22
ADDICT ON EXAMINING THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAST FOOD’S POPULARITY IN AMERICA http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/156568

America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

An in-depth look at America's unheathy obsession with fast food and how the negative effects reach farther than just the individual.

Citation preview

Page 1: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

ADDICT ON

EXAMINING THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAST FOOD’S POPULARITY IN AMERICA

http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/156568

Page 2: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

The process of fast food

The fi rst step in researching fast food popularity should be understanding fast food in general, and how it makes it’s way to your plate, this process will

follow the typical McDonald’s hamburger. Your burger begins where you might expect, with a cow, only this cow isn’t on a “farm” in the traditional sense

of the word, it comes from an industrial feed lot where it is fed a diet of grains as well as antibiotics and hormones to stop the spread of infections and

promote rapid weight gain, respectively. After the cow has reached a specifi c weight it’s sent off to a processing plant, McDonald’s has 6 in total-the

largest being in Tulsa, OK, where it is turned into a meat patty. From there it travels to a distribution center where all the supplies for any number of Mc-

Donald’s in an area are kept before it fi nally reaches your neighborhood location and ultimately your stomach, the entire process usually takes around 3

weeks. And if we look back to the origin of the bun that your burger sits between, a large majority of the ingredients in the bun (and many of McDonald’s

other products) are rendered from corn. This corn is grown on massive plots of land in Iowa from genetically modifi ed seeds which ensure the highest

yield from each crop but leave us with literally tons of genetically identical corn and nutrient-depleted soil.

Page 3: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Which means by the time this burger gets to you in Knoxville, it has travelled nearly 800 miles

after the initial trip from either the feed lot or

corn fi eld.

And it’s at least 21 days old,

It is, on average, made up of about 12 diff erent cows (or as

many as 100).

And it’s so full of preservatives that people have reported buy-

ing McDonald’s hamburgers that show little sign of decay after

months of sitting out at room temperature. The Happy Meal pic-

tured to the right was 137 days old when the picture was taken.

792.4 miles

http://www.geekosystem.com/mcdonalds-happy-meal-preservatives-before-after/

Page 4: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Why do you think you eat fast food?

To understand why fast food is so popular in America we must

fi rst understand what it is that makes America diff erent. We’ll

begin by understanding why American’s say they eat fast food.

The graph to the right shows the results of a 2006 study by the

American Dietetic Association where fast food patrons were

asked to indicate how much they agreed with each statement

about why they ate fast food. A few of the top answers are

shown.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/sep/28/rebuilt-mcdonalds-on-strip-ushers-in-corridor/

Page 5: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Quick

Easy to get

Tastey

Inexpensive

Too busy

Nutritious

92.3%

80.1%

69.2%

63.6%

53.2%

20.6%

-American Dietetic Association

Page 6: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Fast food companies purposely place their restau-

rants at busy intersections and directly off highway

exits to target time-crunched customers and, more

importantly, the typical middle class American.

By targeting children with mascots and toys, fast food

companies are able to establish a stronger customer

base that will last a lifetime.

“Low prices, convenience and free toys target the middle

class-especially budget-conscious, hurried parents-

very well.”-J. Paul Leigh, professor of public

health sciences at UC Davis

What makes you eat fast food

http://www.masterfi le.com

http://www.dumbblondediaries.com/2012/08/my-happy-meal.html

Page 7: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

25% of Americans admit to eating fast food daily, with

McDonald’s feeding 46 million people daily worldwide.

That’s more than the population of Texas and New York

combined.

It is also the same number as the current, record-high,

of people in the U.S. currently on food stamps.

http://www.nydailynews.com

Page 8: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Fun Facts: America Edition

South Korea

Greece

Poland

Israel

Turkey

United States

Mexico

Hungary

Spain

Japan

Itay

Canada

Britain

Germany

France

Sweden

Norway

Netherlands

10 20 30 40 50

Statistically, the U.S. is in the top 25% in number of hours worked per week among the hardest working nations

Add to that, 3 out 4 men and 2 out of 3 women work in the U.S., on par with the highest rates worldwide.

Today’s Americans are working more today than they have in previous decades, additionally, the proportion of Americans in the

workforce is higher now than ever before. Recalling the earlier study where over half of fast food patrons said one of the reasons

they eat fast food is because they feel they are too busy to cook, it’s not hard to imagine how fast food has become a staple of many

Americans’ diets.

Page 9: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

DAIL

Y CA

LORI

C IN

TAKE

USA

Europe

Asia

South America

Sub-Saharan Africa

American’s also have the highest caloric con-

sumption of any other nation on Earth, with

the average American taking in nearly twice

the recommended amount of daily calories.

This graph represents the average daily con-

sumption versus the recommended 2000 kcal.

3600 kcal

3400 kcal

2800 kcal2650 kcal

2200 kcal

Page 10: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Worth noting, the worldwide average for McDonald’s is 5 restaurants per one million people.This number varies by country:

UK: 21/mpFrance: 18/mpGermany: 15/mpPoland: 5/mpMexico: 3/mpChina: .5/mpAfrica: 150 total

Fun Facts: America Edition

=1 million people

Page 11: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

In the U.S., there are 47 McDonald’s per one million people.

