items are high in saturated fats, trans fats, sodium and cholesterol.

Fast foods have several side effects. Eating fast food has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, obesity, high cholesterol, colorectal cancer, insulin resistance condition and depression. Excessive consumption of fast foods results in affecting the brain, which in turn results in affecting the mental health of the person.

People tend to binge on fast foods that have a high level of fats and sugar which affects their brain making it hard to say no. studies performed by scientist have shown that large doses of fast foods stimulate the brains natural opioids which produces a high similar to – though less intense – than that produced by heroin and cocaine.

Consumption of fast food in an excessive amount has adverse effects on the body – affecting the respiratory system, nervous system, reproductive system integumentary system and also the skeletal system. In today’s world, two out of three adults are considered obese or overweight in the US.

The fast-food industry is a million-dollar industry serving people each day all over the globe. The consumption of fast takeaway food is rapidly replacing a traditional family dinner.

Short Essay on Fast Food 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Fast Food is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Food items that are easily prepared and available yet are low on their nutritional values are fast food items. Fast foods have gained their popularity for their convenience and inexpensiveness; these foods also serve as a treat for one’s taste buds.

Fast foods have no or very less nutritional value and can be extremely unhealthy. Fast foods have several side effects, and the most immediate effect is on the energy levels that reach their peak on the consumption of fast food items. As one eats a quick snack, the temptation to have more is a result due to this spike in energy levels. Sometimes even the energy levels remain high, causing sleep disorders.

Consumption of fast foods causes drowsiness, and the ability to concentrate reduces. This is because the food items are excess in oils calories and are not easy to digest. Other side effects are not immediate but harm one’s health and body.

10 Lines on Fast Food Essay in English

1. The fast-food industry is a multibillion-dollar industry. 2. In the year 2018, the fast-food industry was estimated to have a worth of $570 billion daily. 3. Fast food restaurants traditionally have drive-thrus for serving food to their customers. 4. Fast foods came into existence with the first fish and chips shops in Britain during the 1860s. 5. In the 1950s drive-thru restaurants first became popular in the United States. 6. Merriam-Webster first recognized the term ‘fast food’ in the year 1951. 7. In the year 2013, an average couple in the US 47 minutes and 19 seconds per day on food preparation. 8. On average, a fast-food meal is worth one’s daily calorie intake. 9. Studies have shown that fast foods have detrimental effects on the human mind. 10. Consumption of fast food daily disrupts the flow of flood to the brain.

FAQ’s on Fast Food Essay

Question 1.  Is fast food and junk food the same?

Answer: The term junk food is not as same as fast food. Junk foods are mainly foods which are relatively low in nutrients compared to their energy content.

Question 2. Why is fast food so unhealthy?

Answer: Fast foods are not necessarily bad, but in many cases, it is highly processed containing large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugar, salt (sodium) and unhealthy fats.

Question 3.  Do fast food items have any nutritional value?

Answer: Fast foods often are high on calories, yet offering little or no nutritional value.

Question 4. What makes fast food so addictive?

Answer: Consumption of fast food that is high on sugar and fat daily causes changes in the human brain, making the food hard to resist.

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IELTS Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Food

Updated On Nov 06, 2023

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Table of Contents

Here is a step-by-step guide to write such essays in writing task -1..

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Task 2 of IELTS Writing is similar for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General. In this task, you will be expected to write an essay on a given topic. Different types of essays are given in the exam, advantages and disadvantages essay being one of them. Here, we will go through a sample answer of the IELTS essay on advantages and disadvantages of fast food.

Before proceeding to the sample answer, it is best to learn some ways to achieve a band score of 8 for Writing Task 2 that will help you write your own essay on the topic.

• Understand the Prompt: Read the essay prompt carefully and ensure you comprehend the topic. Identify whether you are required to discuss advantages, disadvantages, or both.
• Brainstorm Ideas: Spend a few minutes brainstorming points for each aspect (advantages and disadvantages) of the topic. Jot down key ideas and examples that support your arguments.
• Plan Your Essay: Create a rough outline for your essay. Decide on the structure, including how many paragraphs you’ll have and the main points for each section.
• Write the Introduction: Start with a clear and concise introduction. Mention that you will discuss both advantages and disadvantages in your essay. Provide a brief overview of your main points.
• Develop the Body Paragraphs: Dedicate one or two paragraphs to each aspect (advantages and disadvantages). Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main point. Follow with supporting details, examples, and explanations.
• Address Each Point: Balance your discussion of advantages and disadvantages, giving roughly equal attention to both unless the prompt specifies otherwise.
• Write a Conclusion: Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. Restate your position on whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa. Provide a final thought or recommendation, if appropriate.
• Proofread and Edit: Carefully review your essay for grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and spelling errors. Ensure that your sentences are clear and concise. Check that your essay meets the word count requirement.

Now, let us learn how to frame an essay using the above-mentioned steps.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task .

Write at least 250 words.

Nowadays people have greater access to fast food. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Advantages – Disadvantages Essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic of the essay and mention that the essay will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages.

Paragraph 1: Advantages of access to fast food

Paragraph 2: Disadvantages of access to fast food

Conclusion 

Clearly restate points covered in the essay.

Sample Answer 1 

The traction towards fast food has been on the rise for the past few years. As a result, fast-food outlets have mushroomed in every corner of the world. This essay will discuss both sides of this inclination and highlight how the disadvantages of the rampant availability of fast foods outweigh the advantages.

On the bright side, the availability of fast food is a boon to the working population as well as people who live alone away from home. Nowadays, it is quite common for spouses to go outside to work. Consequently, the easy access to these foods makes life easier for them as they juggle their office and home chores . Moreover, these convenience foods are economical and delectable if bought from appropriate places. Therefore, they are the best alternatives for healthy food, which is sometimes exorbitant .

However, unbridled accessibility and consumption of fast foods have an array of adverse effects. Firstly, it affects the health of the consumer and raises the risk of cardiovascular diseases, dental problems, etc. Obesity is one of the major side effects of these foods. Secondly, the innumerable ways of obtaining fast food is making people sluggish . For example, due to online delivery options like Zomato, Swiggy, etc., people do not have to go out to eat. This makes them dependent on these apps and gradually, they give up cooking and become torpid . Lastly, overconsumption of fast foods can lead to mental issues like depression and anxiety, as argued by many scientific researchers. They claim as people are more inclined towards eating fast foods, they do not maintain a healthy lifestyle, which contributes to these issues.

In the end, even though fast foods are easy to cook, inexpensive and readily available, greater access to them certainly has more pitfalls than gains.

• Traction (noun)

Meaning: the extent to which something new becomes popular

E.g: His debut album gained a lot of traction.

• Mushroomed (verb)

Meaning: increase, spread, or develop rapidly

E.g: Beauty salons have mushroomed in our village in the past two years.

• Rampant (adjective)

Meaning: happening a lot or becoming worse, usually in a way that is out of control

E.g: The rampant poaching of animals and birds has led to biodiversity loss in many places.

• Boon (noun)

Meaning: a thing that is helpful or beneficial

E.g: The construction of the dam is a boon to the nearby villages.

• Chores (noun)

Meaning: a job or piece of work that needs to be done regularly

E.g: I divide the chores equally among all members of the household.

• Exorbitant (adjective)

Meaning: much more than is reasonable

E.g: The supermarket charges an exorbitant price for most items it sells.

• Unbridled (adjective)

Meaning: unrestrained

E.g: Letting the tiger roam unbridled in the forest can be dangerous to the nearby villages.

• Sluggish (adjective)

Meaning: lacking in energy; lazy

E.g: My son has become sluggish.

• Torpid (adjective)

Meaning: not active

E.g: Most students in our high school are torpid.

• Pitfall (noun)

Meaning: problem that is likely to happen

E.g: There are pitfalls of using cars on these roads.

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Sample Answer 2 (320 words)

In today’s fast-paced world, access to fast food has become more convenient than ever before. This essay will explore both the advantages and disadvantages of this trend.

One of the primary advantages of greater access to fast food is convenience. Fast food restaurants are widely available, often 24/7, allowing people to grab a quick meal on their way to work or when they have a busy schedule.

Another advantage is the affordability of fast food. In comparison to dining at traditional restaurants, fast food is usually more budget-friendly. Families on a tight budget often find it economical to choose fast food as an occasional dining option.

Furthermore, fast food establishments often offer a variety of menu choices. This allows consumers to select from a range of options, catering to diverse tastes and dietary preferences.

On the flip side, greater access to fast food can lead to health-related problems. Many fast food items are high in calories, unhealthy fats, and sugar, which can contribute to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Excessive consumption of fast food has been linked to various health issues, making it a concerning aspect of this accessibility.

Another disadvantage is the environmental impact of the fast food industry. The production and distribution of fast food contribute to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and excessive waste generation. This has a detrimental effect on the environment and contributes to climate change.

Moreover, the convenience of fast food may lead to a decline in home-cooked meals. As more people opt for the ease of fast food, traditional cooking skills may erode, resulting in a loss of cultural culinary traditions and diminished family bonding over meals.

In conclusion, while greater access to fast food offers convenience, affordability, and menu diversity, it also presents significant disadvantages such as health concerns, environmental issues, and a potential decline in home cooking. Whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages largely depends on an individual’s choices and lifestyle.

• Convenience (Noun)

Meaning: Suitable for one’s needs; making life easier.

Eg: The convenience of online shopping has revolutionized the way we shop.

• Budget-friendly (Adjective)

Meaning: Cost-effective; not expensive.

Eg: The local farmer’s market offers budget-friendly organic produce.

• Diverse (Adjective)

Meaning: Showing a great deal of variety; different.

Eg: The city’s cultural festival showcased diverse traditions from around the world.

• Obesity (Noun)

Meaning: Excessive body weight often associated with health issues.

Eg: Childhood obesity is a growing concern in many developed countries.

• Deforestation (Noun)

Meaning: The action of clearing forests, often for agricultural purposes.

Eg: Deforestation has led to the loss of many endangered species’ habitats.

• Culinary (Adjective)

Meaning: Relating to the practice or skills of cooking.

Eg: The culinary school offers a wide range of cooking courses.

• Erode (Verb)

Meaning: Gradually destroy or diminish something over time.

Eg: The constant exposure to water eroded the coastline.

• Cultural Traditions (Phrase)

Meaning: The customs, beliefs, and practices passed down within a society.

Eg: Preserving cultural traditions is essential for maintaining a sense of identity.

