Rapid economy development enforced people to have busy lives in all around the world. As a result, people became to prefer simple and easy life-style in various ways especially with their meals. Since then, there have been dramatic increase number of fast food industries and these the idea of "fast-foods" attract people in many ways because they are convenient. Despite the advantages of fast-food, they cause serious effect on our health. In some countries, obesity is already a major issue in society so in order to reduce obesity epidemic, governments and several health organisations works hard onto it. Recently, this obesity is not the issue just for adults, it also became one of the serious concerns for children as well.
According to Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in West Virginia, a quarter of the state’s children are obese, and the sum of obese rates (both adults and children), its nearly 35% of population. Those 35% of population are suffering from obesity and high blood pressure disease. Also, based on CDC's research, obesity epidemic is rising throughout the world and now it affects at least 300 million people in America (UK guardian news). Increased in obesity is based on their meals. In West Virginia, people prefer to eat fast-foods because they are fast and convenient, so most of them tend to have fast-food everyday without any physical exercise. Nowadays, researcher found the fact that in America, there are three most obese states where obesity rate highly increased. These states are Alabama, Mississippi and West Virginia (UK guardian news). CDC also found that there is a strong link between obesity and poverty; in fact, these three states are poorest states in America. Indeed, wealthy states such as New York or Washington, people are care about their health and they prefer to eat healthy food rather than fast-food. As they try to find healthy foods, obviously it cost much more than buying fast-foods even if it’s just same for a one meal in a day. This fact supports the result of CDC investigation through as people get a higher income; they spend more on luxurious foods and goods.
This issue is raised not only in America. In many Europe countries, the obesity also became red alert throughout the nations. Generally, people are well known that in Greece, Italy or Spain, they eat such a healthy food and have well organized diet and lifestyle. Actually, they were Mediterranean; which means eat low animal fat food and eat high in fruit, vegetables or olive oils. They shows low obesity rate and remains healthy life-style for past years. However, recently their healthy diet habit got broken due to fast-foods. In Europe, obesity epidemic increased and this is evidenced by UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation called FAO by investigated figure in Greece (NZ herald news). As fast-food industry developed rapidly, it does not only affect on adult. As I mentioned, it also cause damage to children as their tastes get used to fast-food rather than health meals. Due to this, Debra Shipley who works in a labour MP said that “fast-food industry advertises of high fat, high sugar and high salt content food and drink during pre-school children’s television”(UK guardian news). She strongly disagree with fast-food chains advertisement in school as she think young children have no understanding of the nature of advertising which object is just for a marketing and profit. Young children get addicted to the fast foods as they look delicious and this cause serious obesity issue for young. For example, in McDonald, in past, they offered a 10cent discount for petrol when customer purchases foods. They attracts customer’s attention by promoting discount voucher and for the consequences, people purchase more fast-foods than they normally bought (NZ herald news). This is an example for real advertisement strategy in cooperation’s point of view, which only concerned in profit making rather than considering customers.
Many health organisations and government now suggest various solutions to decrease obesity. Peter Wilson, senior director of Kraft foods made the challenge such as rid the recipe of trans-fat acids when manufacturing products. Also, a food and drug administration (FDA) introduced the rule that all packaged food require to attach nutrition labels. They made this regulation to avoid use of trans-fat oils, so national could reduce intake of trans-fats (US Times). In addition, Angela Sarkis, National secretary of YMCA England, she suggested that we must work with parents and teachers to create a culture of health awareness in schools and homes. Steven Walker, Anglia Ruskin University’s programmer leader said “The government must do more to extend and improve the accessibility of child and adolescent mental health services as a vital part of the response to the obesity crisis”(UK guardian news).
In conclusion, as people tend to live simple life, they are getting less concentrate on importance of health then in the past. Obviously, there are some benefits of unhealthy foods; they are fast, convenience and tasty. However in meanwhile it also could be a poison for us. Now, obesity epidemic is global warning issue and in many countries, also it affects to children seriously. There are many suggestions to reduce obesity issue and I believe we should try to think about it at least once before go to purchase McDonald’s The Boss burger combo!?!
