Fast food as fast way to obesity
Food is very important for the well being of human beings, but how it is processed and controlled is also very important for our survival. However, many people fail to realize that they are causing more harm than good to their body system by not paying attention to the kind of food they eat. Doctors […]
Food is very important for the well being of human beings, but how it is processed and controlled is also very important for our survival. However, many people fail to realize that they are causing more harm than good to their body system by not paying attention to the kind of food they eat. Doctors attending to Obiora sayhis major problem could be linked to the fast food he consumes to quench hunger.
Mrs. Chika Ndiokwelu, the national president of the Dieticians Association of Nigeria, has raised alarm over the increasing number of fast food joints in the country and how it could affect longevity of life. In her words, “if we consume food in its natural state, the chances of suffering from any of them are drastically reduced”. Despite all the warnings and campaign against addiction to these fast foods, it is difficult to understand why the fast food fashion is still the thing of the day despite all the scrutiny it has been under in the last two decades.
With the Nigerian fast food industry growing every year at an estimated 75per cent for adults and 55per cent of youths, many children are overweight or obese. Fast food has become a way of life for many people and definitely, a billion naira industry that those who have gone into have so far been smiling to the banks to the detriment of the millions of people.
The development of fast food into a big business started when social and economic conditions made it cheaper for people to eat outside their homes. From fried chips to burgers, fast foods are one of the world’s fastest growing food types. People prefer to buy fast foods because they are cheap, quick and promoted in such a way that they are irresistible to the consumer, neglecting that the benefits also come along with its consequences.
Dieticians say fast foods often have high content of preservatives and saturated fatty acids which can are injurious to the health in the long run. Some people still of the believe that fast food is the only way to try to help meet up with so much work schedule in today’s ever demanding society. “Anytime I am hungry, I just walk into any fast food joint and get something to eat. It is more convenient and faster, because it is already prepared; you do not have to waste your time to prepare it yourself. Though I have heard that it is not the best for our health, but then, do we have any option?” asks Amos Daniel, a banker. It is no doubt that people who work in the private sector are more prone to being addicted to fast food joints.
“Though I take fast foods, I still try to take precautions so that I do not run into any problems. It is difficult to stay away from these fast food joints as they leave no stone unturned in luring customers with delicious and alluring delicacies. Sometimes you get visitors who come in to do one or two things in the office and your best bet is the fast food joint, after all you cannot just leave them like that. It would not speak well of you,” says Adams O. Adams. Unlike Mr. Adams, Mrs. Halima Othman sees it from a different view: “in my own opinion, fast foods are harmful because of their high fat and salt cpntent. People know about the fat but are not fully aware of the harmful consequences of the salt in fast foods. They might look appealing and inviting, but they do have their negative consequences and sincerely speaking, most of the local foods on offer are not prepared well. I have tried out a number and I find out that it is better if you cook it yourself at home.”
Halima also says, “it is better to avoid buying drinks that are high in fat, sugar and salt and have low nutritional value, it is better to keep fruits and vegetables like carrots and garden eggs as snacks to resist the urge of going to a fast food joint.” For Maryam T. Danjuma, the story is not any different, according to her, “people who eat in fast food joints do not think about their health. They are just eating what tastes good. What they fail to understand is that these fast foods joints hardly care about what happens to the health, they are just interested in making their profit and would do anything to keep the customers coming in.”
Mr. Paul Henry only had this to say “the only thing I have to say on this which is directed to those who rely on these fast food, is taht over time, those who patronise them will definitely develop heart disease, type II diabetes and shortened live expectancy. I got all these from reading a book and I try to pass it on to anyone who really cares to listen.”
Mr. Bala Hussain says, “I do not patronize them because their prices are far above my income and still, they end up feeding you with unhealthy substances that could be damaging to your health”.
Mr. Ogande Pius, a dietician, told Weekly Trust on phone that “keep in mind that if you choose to rely on restaurant food for your daily meals, you might be slashing some of your life span.” Hajiya Amina Umar says, “the best and real remedy to stay healthy is to return to your kitchen and embrace good old fashioned home cooking which is a lot cheaper and more nourishing.”