Also, check:

• IELTS Writing Actual Test & Band 8.0 Advantage/Disadvantage Essay – Topic: Travel
• IELTS Writing Actual Test In 2016 & Band 8.0 Sample Advantage/Disadvantage Essays
• IELTS Advantage/Disadvantage Essay Of Band 8.5 – Topic: Traffic & Accommodation
• IELTS Writing Actual Test & Band 9.0 Advantage/Disadvantage Essay – Topic: Gap Year
• IELTS Writing Actual Test In April 2016 – Band 8.5 Advantage/Disadvantage Essay
• Academic IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic & Band 8.5 Advantage/Disadvantage Essay

Practice IELTS Writing Task 1 based on report types

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Essay on Fast Food

Students are often asked to write an essay on Fast Food in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Fast Food

Introduction.

Fast food is a type of meal that people often eat because it’s quick, convenient, and tasty. These meals are usually served at restaurants, drive-thrus, or take-outs.

Popularity of Fast Food

Fast food is popular worldwide. It’s often the go-to option when people are busy or don’t have time to cook. Fast food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and KFC are famous globally.

Health Implications

Despite its popularity, fast food is often unhealthy. It’s typically high in fats, sugars, and salts which can lead to health problems like obesity and heart disease if consumed regularly.

While fast food is convenient and tasty, it’s important to eat it in moderation due to its potential health risks.

250 Words Essay on Fast Food

Fast food, a term that has become synonymous with contemporary urban lifestyle, is a phenomenon born out of our fast-paced lives. It refers to food that is prepared and served quickly, often in a packaged form for take-out.

The Allure of Fast Food

Fast food chains, with their convenience and affordability, have become a ubiquitous part of our global landscape. The allure lies in their ability to cater to our increasingly time-pressed lives, providing quick, tasty meals at the click of a button or a short queue at the drive-thru.

However, this convenience comes with a price. Fast food is often high in calories, saturated fats, sugar, and salt, leading to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other lifestyle-related diseases. The ease of accessibility and the addictive taste of fast food can lead to overconsumption, creating a vicious cycle of poor dietary habits and health problems.

Environmental Impact

Fast food’s environmental footprint is another concern. The industry contributes significantly to deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions due to its high demand for animal products and reliance on single-use packaging.

In conclusion, while fast food provides a convenient solution to our fast-paced lives, it is essential to be mindful of its health and environmental implications. Striking a balance between convenience and health, and making sustainable choices, is the way forward in our relationship with fast food.

500 Words Essay on Fast Food

The rise of fast food.

Fast food has become an integral part of modern society, with its influence stretching across the globe. The fast food industry originated in the United States during the early 20th century, with the advent of assembly line production methods. This revolutionized the food industry, making it possible to serve large quantities of food quickly and efficiently.

The Appeal of Fast Food

Fast food’s appeal lies in its convenience, affordability, and taste. In our fast-paced society, many people opt for fast food as it saves time that would otherwise be spent preparing meals. It also provides a low-cost option for those on a tight budget. Moreover, the taste of fast food, often high in fat, sugar, and salt, is designed to stimulate our palates and keep us coming back for more.

The Impact on Health

Despite its convenience and affordability, fast food has a profound impact on public health. It is often high in calories, unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt, contributing to a range of health issues including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. The World Health Organization has recognized the consumption of fast food as a major factor in the global obesity epidemic.

Societal Implications

Fast food also has broader societal implications. It has reshaped our eating habits, contributing to a culture of convenience that often prioritizes speed and ease over nutrition and health. This has implications for our relationship with food, our health, and even our social interactions. Fast food restaurants, for instance, have become common gathering places, influencing our social dynamics.

The Environmental Impact

The future of fast food.

The future of fast food is uncertain. On one hand, the industry continues to grow, driven by increasing demand in developing countries. On the other hand, there is a growing awareness of the health and environmental impacts of fast food, leading to calls for change. Many fast food chains are now offering healthier options and making efforts to reduce their environmental impact.

In conclusion, fast food has undeniably shaped our society and our lifestyles. While it offers convenience and affordability, its health and environmental impacts cannot be ignored. As consumers, we have a role to play in shaping the future of this industry, through our choices and our demand for healthier, more sustainable options.

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Fast Food - List of Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Fast Food refers to food that is prepared and served quickly, often characterized by a standardized method of preparation in centralized locations. Essays could discuss the rise of the fast food industry, its economic and cultural implications, the health consequences of fast food consumption, and the ethical considerations regarding fast food production and marketing. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Fast Food you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Fast Food Nation Final

Growing up when it came to food the same phrase was always repeated, “you are what you eat.” This is true to a degree. The fast food industry has triggered our society and has even created uprisings of protests and activist groups boycotting restaurants and food markets.  Fast food has riled up our nation, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and changed the views of American life worldwide. Fast Food Nation, written by Eric Schlosser shows a glimpse into what you […]

The Ritual of Fast Food by Margaret Visser

Visser was born in 1940 in South Africa, Margaret Visser was raised in Zambia and lived in England, France, lraq, and the United States before settling in Toronto, Ontario. (She is a naturalized citizen of Canada.) In this short essay, The Ritual of Fast Food. The author, Margret Visser, carefully as well as precisely dismembers the fast food experience. Visser dives in and vigour's behind the scene to explains the art of the fast -food experience. It is imperative to […]

Problem: Childhood Obesity in America

As you've probably heard, more children are becoming overweight today in America than ever before. Experts are calling this an "obesity epidemic." To first understand childhood obesity we must ask ourselves what is obesity? Obesity is a diet-related chronic disease involving excessive body fat that increases the risk of health problems. Many doctors have expressed obesity has an increasing problem in today's youth as obesity can lead to many health issues such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart […]

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Role of Fast Food in USA

Fast food is a common occurrence in the average American's life these days. You can't drive down the street without seeing at least one fast food joint, often more than one. In fact, fast food is popping up all around the world, McDonald's in other countries even have special items on their menus. The reason for the hype is the accessibility. Fast food is so easy, anyone can run and grab some cheap food and feed their family. However, some […]

How are Fast Food Advertising and Childhood Obesity Related

By 1950s, fast food industry boom was in full swing. It was secured in 1951. In the 1950s, McDonald has become a staple of the American diet. Fast food restaurants have been grown more and more and by now, there are over one hundred and sixty thousands fast food restaurants in the United States, becoming a one hundred and ten billion dollar industry. One can’t deny that fast food has become really important in American life nowadays. Whether Americans are […]

The Causes and Preventions of Childhood Obesity

When trying to find out if a child is considered for obesity, they need to have a body mass index that is between the ranges of the 85th percentile and the 95th percentile. When speaking about childhood obesity it is for children between the ages of infancy and early adulthood which is eighteen years of age. Obesity is one of the most preventable diseases especially if caught early enough. There are many different reasons for the cause of childhood obesity, […]

Is Fast Food to Blame?

Benjamin Franklin once stated, "Few die of hunger. Many die of eating." However, we now have more information than ever before about the nutritional value of what we eat. Health experts have argued over eating fast food for years ("Burger Battles: Study Indicates that Fast Food Industry Targets Kids with Unhealthy Choices" 1). Our country, as a whole, still chooses to overeat and to consume high calorie meals. In the essay, "Don't Blame the Eater," by David Zinczenko, the fast […]

Fast Food is the Main Cause of Diabetes and Obesity

Children's obesity has tripled during recent years, and twenty-five percent of the people affected by it are under nineteen years of age, and that's according to a study made by Green Planet (the largest independent publishing platform that focuses on sustainable food, animal welfare issues, environmental protection, and green living and the biggest plant-based food and recipe site). Fast food and poor eating regimen are the primary explanations for the ascent of the weight rates. Individuals connect to fast food […]

My Research on Taco Bell

Fast Food Project Taco Bell has many reasons to be considered unhealthy. Such as, they use huge amounts of oil such as Soy Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable oil which contains a variety of mixed oils in one. Taco Bell has ingredients that no one is aware of such as Maltodextrin, Torula Yeast, Modified Corn Starch, Soy Lecithin, Lactic Acid, and Caramel color. The Healthiest item on the menu is the fiesta taco salad and if you were to get it without […]

The Relationship between Fast Food and Obesity

Growing up in a small town in Jamaica, there were no such thing as fast food around every possible corner as opposed to here in America, fast food restaurants are everywhere. This is a typical reason why most American citizens, especially young people are overweight and almost obese. Don't get me wrong, fast food is delicious for the most part, cheap and quick, which benefits a typical American way of eating that is always on the go. However, if it […]

The Dangers of Fast Food

As fast food businesses continue to flourish the way that the food is being made hse become more and more unhealthy to the consumer as well as to the workers who work in the factories and the animals themselves as well. As the conglomerates continue to make close ties with political figures they can get away with more in their own business. Many legal fights began to happen over the unhealthy food that was being consumed. Problems that have arisen […]

Feeding the Destruction of the American Dream

The bad habits we create directly extended into the food industry as do our uncontrollable economic circumstances. Our purchase and consumption of certain types of foods demand the production of them, creating an endless cycle. When you don’t know how to cook, you don’t what’s in your food, you don’t know what’s healthy versus unhealthy, and/or you don’t have money you turn to cheap food. The sad thing is that today cheap food directly correlates to unhealthy food; they are […]

Should Fast Food be Banned

Fast food or junk food is food that does not have the right nutrition's for our bodies. According to Ashakiran and Deepthi R (2012), fast food contains excessive amounts of flour, sugar, fat, salt, and food additives (8). They also mentioned that it is widely popular, probably because it is easily accessible. Examples of fast food chains are McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, and even Starbucks. Other than fast food not having the right nutrition's, studies have found dangerous chemicals […]

Industry Analysis of Fast Food Industry

Researches and industrial analysis is showing that Fast Food Industry is growing exponentially. As the demand for fast foods grows, it is imperative for the captains of industry to realize the external economic factors and how they affect the industry. Furthermore, it is also important to deal with the seasonality and understands what consumers prefer. It is quite evident that technological firms have upper hand compared to those which are still operating traditionally. Industry Size and Growth Trends Fast Food […]

Fast Food in Modern World

Fast food has only been around for 100 years, yet it seems like it has been here forever. Americans have become so reliant on having quick, tasty food at their fingertips in order to match their fast paced lifestyles. As convenient and delicious as fast food is, has it benefited America as a whole? What has it done for the economy? How has it affected health? To determine whether fast food has changed America for better or for worse, it […]

The Dark Side of Fast Food

In an article, from the website She Knows which talks about all the ingredients in fast food. States that most of the ingredients in fast food we've never even heard of but we still eat it anyways. Like one of the ingredients in some fast food places chicken nuggets is a chemical preservative called Tertiary Butyl Hydroquinone which is derived from petroleum, which is used in cars. Also most employees don't get training on proper food safety so therefore they […]

