Free «Reasons for Fast Food's Popularity» Essay

Introduction

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Research, one-third part of all American diets comprises the junk food (National Center for Health Statistics, 1994) - a shocking figure! Naturally, as a consequence, illnesses have skyrocketed. This leaves one apparent question- Why do so many people make a decision to purchase junk food? This paper is meant to provide the answer to this question and to analyze the causes of exaggerated fast food consumption.

Thesis statement: The consumption of too much junk food is caused by the following factors: convenience of snack food, wide-spread advertisements that grab consumers’ attention, right and left and, finally, a lack of self-discipline in comparison to the previous generations.

Convenience of Junk Food

Humans usually choose to eat junk food merely due to the fact that it is convenient. This type of food fits perfectly with current hurried lifestyle. Many people today are working long hours or extended school days. Society today is so fast emerging that it leaves barely any time to boil and fry a home-made and healthful meal. Women are working as much as men today and they have practically no time to find components and prepare family meals. Therefore, humans pick foods, which are fast, easy and convenient (Diani, 2007) – and which are often the most nutrient lacking. So, the entire change in the lifestyle- together with the convenience of junk food -leads to the exaggerated consumption of these unhealthy products.

Junk Food Advertisements

Fast food marketers promote the product with the help of any and every means possible, counting television commercials, radio spots, Web pop-up advertisements, and even with the help of vending machines at schools (O'Neill, 2006). Many of these ads comprise subconscious messages or imagery. All people know how it happens. You listen to the song and later find yourself unconsciously singing the same melody. Even if you do not know the name and author of the song, the brain captures it on an unconscious level. It is the same outcome, which fast food marketers are counting for. And it is working, especially with children. Due to the wide-spread ads, people consume fast food again and again.

Shortage of the Self-discipline

Current generation obviously lacks some self-discipline. This generation is one of a little bit weaker character. They have never faced  the Great Depression or two world wars, and therefore, lack the internal strength and determination of the previous generations. Many people entirely acknowledge the health implications of consuming a lot of junk food, yet they eat it anyway since they lack discipline. This lack of self-discipline ultimately leads to the regular fast food consumption.

Conclusion

In current era of convenience, snack food needs no introduction. Everybody from a two-year-old child to a sixty-year-old grandpa appears to be enjoying it. Yes, it is delicious, it is filling, it is actually reasonably priced, and readily accessible any time of a day, being merely a drive through a call away. However, snack food is not nutritionally balanced and, thus, harmful if eaten systematically. It may cause heart illnesses, obesity, diabetes and many other problems. It is interesting, what stimulates people  to make a decision to consume this extremely unhealthy and even dangerous food? There are three major causes why junk food is so widely purchased. Many individuals could simply identify the first two, whilst being basically unaware to the third cause. The consumption of too much fast food is caused by these factors: convenience, advertisements, and a lack of discipline. The change of lifestyle combined with the recognized convenience of junk food is the major cause of exaggerated fast food consumption. At the same time, snack food marketers never miss a chance to promote these unhealthy products. And, finally, the shortage of discipline in comparison to the previous generations follows by the regular fast food consumption.