Kimani 1

Jane Kimani

Ms. J.Bowen

English 1101

30 March 2015

The Popularity of Fast Food Restaurants

I believe the popularity of fast food is a major cause in the decline of our nation’s

health. Almost two-thirds of Americans are considered obese according to

www.clinicaldiabetes.com, which is mainly due to our diet. High salt content in these

foods also lead to high blood pressure. An excess amount of sugars is also found in fast

food meals and can contribute to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Fast food is

putting our nation on the fast track to poor health.

Eating too much fast food leads to unhealthy weight gain. Most meals from popular

fast food chains contain 150% of your daily caloric needs. It does not take long to gain

excess weight and being obese when you eat that many calories regularly. The reduction

of eating foods with a lot of sugar could lead to weight loss. Eating too much

processed food is also another reason why we gain more weight and instead we should

take a lot of vegetables and fresh fruits. We should also eat whole grains and foods with

legumes. If you have to go to fast food restaurants, request for information on calories,

fats, and sodium. Order food low in sodium, sugars, and avoid eating cheese since it is

full of fat. Another important option is choose to drink water rather than ice tea or sodas

which have a high content of sugar.

Fast foods are very high in sodium and a high salt intake leads to high blood

pressure. High blood pressure causes stroke, seizures and fatigue. Eating too much salt

could also cause kidneys to fail. We reduce our risk by not overeating fast foods. Another

reason to reduce salt intake is by cooking whole foods at homes and avoid eating too

much restaurant fast foods. Additional reason is to check on the labels on foods when

buying and eat more fresh fruits and green vegetables.

Excess sugars are not just found in fast food sweets. Fast food fries, breads,

butters, sauces, and soft drinks all contain a lot of sugar. Too much sugar intake can

cause heart attacks and strokes. According to www.drmirkin.com, people who eat fast

food once a week increase their risk for dying of a heart attack by 20 percent. We are all

aware of the