What is Junk Food

Junk food refers to cheap and simple food that has very low nutritional value but very rich in calories from fat and sugar. Junk food is packaged in the form of snacks which requires little or no preparation before consumption. In a recent research carried out in the United States about their eating habits, it was deduced that the consumption of convenience, fast food and junk food was increasing dramatically where most of the Americans were found being more interested […]

Is Fast Food Tasty and Harmful

At all times people were thinking about how to eat on the run and not to stain your hands. Even in ancient Rome, commercial squares traded flat bread with vegetables, cheese and grilled meats. The pellets were used as edible plates, and bazaar visitors was spared from having to wipe their hands on togas and tunics. Over time mankind became more and more inventive. So, the creator of hot dog, a sausage dealer from Louisiana, was initially distributed gloves to […]

How Fast Food Effects on Us

Fast-food is appetizing, but is it worth consumer's health. It is no secret that fast-foods are bad for customers and can cause obesity. Obesity is defined as a person that is extremely overweight. Obesity is a serious disease that needs to be eradicated due to death tolls that occur each year. Fast-food is made of very unhealthy ingredients; consisting of by-products, fats, and steroids. Fast-food restaurants are easily accessible in communities everywhere. Therefore, even if a consumer wanted to eat […]

Obesity is Fast Food the Leading Cause

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 93.3 million adults in the United States alone were affected by obesity in 2015  ("Adult Obesity"). In today's society, obesity continues to grow, but what is the real cause? Most popular and stereotypical views on obesity assume that an unhealthy diet and food choice are the leading factors at fault for the vast majority of obesity cases, but research proves that fast food or diet (in general) is not the prime […]

What does Fast Food do to the Brain

Almost everyone on Earth has had fast food at least once in their life. Fast food is fast, tastes good, inexpensive, and is literally everywhere. Most people worry about how unhealthy fast food is, and the harm it can cause to the body. However, most people don't think about how fast food can affect and influence the human brain. As it turns out fast food affects the brain in many ways, such as our emotional state, hunger, happiness, and many […]

My Favorite Food and Childhood Memories

My favorite food since I have been very young is a hamburger topped with cheese, cooked medium rare. An obvious reason for why this would be my favorite food is the fact that a cheeseburger is the single best tasting food that has ever been prepared. There are, however, many other explanations for my choice, which are rooted in sociological factors related to the environment in which I raised. These factors have no doubt crept themselves into the subconscious of […]

Quality of Food from Fast Food Franchises

Consumers in South Africa have become increasingly aware about the food they eat from fast food franchises. The fact that there was a listeriosis outbreak earlier this year and all the scares regarding the preparation and cooking process last year has taken its toll on South African fast food franchises. Consumers are prioritizing the hygiene of their food rather than the taste. All this negative publicity has resulted in the healthier restaurants having a competitive advantage. However, fast food franchises […]

The North American Fast Food Industry

The emergence stage, or the introduction stage, is where entrepreneurial firms are seen entering the industry with hopes to one day emerge as the leader in the market. In the emergence stage, I think the North American fast food industry would have had many small competitors. Since it would have been a fairly new industry, there would have been lots of room for new entrants. Also, since it would have been the industry's early years, there would have been lots […]

Question of Breakfast Foods

Morning for me, is the gloomiest part of the day. Anyone who feels this way probably feels like they are missing hours and hours of sleep. As much as the morning stinks, it's important to wake up for breakfast. There is always that dilemma on what to make for breakfast. The hardest part on making this decision is how to be more creative when it comes to choosing food. There are a few options on which to choose, those include: […]

Demise of Public Transportation and the Rise of Fast Food

American culture revolves so heavily on cars, we do not even notice it. U.S roads and highway systems exist to move people and resources as fast as possible. Research conducted by the U.S Department of Transportation shows that "...on average, American drivers spend just under an hour driving every day.". (www.vlope.gov) yet no one asks how these roads came to be. In the 1930s the U.S experienced a upshift in the usage of cars and this boom inspired those in […]

David Zinczenko: “Don’t Blame the Eater”

In 'Don't Blame the Eater,' the editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine David Zinczenko, discusses the recent lawsuits against fast-food chains. David Zinczenko believes the fast food industry is responsible for America’s obese children and also believes fast food should come with a warning label. He shares a personal story of how he used to eat fast food twice a day and how he learned to manage his diet. Zinczenko states that before 1994, diabetes in children was provided generally caused […]

Fast Food: a Friend or Foe

Fast food is one of the worst things for yourself financially and in regards to health. There are many reasons why you should cut fast food out of your diet. For example it is cheaper to eat at home, it is safer to eat at home, and it will affect your appearance and body if you eat it all the time. First of all, it is cheaper to eat at home. According to AOL finance the average cost of fast […]

How the Growth in Fast Food Industry Today Can Lead to Obesity

In the present society, fast food has turned into a substantial piece of numerous American's lives. With the rising quantities of hefty individuals, it is hard not to draw a connection between the expansion in fast food and corpulence. Most stout individuals would prefer not to be fat and wish they could get thinner, yet they keep on struggling with their fast food admission and weight. This is because of the promoting done on the shoppers, the profoundly addictive nourishment […]

Fast Food and Cooked Meal

When cooking something wet, similar to a stew or steamed vegetables, the warmth of your cooking is constrained to the breaking point of water (100°C). In any case, with the steam's weight now the breaking point can get as high as 138°C. This higher warmth encourages the nourishment to cook quicker. Raises the weight, driving fluid into the sustenance. The caught steam builds the climatic weight inside the cooker by 15 pounds for each square inch (psi), or 15 pounds […]

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Essay About Fast Food Fast food, ruining the families of America. Wendys, Mcdonalds, Taco Bells are everywhere, seriously its like you can't go five minutes without seeing one of these places here. The truth is fast food is easy and not pricey, perfect dinner for the busy family. Fast food is destroying America by families eating too many calories causing disease, higher obesity rate, and ruining quality time with family. America has the highest obesity rate in the world. 1 in 6 people are obese and it is predicted by 2020, 75% of America is likely to be overweight or obese. That is 244,275,000 people. Fast food is one of the main reasons. Most fast food contains a large number of fats and carbs and less healthy ingredients, also fast foods have exceeding levels of sugar. One of the main reasons people cannot stop eating fast food is the low costs it is available. A diet containing 2000 calories of fast food costs much less than a diet with 2000 calories of healthy food. This makes it more affordable than going for healthy food and is a leading cause of obesity in lower-income classes. Fast food restaurants offer convenience. You can always find one close to your home and can also get food easily delivered to your house. This makes it a convenient option than making food at home using healthier ingredients. When you eat fast food you don't spend as much time with your family as you would if you were eating a home-cooked meal. It is scientifically proven that eating with your family causes you to choose better eating habits, preventing sickness. Social improvements were also linked to the frequency of family meals. Teens who ate at the family table more often were more likely to show fewer signs of depression and feel that their family was more supportive, compared with teens who dined less often at home. So even if you do decide to eat a fast food meal make sure to at least eat it with your family because it can highly affect your life. Fast food highly affects your health and not in a good way. Eating a poor diet high in junk food is linked to a higher risk of obesity, depression, digestive issues, heart disease, and stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and early death. That single fast food meal can narrow your arteries, leading to an increase in blood pressure, that's just one meal. A small study of 12 healthy young men found eating junk food for just five days led to a reduced ability of their muscles to turn glucose into energy. Over the long term, this change could lead to insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes. I don't think anybody would want to have to go through and deal with any of this. The simple fix to this is to make healthier food choices! Those were some of the main reasons why fast food is ruining America, but there are many more. It was also proof that we need to start making healthier choices because as you can see they really can impact our life. Hope you make healthy decisions!   

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In Fast Food, Worker Stress Is the Business Model

Co-published by Economic Hardship Reporting Project and Jacobin .

Inside the factory-like environment of a fast-food kitchen, sodas should be the easiest menu item to serve. At my restaurant, a pair of machines pours them automatically as soon as we enter them into the system. All an employee has to do is snap a lid over the cup rim and lay a straw in the bag.

But the customers at the suburban California McDonald’s I’ve been working at for about a week don’t know that large meals come with medium drinks. In the space of a single shift, I twice make the error of putting the order in unaltered when a customer had really wanted a large drink to go with their large meal. Customers are understandably confused. I’m not allowed to be.

“You did it again!” Tranh, the store manager, shouts with the pickup window still open and the customer within earshot. “We don’t have time!”

I’ll only work at this McDonald’s for six weeks, but every day will be like this.

Most of what I say on the job comes from a script originating in an office in Chicago. Most of my actions are equally regimented. The lunch rush starts at eleven and bleeds into the dinner rush, which continues until 8 p.m. When it’s busy, almost everything I do and say is by design. But despite my preordained speech and movements, I make mistakes.

When I make a mistake, I apologize. “It’s OK,” Olivia, one of the assistant managers, says when I find her outside during a lull in the lunch rush. “Let’s not stress. We’re getting through it.”

I had heard her say that sort of thing before, about stress. It’s the natural thing to say, and yet it bothers me to hear her say it, as if there were anything else to feel, like stress is an emotion to fight back and not a response to conditions beyond our control. It’s like saying “Let’s not get wet” before jumping into the ocean.

The Franchisee Loophole

Even before COVID, a typical suburban fast-food outlet might have earned 70 percent or more of its revenue through its drive-through window. When the pandemic hit, contact with strangers became not only undesirable but unsafe, so the industry’s architecture of fleeting interaction — drive-throughs, in-store ordering kiosks, and dedicated parking for curbside pickup — seemed prescient. People who ate fast food rarely started going often, and people who normally ordered at the counter started ordering from the safety of their cars. From 2019 to 2022 — the year of my brief tenure — drive-through orders rose 30 percent .

As drive-through traffic surged, fast-food workers were designated “essential workers” alongside nurses and doctors. But they rarely got the protective gear necessary to limit their viral exposure, and their pay remained dismally low. In response, the Fight for $15 movement saw a resurgence of worker interest in California, culminating with the state’s passage of a long-awaited minimum wage increase last September.

“In fast food, stress is not a rare condition suffered by the inexperienced. It is a constant reality for every employee.”

Yet what the movement’s leaders touted as a victory also signaled, in part, a tactical retreat. In years prior, the movement had more on its mind than wages. Fight for $15 in California had been  pressing  for new rules ensuring that large fast-food corporations would be just as liable for labor abuses as their franchisees — the independent companies that own most of the restaurants and directly employ the vast majority of the state’s half a million fast-food workers. But to pass the reform bill, legislators scrapped the proposed corporate accountability rule in favor of a minimum wage increase: $20 per hour for fast-food workers.

As the entire restaurant industry headed for its  best year  on record, fast-food outlets had promised higher pay. But they had also maintained the structure that shields large corporations from accountability over working conditions. And those corporations are writing the scripts my coworkers and I follow, the ones that induce so much stress every day.

Fast food promises to fulfill a customer’s desires in seconds flat. But companies can’t deliver on this promise of convenience unless somebody is forced to work at an unnatural and unsustainable pace. In fast food, stress is not a rare condition suffered by the inexperienced. It is a constant reality for every employee, no matter how seasoned or capable.

Without the ability to hold fast-food corporations accountable for what happens at their franchises, every instance of workplace abuse is treated like a local aberration. In reality, abuse is the business model.

Management By Stress

When fast food emerged in the 1950s and ’60s, it enticed investors with the promise of turning the restaurant business into something more like a factory, which could rely on tight labor control to achieve high output, mass production, and record profitability.

In the kitchen, signs along the point-of-sale screen list “target times” for taking an order (twenty-five seconds or less), confirming it (three seconds), and handling the payment (fifteen seconds). These numbers originate at McDonald’s’ corporate headquarters before being passed down to the franchisees, to Tranh, and to us.

The gentle phrase “target time” implies that serving eighty cars per hour on a busy day is only an expression of optimism, a goal and not a requirement. In truth, we have to serve every car, and these times are estimates of how long we have given how staffed we are. McDonald’s doesn’t have to speak in the harsh language of dictates to get its point across. It has other ways of communicating what it really wants and getting us to comply.

As the late labor organizer Mike Parker wrote in  Catalyst , in the 1980s, American automakers (taking a cue from their Japanese rivals) reduced each job on the assembly line to its base functions and rotated them between positions over the course of a shift. The “flexible work system,” as they called it, sounded good for workers — a break from the monotony and repetition of assigned, fixed posts on an assembly line. But what management presented as a perk was really just a way to de-skill and thus cheapen manufacturing labor.

As Parker wrote, illusory enticements like “flexibility” trump force as a means of controlling workers and keeping their wages down. Enticements like these are essential to a system that gets workers to fit themselves into the manufacturing process — what Parker and others called “management by stress.” It’s an affective labor management strategy that convinces workers to take the onus on themselves to complete tasks in a way that elicits rewards, not reprimands. The result is greater compliance and a faster pace, propelled by workers’ own fear of dropping the ball.

“When we won one such contest, my store got a prize basket, hat pins, and a couple minutes away from our stations to take a group photo.”

As a manufacturing industry, fast food has adopted a similar means of controlling workers. If we don’t hit “targets,” we get yelled at by managers who are just as stressed out as we are. On the flip side, the industry often subjects workers to random tests of service acumen under the guise of regional “competitions.” When we won one such contest, my store got a prize basket, hat pins, and a couple minutes away from our stations to take a group photo.

For the most reliable workers, enticements can take the form of apparent career advancement. But managerial roles are often not all they’re cracked up to be. In exchange for slightly higher pay, assistant managers can expect a job that is little different from that of an ordinary crew member, and a schedule that is more demanding and more random.

When she was promoted, Danielle, an assistant manager a few years my junior, told me that she signed an agreement promising to be available virtually any time the restaurant was open. In a workplace where people often quit unexpectedly or didn’t show up, the arrangement meant that she, like all the other assistant managers, often had to come to work on what should have been her day off.

“Move the Cars!”

Even in the space of a minute, taking orders is only half my job. Six or seven feet to the right of my screen, there’s the fry hopper — a freezer the size and shape of a home refrigerator that dispenses frozen potatoes into baskets underneath. To the left, toward me, there’s a vat of hot oil with room for four baskets, followed by a terrarium for made fries. When a customer pulls up to make an order, a bell rings in my headset and I say the standard greeting, ask if they intend to use the McDonald’s app to track their purchase, and listen to everything they ask for as I shovel fries into bags.

Before they say too much — but not before I’ve stuffed at least one bag of fries — I step over to the screen, assign the order to my lane, and punch all its components into my screen from memory. Then I ask about drinks, punch those in, ask if they want anything else, punch that in, slide right to the deep fryer,  Risky Business– style, yank a basket of fries, shake off the excess oil, slide left to the fry box, dump the hot stuff as I lean left to read the total to the customer and tell them to pull up to the first window, then lean right to drop the empty basket in the fryer, and left again to send the order up the chain with a reach and a tap with one hand while I salt and toss fries with the other.

It won’t be five seconds before the bell sounds again and I’m taking another order, but I have to make use of the time, so I go back to the hopper, the deep fryer, or, most likely, the fry box to shove fries into bags, for the last order or the next one, all while Tranh yells from behind.

“Does That Happen Here?”

I’m finally good at it, I think. The fries. It isn’t long after the thought crosses my mind that Olivia asks me to take the drive-through register at the first window.

The first window is where the two drive-through lanes converge, so I take orders for one lane but handle money for both. Most people pay in cash, so after I confirm their order (“You had . . . a Quarter Pounder with cheese, a large Coke, large fries. . .”), I take the bills, punch the amount into a screen on the right, add the money to the till, and give the customer their change — all while speaking with another customer through my headset and ringing up that order on a screen on the left.

There is joy in feeding people, some lazy, some lonely, some who want the small comforts of an ice cream cone and the briefest interaction with another person but are overwhelmed by anything more. There is also the sense of vulnerability that comes with any job facing hungry strangers. It can feel dangerous in that way — and in fact, it is dangerous to be a fast-food worker.

“A third of Los Angeles fast-food employees said there had been too few staff to work safely at some point in the past year.”

“When you get a fifty or a hundred, you want to put it away,” Olivia says, showing me how to deposit the money into a safe under the register. “Because you don’t want to get robbed.”

“Does that happen here?”

“Yes. Especially during the holidays.” According to a 2007 Bureau of Labor statistics  report , the risk of getting murdered on the job was higher for fast-food workers than for cab drivers or convenience store clerks.

When she comes back later to check on me, I ask Olivia how long she’s been at this McDonald’s. I mean how many months or years, but she takes it to be about her hours.

“Oh, you know. I’m not a single mother, but my husband is in Mexico. He was deported. So . . . ten, twelve hours, six days a week?” she says, walking off again. “I’ve got bills, you know?”

“Where the Fuck Is Your Manager?”

At home, bad memories form an indistinct morass. The good times stand alone.

During one shift at the front counter, an old man with a dirty cloth mask who looks like he’s spent the night at a bus stop approaches the register. “This man is a regular,” Danielle, another assistant manager, tells me. “Make sure the coffee is fresh brewed and fill it all the way to the rim.”

I don’t speak Spanish and Danielle is one of the few native English speakers on staff. I want her opinion on everything, and when she tells me I’m doing well, I beam.

Yet after four weeks, the constant sense of inadequacy overwhelms any sense of pride. Nearing the end of dinner one evening, I see Rosa, one of my coworkers, walk down the hall from the first window and whisper to Olivia, who promptly closes the pickup window. A minute later, a thirty-something man with a Cleveland Indians hat shoves his way past a few customers on his way to the counter.

“Where the fuck is your manager?” he yells to no one in particular. I freeze in place by the fry station. “Get my fucking order right! This is McDonald’s! Your food sucks! Your service sucks!”

“I’m the manager,” Olivia says with the confidence of someone who’s seen his type before. She walks up to the man and points to the door. “You need to leave.”

Quitting Time

It’s been a few weeks since I was at last in the kitchen. The day after I gave her my notice, Tranh had asked if I could put in two shifts per week. The store was understaffed, she said. She needed me. I agreed, reluctantly, but she never added me to the schedule.

Danielle and I converse over text. “Today was crazy. I feel like I survived a horror movie,” she says.

“It’s only Wednesday.”

“Her week had lasted sixty-five hours, and the next is likely to be just as long.”

“It’s only heat. The people come out when it’s hot. Like ants.” Her last day off was six days ago. Her next is tomorrow, then the cycle begins again, just in time for the weekend, with all its usual trials. Her week had lasted sixty-five hours, and the next is likely to be just as long.

I go over the list of old coworkers. The ones who haven’t quit are working as hard as she is, she says. “Tranh has no voice but she is still trying to yell.” There’s a divide among the staff that’s only more visible to me after leaving. Most don’t last long, but a few — the ones I worked alongside most often — have been on the job for years and seem likely to stay put, no matter how hard it gets. No matter how much they dream of leaving.

I check the forecast. It’s only April but the whole week looks hot.

“Are you nervous about the summer?” I ask.

Need for Speed

In his 1974 classic  Labor and Monopoly Capital:   The Degradation of Work in the Twentieth Century , the labor theorist Harry Braverman wrote that the assembly line’s leading advantage for manufacturing is “the control it affords over the pace of labor.” When management wants to increase the pace of the floor, it just speeds up the assembly line. Workers who can’t keep up often find themselves out of a job.

In fast food, the line of customers serves the same purpose, and, if only for that reason, the pressure to work faster seems less arbitrary. Seeing the customers’ faces is reason enough to want to help them out. It’s also why the job comes with a constant sense of inadequacy. No matter how fast workers move, a line of cars outside is always evidence they are not moving fast enough.

There are a few slow periods, when the cars are fewer, and workers can catch their breath and speak to each other. But the industry is constantly in search of ways to lure new people in to fill those gaps. Taco Bell started selling breakfast in 2014 to boost morning sales, and by 2016, breakfast made up  10 percent  of its sales. Not to be outdone, Wendy’s added a breakfast menu in 2020. As Parker writes, a common yardstick for success of a “management by stress” system is “how much waste time can be squeezed out of a job.”

The constant stress of the job is one reason employee turnover typically exceeds 100 percent in the fast-food industry. Yet a steady churn of workers conceals the fact that many stay on the job for years, often out of sheer desperation. In California, perhaps 1 to 2 percent of the industry’s workforce (more than ten thousand in all) are homeless, according to  a study  published last year. Another 10 percent have somewhere to stay but spend 70 percent or more of their household income on rent — twice the proportion of workers in other industries.

“Eight and Eight”

I pick up my last check at 9 p.m. on a Saturday night when I know the drive-through will be slower.

A few nights before, Danielle told me Tranh had been sick for two weeks now. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong. “She could be burnt out,” she said. Still, things are desperate enough that Tranh came in last week, teetering, to help Olivia write schedules.

I buy a card and a bag of dried tangerines on the way and take a seat in the dining room. I write something plain about getting better soon. I’m tempted to say I can work again, thinking maybe it’ll liven her mood. But I stop myself and end with a signature.

“I got one hour left,” Danielle says, collapsing into the bench opposite mine. “I think I’ll just hang out in back. As long as I don’t have to interact with customers.” She’s felt nauseous all day, she says. Some new people have come on and she’s had to train them. The customers have piled up. “I think I’ll call in sick tomorrow.” That sounds wise, I say. She doesn’t need my advice. “I’m going to take some time off next month, also. They said everyone’s gotta be here, all the assistant managers, but I just told them no. So what you got going tonight?”

After some prodding, I confess I might go to the Jack in the Box around the corner. Before the job, I’d been a spare fast-food patron, but after taking the job, there was a thrill to feeling the machinery of a drive-through work on my behalf. I go occasionally, during their slow hours.

“I have a friend who used to work there,” Danielle says.

“Yeah, he said they get a lot more junkies.”

“It’s 24 hours,” I say. The dining room is smaller but the drive-through is open all hours of the night, often with a line of cars that stretches beyond the parking lot entrance, like a tail wagging in the street.

“Yeah, that’s why he worked there. Here  and  there,” she says, wide-eyed. “He used to work here, a whole shift, close with me after midnight, and then he’d walk over there and do another.” There’s alarm in her voice, a recognition that a person shouldn’t have to work a job like this twice in a day. “And Rosa? You know she works sixteen-hour days. That’s what she told me yesterday. Eight and eight. She starts at 5 a.m. at her other job, she comes here, and she does another shift. And people wonder why they’re so ready to quit.”

“Who’s quitting?” Besides me, I mean.

Danielle clarified that she meant leaving at the end of their shift, not leaving the job.

She checks the clock on her phone for the third time since we started talking. Her break has ended. “I’ll get this to Tranh,” she says as she grabs my token gift and slides off the bench. She walks back to the kitchen without another word.

From Jack in the Box, it’s a 10 minute drive home, past a Popeyes and a Wendy’s, each with a few cars, waiting. When I check my calendar at home, I sigh, glad that Danielle plans to stay home tomorrow. It’s Easter Sunday. Holidays can be especially busy.

Names have been changed to protect the identity of the writer’s coworkers.

Alex Park is an independent journalist and researcher based in Oakland, California. His work has appeared in The New Republic, Al Jazeera, Jacobin, The Washington Post, and many other publications, and it’s been cited in The New York Times and TIME.

Save An Endangered Species: Journalists

Alex Park is an independent journalist and researcher based in Oakland, California. His work has appeared in The New Republic, Al Jazeera, Jacobin, The Washington Post, and many other publications, and it's been cited in The New York Times and TIME. Along with his journalism work, he’s conducted a number of research projects for various academic and non-profit groups exposing the motives, money, and power behind so-called “ethical investments” in developing countries. He’s currently working on a book about the global fast food industry.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Fast Food — Argumentative About Fast Food

Argumentative About Fast Food

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This Day In History : January 31

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First McDonald’s opens in Soviet Union

The Soviet Union’s first McDonald’s fast food restaurant opens in Moscow. Throngs of people line up to pay the equivalent of several days’ wages for Big Macs, shakes and french fries.

The appearance of this notorious symbol of capitalism and the enthusiastic reception it received from the Russian people were signs that times were changing in the Soviet Union . An American journalist on the scene reported the customers seemed most amazed at the “simple sight of polite shop workers…in this nation of commercial boorishness.” A Soviet journalist had a more practical opinion, stating that the restaurant was “the expression of America’s rationalism and pragmatism toward food.” He also noted that the “contrast with our own unrealized pretensions is both sad and challenging.”

For the average Russian customer, however, visiting the restaurant was less a political statement than an opportunity to enjoy a small pleasure in a country still reeling from disastrous economic problems and internal political turmoil.

The arrival of McDonald’s in Moscow was a small but certain sign that change was on the horizon. In fact, less than two years later, the Soviet Union ceased to exist as a nation, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as leader of the country, and various Soviet republics proclaimed their independence. As the American newsman reported, the first Russian McDonald’s customers “had seen the future, and it works, at least as far as their digestive tract.”

How McDonald’s Beat Its Early Competition and Became an Icon of Fast Food

The future fast‑food giant started out as anything but swift, serving up slow‑cooked barbecue. How did it become the behemoth it is today?

What Countries Were Part of the Soviet Union?

At its height, the USSR comprised of more than a dozen republics stretching across Europe and Asia. After the collapse, each forged a different path.

For 11 Years, the Soviet Union Had No Weekends

The experiment of a 'continuous week' was shift work, on a colossal scale. And it failed.

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Fast Food Industry: Arguments for and Against Essay

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Executive Summary

Introduction, managing expectations, managing perceptions, evaluations, list of references.

The fast food industry has experienced massive growth over the last one decade. Health experts have linked foods offered in this industry to the increasing lifestyle diseases. They argue that the industry subjects people to junk foods, causing serious health concerns in the society. Some members of the society have also associated fast food industry with a lot of social evils that make them believe that the industry should be strictly regulated through government policies. However, it is unfair to associate all the lifestyle diseases such as coronary complications and diabetes to the industry. Every type of food has its negative effects when it is consumed in large quantities. What needs to be done is to increase awareness campaigns about dangers of overconsumption of some types of food.

The role played by this industry is so vital that it would be unreasonable to propose punitive regulatory policies against it. There are those who depend a lot on this industry. Some people believe that they get maximum variety of foods they need from the fast food stores. A standard McDonald’s store will have a variety of meals to choose from, making them very popular with the youth. This industry is also known for its innovative nature. We need to promote healthy eating among members of the society. When we visit fast food stores, we should ask for healthy foods that do not pose any health risks to us. It would be okay to take some of the delicacies such as fried chicken once in a while, but it should not form the basic dish in the daily menu.

Fast food industry has experienced a massive growth over the last two decades in various countries across the world. McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Burger King, and Domino’s Pizza are some of the leading fast food restaurants that have managed to expand their operations beyond their local market. However, there has been a raging debate about the benefits and negative consequences of this industry. The controversy has been on the health consequences of the industry against some of the benefits it offers. While a section of the society believes that this industry is very beneficial, especially to those who have limited time to prepare their own meals, another section has been complaining about some of the negative health consequences and financial impact this industry has on people.

The arguments against fast food industry are just as strong as the argument for it. It is important to analyze specific facts that are put forth by the group opposed to it, and those who are in support in order to determine the relevance of the industry (Carney 1995, p. 66). Basing our arguments on business ethics, this research will analyze benefits of this industry against the negative consequences it has on people.

In a piece of research, it is always important to be able to manage expectations of the audience in order to improve chances that they will accept the findings of the research. According to Schlosser (2012, p. 25), the society is highly diversified, and when approaching specific issues, people are likely to take sides based on their feelings about the issues. Their feelings will define their expectations. For instance, those who believe that fast food industry is beneficial to them and other members of the society will expect the findings of this research to be in support of their beliefs. On the other hand, those who are opposed to the industry will expect this report to give strong points that will be against the industry.

Each of the two sides has its own reasons why it takes a specific stand on the issue, and this must be respected. However, both sides must appreciate that in research work such as this one, there will be a need to take a stand based on the findings that will be made. The findings will form the basis of evidence that will advice whether the report will support or reject specific point of reasoning.

Different people have different perceptions towards fast food industry. There are those who believe a mention of fast food industry means such delicacies as fried chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, and those other fancy foods that they enjoy taking along the city streets (Cate 2011, p. 69). This group therefore, associates this industry with fun, and it may be difficult to change their perception from this. It may be difficult to convince them that the fun they generate from such food may pose some threats to their health. On the other hand, there are those who believe that this industry is the main reason why countries like Qatar, the United States, and the United Kingdom is spending a lot in the health sector.

These extreme perceptions must be managed so that they can appreciate that in one way or the other, they may be wrong. Before getting into the evaluation of different scholarly opinions, it is strongly suggested that those who have strong beliefs over the issue should take a break and appreciate that they could be wrong. This way, it becomes easy to open a fair ground of debates over the issue.

Fast food industry has been in existence for some time now, and the recent statistics shows that it is expanding at an unprecedented rate. According to Jakle and Sculle (2002, p. 45), fast food stores have outmuscled conventional hotels that was popular before, both in the developing and developed countries. Hotels are currently considered a preserve for the rich, or those on tours. Despite massive campaigns by the medical fraternity and other members of society against fast foods, there have been no indications that people are willing to withdraw from eating such foods. They continue to ignore for reasons they believe are justifiable enough. It would be important to analyze specific reasons that make them support or denounce this industry.

Arguments for the Fast Food Industry

According to Smith (2006, p. 55), fast food industry is one of the fastest developing industries not only in the developed nations but also in the developing world. This scholar argues that for the last one decade, there has been over 70% growth of this industry worldwide. Travelers find it easy to pope into fast food stores, and so do those at work or in a picnic within the city or city suburbs. This research sought to identify specific benefits that people get from this industry, making it one of the most robust industries in many countries around the world. One of the reasons that have been cited as the reason for the growth of this industry is its convenience. In the current economy, most people find themselves working in town settings. As a result of the pressure that employers have on their employees, it becomes difficult for people to find time to rush home for lunch.

In some cases, some of these employees only have one hour or less to get their lunch. Scherer (2010, p. 53) says that ,it is during such breaks that these employees get some little time to address some personal issues, or complete some assignments that they were not able to do, just to ensure that they can beat their deadlines. For this group, what they need most is a convenient location that is near their offices, and can offer foods they need within the shortest time possible.

Such locations are definitely not hotels where they will have to wait for over 45 minutes for their meals to be ready. Fast foods offer a perfect solution to this group. With a list of foods that are always ready such as fried chicken and hamburgers, customers get to be served in less than five minutes. It would take them another five to ten munities to take such meals, and less than two minutes to pay the bill. This means that in less than twenty minutes, one would have taken lunch and would be ready to go back to their work stations (Emerson1979, p. 88). This is one of the main reasons why this industry has experienced tremendous growth.

According to Johansen (2012, p. 87), the friendly prices that fast foods offer must have been the main source of attraction, especially among the middle class people. With the ever increasing cost of living, people are looking for alternatives that would cost them less as compared to other alternatives. Smith (2012, p. 78) says that a meal that costs $ 180 in a standard hotel may probably cost $ 60 or $ 70 in some of the fast food outlets. The middle class is very sensitive about the cost they have to pay for various products. Such a massive difference in price would easily make them be drawn to fast food stores. Given the fact that they have to eat in such outlets for at least five times a week, they easily find it economical to eat at the fast food stores.

A section of the society believes that they get maximum variety of foods they need from the fast food stores. For instance, a standard McDonald’s store will have a variety of meals to choose from, making them very popular with the youth. This industry is also known for its innovative nature. While hotels tend to be conservative by preparing only those meals that are known to their customers, fast food outlets always try to bring something new into their menu. This way, they get to present a variety of meals to their customers. Some of these customers like the experience of having new types of food every time they visit these stores. This makes them anticipate for more new products on every visit they make. This has seen many people, especially the youth, flock in fast food stores.

The societal structure is changing, and some of the roles that were associated with a specific gender, have to be redefined in an environment where both parents are bread winners. The notion that women were supposed to take care of children and home, while men look for family bread is no longer in existence. Women are currently as active in the corporate world just as their male counterparts. They leave their houses in the morning, and come back in the evening as tired as their husbands. It becomes difficult for them to go to the kitchen and prepare meals for the family. Such families have found their solace in the fast food industry (Rosoman 2008, p. 97).

On their way home from work, they can easily walk into a fast food outlet and buy a complete meal for the entire family. This way, they do not have to subject themselves to a tedious task of preparing meals once they get home. Given the friendly pricing of most of the fast food stores, they find it easy to manage their budget easily, while still ensuring that every family member is pleased with the meals they get. Fast food stores have been viewed as a symbol of diversity that we currently have in our society.

The world has been turned into a global village, and it is easy to find people from various corners of the world staying within a small part of town within this country. Qatar, just like the United States, has been attracting many visitors from all parts of the world. With such diversity comes the need to have food outlets that will offer a variety of food products that would meet the diversified needs. Most of the hotels prefer sticking to specific types of food that are popular within a given region. However, giant fast food stores such McDonald’s will find it easy to prepare a variety of meals as long as there is a ready market for these foods.

This not only make such stores convenient for people, but they also act as forums where members of the society get to appreciate the diversity they have in the country. Such social forums encourage integrations among people of different cultural settings. This makes the industry an integral part of the society whose role goes beyond offering meals, but also fostering peace and unity among people from different cultural backgrounds.

Arguments against the Fast Food Industry

Fast food industry has been viewed as one of the leading health concerns in the current society. Some members of the society have also associated fast food industry with a lot of social evils that make them believe that the industry should be eliminated through government policies. It would be necessary to analyze some of the specific claims that have been made against this industry to determine if they are relevant.

According to Dalgleish (2006, p. 67), most of the foods offered in the fast food industry are associated with a series of health problem. The fast food industry offer junk food that many people prefer simply because of their tastes or the belief that they are cheap. The deep-fried chicken or meat, the hamburgers, and such other related foods are rich in calories. When taken regularly, such calories may accumulate in the body leading to serious health consequences.

Currently, the leading causes of death in the United States are the coronary related problems. Other lifestyle diseases such as diabetes are also on the rise. These diseases are directly related to the kind of meals we take, and that is why many health experts have associated them with the fast food outlets. Foods offered in these stores also pose other health problems to the innocent population (Duram 2010, p. 47). As the name suggest, most of the meals at such stores take very a short period of time to be prepared. For example, meat would be fried within the shortest period possible because of the large number of customers that have to be served.

This means that if that particular meat had some infections, then it would be easily consumed by people, a fact that puts their lives into a great danger. The main problem is that the victims do not appreciate that they are subject to some serious health problems that may affect their lifestyle. They know that these risks exist, but prefer to live in denial. This may require some interventions from the government to make the players in this industry comply with some of the standards that should be set by relevant governmental agencies on health.

Fast food industry is one of the strongest forces that lead to distortion of the traditional family structure. According to Hargreave and Hill (2001, p. 95), one of the most important moments in a family is during the meal time. It brings together all members of the family at a table, and this helps strengthen family ties. Members of the family may get to discuss other important matters after meals, and this helps in developing strong foundations for children. This way, children develop as responsible members of the society who appreciates social structures. Parents also get to understand their children, and the specific issues that may be affecting them in one way or the other.

Fast food stores are changing this attractive family structure. Parents now know that they can work till late hours, pass by a fast food outlet and buy food for the entire family. When they reach home late at night, children are always too sleepy to engage in any healthy discussion with their parents. They are forced at eat in a hurry so that they can go to bed. The parents also fail to get quality time for each other. They slowly get withdrawn from each other, and the feeling that they do not need each other starts developing in their minds. The man develops the feeling that he can do without the wife because some of the duties he expected her to address can be taken care of by these outlets. This explains why there is a consistent rise in the rates of divorce (Hayes & Laudan 2009, p. 83).

Most of the fast food stores have been associated with human rights abuse and total disregard to some of the labor laws. According to Torelli (2011, p. 77), the law defines that every American is entitled to work for 7-8 hours in a day. Any other extra hours must be treated as overtime, and such overtime must have higher remunerations. However, a recent study by Aaseng (2001, p. 68) shows that some of these fast food stores are not following this regulation. They subject their employees to poor working environment, and some are forced to be on duty for over 12 hours in a day. While some pretend to pay a little higher for the extra hours worked, most of these stores pay a flat rate even for the overtime that employees are subjected to work. In New York, there have been demonstrations by workers in this industry claiming that their rights are being violated.

In Qatar, things are not any different. Most of the fast food stores prefer employing people as casuals. They would lay them off when they realize that they have worked for them long enough to qualify for permanent employment, only to higher them latter as new employees. According to the report by Pendrys (2011, p. 96), this tactic is very common among the leading firms in this industry. In order to perfect this impunity, they have developed a strategy where their employees are paid per day. This is to confirm that they are treating these employees as casuals whose services are only needed at that moment they are within the firm. As Sacco and Schott (2011, p. 86) observe, poor pay that employees receive from their work is one of the reasons why there is social strife in parts of the society. Such cases as industrial actions have negative impact on the economy.

Some of these employees may even consider engaging in criminal acts to help them increase their income to supplement with what they get from these stores. The increasing numbers of people who visit hospital with lifestyle related diseases have overstretched capacities on most hospitals. This has lowered the quality of service delivered at such institutions.

It is clear from the discussion above that there are people who strongly believe that fast food industry is important in the normal developmental processes in our society. On the other hand, another section believes that fast food industry is associated with health problems and other social evils that make it an undesirable industry. These two factions have very strong reasons that make them believe in their stand. However, a review of both sides’ views reveals that there is some truth in what both sides say. It is a fact that some of the foods offered in the fast food outlets are junk, and therefore, pose serious health problems to the users.

These health problems not only affect the victims but also the government and public in general. When many people fall ill with some complex diseases such as heart problems, the government will be forced to spend a lot to take care of this population. Government expenditure on health sector has been increasing over the last one decade. This is closely related to the foods offered by this industry. As mentioned above, some of these foods pose serious health problems to those who consume them.

The government has the responsibility of ensuring that its citizens get access to quality medical care. Given the increasing number of those who visit hospitals with diseases related to their eating disorders, government facilities are overstretched. This makes it difficult to offer them quality healthcare. In the meantime, the number of people who will be working in the government or private institutions will be decreased. This in turn lowers the output level of the society. Ethically, this may be an unacceptable trend that this society may not tolerate.

On the other hand, it is also true that fast food stores have offered a cheap alternative to the middle class who are struggling to make ends meet. These food outlets are conveniently located along the streets, making it easy for the working class to have access to meals during lunch hours without much struggle. This industry has been very supportive to women who have gotten into the corporate world. They can now get ready meals for their families, lessening the burden of having to prepare meals on their own. In order to find a middle ground between these two contradicting arguments, there is need for a rational reasoning.

Everything when taken in excess has its negative consequences. The society needs awareness campaign to let them know the specific foods to eat in moderation to avoid any negative health consequences. This way, the society will know how to eat responsibly. When the demand for food classified as junk by medical experts reduces, these fast food stores will be forced to stock healthy foods.

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Emerson, R 1979, Fast food: The endless shakeout , Lebhar-Friedman Books, New York. Web.

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Johansen, L 2012, Fast food vindication: The story you haven’t been told , Murray Press, Los Angeles. Web.

Pendrys, E 2011, Memoirs of a fast food man , Authorhouse, New York. Web.

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Sacco, P & Schott, J 2011, Fast food dating: Your 2 cents: over one thousand served! . DoctorZed Publishing, Adelaide. Web.

Scherer, L 2010, Fast food , Greenhaven Press, Detroit. Web.

Schlosser, E 2012, Fast food nation: The dark side of the all-American meal , Mariner, Boston. Web.

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• The Fast Food Industry
• The Fast Food Danger Awareness Among the Young People
• Fast Food Restaurants and Buyers' Responsibility
• Regulation of the Fast Food Industry: Review
• The Environment of Fast Food Chains
• Fast Food's Main Detrimental Effects
• Schlosser's Articles
• Food and Its Influence on America
• Fast Food, Quick Problem Emergence, Rapid Addiction and Slow Recovery Process
• The Consequences of Fast Food
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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• http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5210-1538 Elisa Pineda 1 , 2 ,
• Jemima Stockton 3 ,
• Shaun Scholes 3 ,
• Camille Lassale 4 , 5 and
• Jennifer S Mindell 3
• 1 The George Institute for Global Health UK , Imperial College London , London , UK
• 2 School of Public Health , Imperial College London , London , UK
• 3 Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health , University College London , London , UK
• 4 Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) , Barcelona , Spain
• 5 CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN) , Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) , Madrid , Spain
• Correspondence to Dr Elisa Pineda; e.pineda{at}imperial.ac.uk

Background Obesity is influenced by a complex, multifaceted system of determinants, including the food environment. Governments need evidence to act on improving the food environment. The aim of this study was to review the evidence from spatial environmental analyses and to conduct the first series of meta-analyses to assess the impact of the retail food environment on obesity.

Methods We performed a systematic review and random-effects meta-analyses, focusing on geographical–statistical methods to assess the associations between food outlet availability and obesity. We searched OvidSP-Medline, Scielo, Scopus and Google Scholar databases up to January 2022. The search terms included spatial analysis, obesity and the retail food environment. Effect sizes were pooled by random-effects meta-analyses separately according to food outlet type and geographical and statistical measures.

Findings Of the 4118 retrieved papers, we included 103 studies. Density (n=52, 50%) and linear and logistic regressions (n=68, 66%) were the main measures used to assess the association of the food environment with obesity. Multilevel or autocorrelation analyses were used in 35 (34%) studies. Fast-food outlet proximity was positively and significantly associated with obesity (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.30, p=0.02). Fresh fruit and vegetable outlet density and supermarket proximity were inversely associated with obesity (OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90 to 0.96, p<0.001; OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.82 to 0.98, p=0.02). No significant associations were found for restaurants, convenience stores or any of the body mass index measures.

Conclusions Food outlets which sell mostly unhealthy and ultra-processed foods were associated with higher levels of obesity, while fruit and vegetable availability and supermarket accessibility, which enable healthier food access, were related to lower levels of obesity. The regulation of food outlets through zoning laws may not be enough to tackle the burden of obesity. Regulations that focus on increasing the availability of healthy food within stores and ensure overall healthy food environments require further attention.

PROSPERO registration number CRD42018111652.

• Malnutrition

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See:  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjnph-2023-000663

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WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC

The food environment is a recognised key determinant for the prevention of obesity and other diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Multiple studies have identified inconsistent findings regarding the association between elements of the retail food environment and obesity. Variability in geographical and analytical methods has been pointed out as a potential cause for these discrepancies.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

This systematic literature review and meta-analyses consolidates all the evidence and effect sizes to determine which elements of the retail food environment have the greatest impact on obesity. It stratigically considers elements of the retail food environment, along with geographical and statistical methods to provide increased statistical power, accuracy, and a comprehensive summary of findings regarding the association of the food environment with obesity.

HOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICY

The evidence generated from this systematic review and meta-analyses can serve as a foundational tool for policymakers and researchers in developing programmes and interventions for the prevention of obesity and other diet-related NCDs. This study offers a quantitative and visual guide for identifying the retail food environment elements that require greater focus in strategies aimed at tackling obesity.

Introduction

The retail food environment and obesity.

Obesity, a critical risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), is prevalent in countries across all income levels, including low-, middle- and high-income nations. 1 2 Its prevalence is shaped by a complex array of determinants, notably the retail food environment and advertising landscapes. 3 Modern food environments are marked by the widespread availability and promotion of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. 4 For instance, the increase in food retailers has contributed to a significant rise in calorie availability, facilitating greater access to a wide array of food choices. 5 To combat structural overconsumption and curb the obesity epidemic, policy interventions must be enacted, even in the face of commercial interests. However, the specific influence of food environments on obesity, as distinct from individual behaviour, remains poorly defined. 6 7 There is a scarcity of evidence identifying the exact elements of food environments that contribute to obesity and could be targeted for change. 3 4 8 This review aims to enhance understanding of the analytical methods required to dissect the various components of the modern retail food environment in relation to obesity and to assess the impact of retail food environments on obesity levels.

Analysing the retail food environment

Spatial analysis, leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has become instrumental in exploring the interplay between the environment and health outcomes. It particularly aids in investigating the food environment by mapping the locations of food stores, examining their spatial distribution and assessing their impact on obesity and population health. This approach enables the study of how the proximity and density of food outlets relative to residential areas influence access to healthy versus unhealthy food options, thereby identifying key environmental factors and protective measures against obesity through spatial patterns. 9–12

Previous literature reviews

Previous literature reviews on the relationship between the retail food environment and obesity have underscored methodological issues that may affect the analysis and interpretation of how food environments influence health and dietary outcomes. There is a recognised need for precise, comprehensive evaluations, including standardised and validated measurement techniques and diverse approaches to assessing the retail food environment, as current methods exhibit considerable variability. 12–14 Essential aspects of retail food environment research involve confirming the location and type of food outlets through store audits (ground truthing), 13 considering the confounding effects of socioeconomic status 14 15 and using longitudinal studies to observe changes in the retail food environment and dietary choices over time. 15 16

Despite numerous studies investigating the retail food environment’s impact on obesity, systematic reviews and meta-analyses are scarce. 17–20 Previous analyses have often been restricted to specific regions or populations, with limited attention to the methodologies for measuring the retail food environment. 17–20 This paper undertakes a systematic review and meta-analyses to synthesise available evidence on the retail food environment’s role in obesity and diet-related NCDs, aiming to pinpoint elements that could be targeted by policy interventions. Furthermore, it critically assesses the methodological strategies used to study the global impact of the retail food environment on obesity.

Obesity and the food environment

The food environment encompasses physical, economic, political and sociocultural factors affecting dietary choices. 21 Glanz et al. ’s 22 model suggests that dietary intake is shaped by policy, environment, individual and behavioural factors. This includes the community nutrition environment (types of food stores, locations, and availability), which in this study we refer to as the 'retail food environment'; organisational settings (neighbourhood, school, workplace); and consumer aspects (food availability, placement, pricing, promotions, nutrition labelling). Key attributes defining the food environment are geographical access, availability, affordability and advertising. 23–25 While various factors contribute to obesity, environmental and policy measures can significantly improve the food environment, leading to widespread dietary changes and reduced obesity and disease rates. 26

We performed a systematic review and meta-analyses to assess the association of the retail food environment with adult obesity and to evaluate the geographical and statistical methods used. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed ( online supplemental figure S1 ). Search results were screened by two reviewers for eligibility. The review was registered in PROSPERO as CRD42018111652.

Supplemental material

Literature search strategy.

We conducted a literature search on 31 January 2022, spanning papers published from 1946 onwards, to identify studies focusing on the impact of the retail food environment on obesity through spatial analysis. Using OvidSP-Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar databases, we structured the search around three primary themes: the retail food environment, obesity and spatial analysis. Initially, each theme was explored individually, and subsequently, we employed the ‘AND’ operator to search them concurrently. Using the Population, Intervention, Control, Outcome (PICO) framework ( online supplemental table S1 ) for eligibility assessment, 27 we considered publications examining the influence of the retail food environment on adult obesity or body mass index (BMI) for inclusion in our systematic literature review and meta-analyses.

Our literature search strategy involved MeSH words, Boolean search terms and proximity searching characters ($, *, W, #) on Medline (OvidSP, 1946–current: 31 January 2022). The terms covered diverse aspects such as buffer, chain, convenience, density variations (denoted by densit*), desert, distance, eating habits (indicated by eat$), environmental factors, farmers’ markets, fast food, geography, geolocation, geospatial analysis, GIS (geographic information systems), global, grocery stores, increase, index, location, markets, access, provision, proximity, restaurants, retail, spatial considerations, stores, supermarkets, supply, BMI (body mass index), body mass, nutrition, obesity, overweight, positional factors, weight gain and overeating. Additionally, the search extended to Scopus and Google Scholar using the query “(ALL (obesity) AND ALL (food environment OR convenience store OR food retail) AND ALL (GIS OR spatial analysis OR geographic information systems))” as of 31 January 2022.

Risk of bias and quality assessment criteria

Risk of bias and quality were evaluated using a weighted quality score derived from the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, the systematic review data collection procedures from The Guide to Community Preventive Services 28 and the food environment quality assessment by Williams et al . 29 Nine criteria were assessed: population representativeness, outcome validity, exposure representativeness, exposure source, retail food environment assessment method, physical activity assessment, study design, statistical methods and data temporality. Studies received one point for each criterion met ( online supplemental table S2 ).

Spatial and statistical methods and study design appraisal

Study design, statistical methods and models were explored and assessed according to their consideration of spatial clustering, 30 and according to their inclusion of confounders.

Meta-analysis

We performed random-effect meta-analyses to explore the link between the retail food environment and obesity, analysing data from various outlets including fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets and farmers’ markets. We evaluated the retail food environment using density, proximity and the Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI)—the ratio of unhealthy to healthy food outlets. Our analyses focused on ORs for categorical outcomes and beta-coefficients (β) for continuous variables, combining similar measures for meta-analyses. We assessed the impact of the retail food environment on adult BMI (β) and obesity prevalence (ORs), selecting the most relevant estimate from studies providing multiple results to ensure observations remained independent. Only models adjusted for confounders were included. For comparability, we considered data within 1 mile buffers or equivalent, representing walkable distances. In longitudinal studies, the most recent data were used. When results were stratified by sex and socioeconomic position (SEP), we chose observations based on the largest sample size or prioritised women and low-income groups if sizes were equal. We reported effect sizes and 95% CIs for each study, using Stata V.16.0 for all statistical analyses. 31

We retrieved 4118 studies, and after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, retained 103 articles yielding 526 data points ( online supplemental figure S1 ). These were categorised by statistical measure, geographical measure and food outlet type, with 437 data points used in meta-analyses and meta-regression. The analysis covered 16 countries, with 90% of the studies from high-income countries: 1 from Africa, 5 each from Asia, Latin America and Australia, 14 from Europe and 74 from North America, spanning from 2004 to 2021, predominantly between 2011 and 2017 (n=54, 52%) ( online supplemental table S3 ).

In terms of retail food environment measures, 52 (50%) studies evaluated density, 21 (20%) proximity, 3 (3%) both, 4 (4%) the RFEI or variants and 15 (15%) other measures like ratio and diversity. Most studies (n=77, 75%) assessed one geographical measure, 20 (19%) evaluated two and six (6%) assessed up to three. From the 526 data points that were extracted from all studies, fast-food outlets were the most examined (n=166, 32%), followed by supermarkets (n=102, 19%), restaurants (n=101, 19%) and convenience stores (n=61, 12%), fresh fruit and vegetable stores (n=17, 3%), grocery stores (n=14, 3%), specialty stores (n=8, 2%), supercentres (n=5, 1%), and farmers’ markets (n=4, 1%). A majority of the studies, 61% (n=63), accounted for walkability or physical activity as a confounder ( online supplemental table S4 ).

Associations varied by geographical area, underscoring the need for representative geographical selection. For example, Fan et al 32 found different associations between restaurants and obesity for men at the census tract level and for women at the block level. However, 64% (n=66) of studies did not perform ground truthing or verify retail food environment data ( online supplemental table S4 ).

Statistical and geographical methods

Of the studies analysed, 68 (66%) applied linear or logistic regression, while 35 (34%) used multilevel modelling or methods accounting for spatial factors and clustering ( online supplemental table S3 ). In terms of data sources for food outlet locations, 39 (38%) used government databases, 27 (26%) commercial databases, 14 (14%) conducted ground truthing, 23 (22%) employed various methods and 1 (1%) did not disclose their source. Among the studies employing multilevel modelling or spatial considerations, 26 (74%) identified positive correlations between the presence of food retailers selling foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) and obesity rates ( online supplemental table S3 ).

Study design

Of the 89 cross-sectional studies analysed, 59 (66%) discovered a correlation between obesity and food retailers specialising in unhealthy foods and beverages, such as convenience stores and fast-food outlets. Among the 14 longitudinal studies, half revealed a significant link between the presence of unhealthy food outlets and obesity (refer to online supplemental tables S3 and S4 for detailed findings).

Quality and bias assessment of studies

The mean quality score of the studies was low, at 4 out of 9 points, with the highest being 7. 33 34 Key limitations included the reliance on cross-sectional designs, the failure to account for clustering or to apply spatial methods in 30 (29%) studies, reliance on self-reported height and weight data in 34 (33%) studies and the use of inappropriate statistical methods in 43 (42%) studies ( online supplemental table S5 ). Studies deemed to have a high risk of bias were excluded from the meta-analyses.

In the meta-analyses conducted, significant heterogeneity was observed across the studies, stemming from variations in statistical methods, study designs, stratification by gender and ethnicity, geographical measures of the retail food environment, classifications of food outlets and the definitions used to measure or define obesity, thereby limiting the robustness of the pooled analyses. Despite these variances, the majority of the studies used BMI, derived from measured height and weight, as a primary indicator, reporting it either as a continuous variable (kg/m 2 ) or in categorical terms (overweight or obesity). However, there was a notable scarcity of studies disaggregating outcome data by critical demographic factors such as age group, gender, ethnicity or SEP, which is pivotal considering the diverse exposure to retail food environments experienced by these groups. 35 Results of the meta-analyses are presented below by measure of the retail food environment (ie, density and proximity) and statistical measures (ORs and Beta-coefficients─in the supplemental material).

The findings revealed that the density of fast-food outlets did not significantly influence obesity rates (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.04, p=0.18), in contrast to proximity to fast-food outlets, which showed a significant association with obesity (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.30, p=0.02) ( figure 1 ). Restaurant density’s correlation with obesity was marginally significant (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85 to 1.00, p=0.05), yet the literature lacked sufficient data to evaluate the impact of restaurant proximity ( figure 2 ). No significant relationship was identified between the density of convenience stores and obesity (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.10, p=0.64), and a similar non-significant trend was observed for proximity to convenience stores (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.11, p=0.31) ( figure 3 ).

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Fast-food outlet density and proximity and its association with obesity. REML, Restricted Maximum Likelihood.

Restaurant density and its association with obesity. REML, Restricted Maximum Likelihood.

Convenience store density and proximity and its association with obesity. REML, Restricted Maximum Likelihood.

Furthermore, supermarket density did not show a significant relationship with obesity (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.92 to 1.05, p=0.53), whereas a significant inverse relationship was evident between supermarket proximity and obesity (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.82 to 0.98, p=0.02) ( figure 4 ). An inverse association was also noted between the density of fresh fruit and vegetable stores and obesity (OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90 to 0.96, p<0.001) ( figure 5 ), though data were insufficient to assess the impact of proximity to these outlets. The RFEI did not reveal any significant associations with obesity (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.01, p=0.99) ( figure 6 ), and BMI as a continuous variable showed no association with any type of food outlet, indicating a nuanced and complex relationship between the retail food environment and obesity ( online supplemental figures S2–S7 ).

Supermarket density and proximity and its association with obesity. REML, Restricted Maximum Likelihood.

Fruit and vegetable store density and its association with obesity. REML, Restricted Maximum Likelihood.

Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) and its association with obesity. REML, Restricted Maximum Likelihood.

The results of our systematic review and meta-analyses indicate a nuanced relationship between the retail food environment and obesity. Results for the association between the retail food environment and obesity varied significantly by type of food outlet, statistical measure and geographical measure. However, the pooled effect sizes show that proximity of fast-food outlets was associated with a higher risk of obesity, while proximity of supermarkets and fresh fruit and vegetable stores was associated with a lower risk of obesity.

Previous research highlights the crucial role of fruit and vegetable availability and affordability in fostering healthy eating habits and preventing obesity and chronic diseases. 36 Conversely, fast-food outlets predominantly offer ultra-processed foods—industrially processed items rich in fat, salt and/or sugar—whose consumption is associated with increased risks of obesity and chronic conditions. 37

The observed phenomenon can be attributed to the ease of access to different types of food outlets and their impact on dietary choices. Fast-food outlets, often closer to residential areas or on the pathways from school or the office to home, provide convenient access to high-calorie, processed foods, which can contribute to higher obesity rates among nearby residents. 14 Conversely, supermarkets, which are sometimes located further from residential areas, offer a broader range of healthier food options. When supermarkets are closer, it encourages the purchase and consumption of healthier foods, potentially reducing obesity risk. 38 This highlights the significant role of the retail food environment accessibility in influencing dietary behaviours and obesity prevalence.

In addition, socioeconomic area level may play a critical role in this context by influencing both access to and choices within the retail food environment. 39 Individuals living in lower socioeconomic areas may have more limited access to supermarkets offering a variety of healthy options due to cost or proximity, leading to a reliance on closer, often less expensive fast-food outlets. 39 This disparity can result in dietary patterns that contribute to higher obesity rates in these populations, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to improve access to healthy food options across all socioeconomic groups.

Importantly, while geographical measures such as proximity and density provide insights into the retail food environment or built food environment, they do not capture the complexities within food outlets that influence consumer choices. The 'in-store food environment', encompassing product placement, promotion strategies and food layout, plays a pivotal role in shaping dietary habits. Studies have demonstrated that strategic placement of healthy food options at eye level or in prominent store locations can significantly influence consumer purchases towards healthier choices. 40–43

A comprehensive approach, addressing both the proximity of various food outlet types and the intricate details of the in-store food environment, is essential for devising effective public health interventions aimed at reducing obesity. Future research and policy efforts should consider these dimensions of the food environment to develop more nuanced and impactful strategies for obesity prevention.

The UK is a pioneer in regulating the food environment, having introduced legislation to restrict the promotion and placement of HFSS foods within retail settings, both online and physical. 44 This legislation targets the influence of food retailers on consumer choices, particularly aiming to reduce the impact of price promotions on children’s food preferences by limiting promotions and strategic placement of HFSS products. This is a crucial step in promoting healthier eating habits and combating obesity and related health issues.

Additionally, in high-income countries, zoning powers allow local authorities to regulate food outlets’ location, and healthy food carts have been effectively deployed in urban areas to increase access to nutritious food. 18

Studies on the food environment can inform the creation of improved land use and public health policies, mitigating the negative effects of local food and nutrition environments on population health 45 Effective obesity reduction efforts should include policies or regulations to limit the availability of low-quality food in neighbourhoods, schools and other sensitive areas. However, the relationship between food outlets and obesity has shown inconsistent results, underscoring the need for solid evidence to guide government actions on enhancing the food environment.

This research significantly advances the evidence 18–20 by integrating a systematic review with meta-analyses to explore the retail food environment’s influence on obesity and BMI. This dual approach, not previously used for this topic, integrates geographical and statistical analyses and offers a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between food outlet types, BMI and obesity. Furthermore, this study is distinct as it includes analyses that employ spatial methodologies to explore the retail food environment’s components and their correlation with obesity, providing a comprehensive evidence base for policy formulation aimed at enhancing public health.

Implications for policymakers and urban planners

The observed association between fast-food outlet proximity and increased obesity risk emphasises the need for zoning regulations to manage their density in residential areas, schools and communal spaces. This strategic intervention becomes crucial in mitigating the obesity crisis. Our study discerns variations in associations among different food outlet types. While proximity of fast-food outlets correlates positively with obesity, proximity of supermarkets and fresh produce stores demonstrates an inverse relationship. Urban planners can influence health outcomes by strategically placing health-promoting outlets in residential areas, aligning with the concept of fostering a ‘healthy food environment’.

Beyond reaffirming existing knowledge, our study introduces novel insights into nuanced relationships between specific food outlets and obesity risk. Policymakers and urban planners can leverage this information to refine existing zoning laws based on prevalent food outlet types.

Our analysis also reveals a gap in the assessment of in-store food environments. Policymakers should focus on internal dynamics, implementing regulations targeting the arrangement and promotion of food items within stores to encourage healthier choices. Moreover, they should engage with town planners, health professionals and community representatives to develop comprehensive strategies. Collaborative efforts can lead to urban spaces that limit the impact of detrimental food outlets and food choices while promoting health and well-being. This aligns with the broader goal of fostering healthier communities, emphasising the importance of continued research and dialogue between academia and policymakers.

Strengths and limitations

This study’s primary strength lies in its comprehensive systematic search strategy, which involved querying multiple databases, imposing no publication date restrictions and conducting searches in two languages. Additionally, it uniquely explored and assessed geographical measures and statistical methods within a systematic literature review context and conducted a risk-of-bias assessment to objectively evaluate the reviewed literature.

By incorporating spatial analysis, this study addressed gaps in previous literature by elucidating the impact of food outlets’ geographical distribution on obesity rates. This approach enabled the identification of spatial patterns and correlations potentially overlooked in traditional epidemiological studies, thereby providing insight into the obesogenic environment.

Spatial analysis also enhanced the meta-analyses by facilitating the integration and comparison of findings from studies across different geographical scales and settings, thereby bolstering the robustness of our conclusions. This rigour in methodology supported evidence synthesis, offering a detailed overview of the retail food environment’s role in obesity.

Through a detailed spatial analysis, our study not only corroborates the significance of geographical factors in obesity prevalence but also underscores the need for targeted public health interventions. By pinpointing areas with high concentrations of unhealthy food outlets relative to healthy ones, policymakers and urban planners can devise more effective strategies aimed at improving the food environment and, subsequently, public health.

However, the study has limitations. The review focused on obesity in the adult population because of the diverse reviews already focused on children, and because of the important role that adults play in food outlet selection within a family setting. Focusing on adult populations is critical for chronic disease prevention and successful ageing. Only studies based on neighbourhood, rural or urban environments were considered. Studies that did not include an objective measure of obesity such as BMI via measured height and weight were excluded. However, many studies that used BMI and other measures of diet and obesity were considered. The identified exposures, measures and outcomes included in this study were the most reported in the literature. Although this may exclude other important obesity-related outcomes (eg, adiposity, fat mass, diet), focusing on BMI and obesity allowed a wider comparison between studies and could facilitate translation into policies and actions to regulate and improve the food environment.

Despite significant methodological diversity among the studies reviewed, the literature consistently identifies the food environment as a crucial factor in preventing obesity. Regions characterised by abundant fast-food outlets, limited supermarket access and scarce fresh fruit and vegetable stores tend to have higher obesity rates. While regulating access to healthier food options is necessary, it may not suffice to combat obesity on its own. Comprehensive strategies are also needed, including regulation of the in-store availability of unhealthy foods and the promotion of a food environment that supports healthy and affordable diets.

Ethics statements

Patient consent for publication.

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Acknowledgments.

The authors wish to acknowledge Dr Clare Llewelyn and Professor Eric Brunner for their guidance and support on this study.

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Supplementary materials

Supplementary data.

This web only file has been produced by the BMJ Publishing Group from an electronic file supplied by the author(s) and has not been edited for content.

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Contributors EP designed the study, collected and analysed the data, drafted the manuscript, and was responsible for the overall content as the guarantor. JS, SS, CL and JSM drafted and revised the draft and provided statistical advice.

Funding This study was funded by CONACYT, the National Council on Science and Technology in Mexico.

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.

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