Page 12: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Food Culture: The Missing Link

While many countries pride themselves on their food culture and the unique regionality of it, American food culture is marked more by regional fast

food chains or things like Southern comfort food such as fried chicken. The lack of a food culture is a cornerstone in fast food’s popularity. It feeds from

this gap in our culture and fi lls the void with fast, relatively cheap, food by-products and fi nishes it off with a small toy in a box.

Page 13: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

The typical image of the family dinner where everyone eats the same, nutritious dish prepared by your mother has been replaced

by frozen dinners eaten in silence on the couch, or each member of the family shuffl ing in and out of the kitchen at diff erent times

preparing diff erent meals, or running out to the nearest fast food chain and picking up a family meal deal. The loss of the family meal

can be connected to the markedly high popularity of fast food in America, and it all stems from a lack luster food culture.

Freedom From Want

credit: Norman Rockwell

Page 14: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Education and access: A tale of two failures

Another potential contributing factor to fast food’s popular-

ity is the fact that many people do not fully understand how

unhealthy fast food is, how addicting it can be, how expensive

it is (both to the customer and society), or they simply do not

have access to more nutritious options, living in what is often

referred to as a “food desert.”

http://gawker.com/happy-meals/

Page 15: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Double Cheeseburger Combo

Price: $3.15 (before tax)

1 double cheeseburger

1 order of medium french fries

1 medium Coke

Calories

Fat

Sodium

Sugar

Cholesterol

1030 kcal (52%)

42g (65%)

1335mg (56%)

65g (201%)

80mg (27%)

After only one typical meal at McDonald’s you have already consumed half your daily calo-

ries, 2/3 of your daily fat intake, and twice the amount of recommended sugar. All of this

depending upon you not getting a larger size, refi lling your drink, or adding any other top-

pings or side items.

Keeping in mind that the average American consumes

3600 calories daily (almost twice the recommended

amount) pictured to the right is a typical combo from

McDonald’s with it’s nutritional information.

http://www.ranker.com/list/mcdonald_s-secret-menu-items/secret-menu-items

Page 16: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Education and access: A tale of two failures

According to the USDA, even on a “Liberal plan,” the average family of 4

can sustain a nutritious diet from a traditional grocery store for less than

what the average family of 4 would spend eating at McDonald’s 3 times

a day, 7 days a week.

While looking through a short term lens, eating fast food is

relatively cheap. The combo meal mentioned earlier only cost

$3.15 before tax. Not bad for a full meal that packs more than

its fair share of calories, fat, and sugar. But how does it com-

pare to traditional grocery shopping?

With this information we now know that a dollar spent at a

traditional grocery store can be worth literally 250% more

than a dollar spent at McDonald’s.

Value of $1 USD at

traditional grocery storeValue of $1 USD at

McDonald’s

Page 17: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Total full-time workers in the U.S. : 109,459,000

Total who are obese/over-

weight/chronic condition :

93,040,150 (85%)

42%

hig

her h

ealth

car

e co

sts

$153

,000

,000

,000

loss

ann

ually

Although fast food isn’t a sole cause of obesity in America it is a contributing factor that is

undeniably tied to the current obesity epidemic. Of the 109,459,000 Americans classifi ed

as “full-time” workers, 93,040,150 of them are considered overweight/obese, or suff er

from a chronic condition related to the two (high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke),

which equates to roughly 85%. Researchers have also found that companies spend 42%

more on these workers in health costs, and that collectively these workers miss 450 mil-

lion more days of work a year than their healthy coworkers. This equates out to a $153

billion loss for companies annually. (Huffi ngton Post, Gallup Poll)

SOCI

ETAL

COS

T OF

OBE

SITY

Page 18: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

The USDA defi nes a “food desert” as a low-income census tract where a substantial number or share of residents has

low access to a supermarket or large grocery store:

-To qualify as a “low-income community,” a census tract must have either: 1) a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, OR

2) a median family income at or below 80 percent of the area’s median family income;

-To qualify as a “low-access community,” at least 500 people and/or at least 33 percent of the census tract’s population

must reside more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store (for rural census tracts, the distance is more

than 10 miles).`

Education and access: A tale of two failures

Page 19: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

USDA map depicting areas classifi ed as “food deserts” around Knoxville. Statistically, 1 out of 3 people in Knoxville live in a food

desert. The dark area on the map is the UT campus.

www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-desert-locator.aspx

Page 20: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

NOTES: 1. UT dining halls are not shown because not all students can access dining halls unless a meal plan has been purchased.

2. Some locations, like the University Center and Presidential Court, are marked by a single dot although they off er anywhere from

3-10 diff erent fast food options. 3. The blue arrow represents a drive to Walmart, approximately a 15 minute drive on I-40 from

campus. 4. Times shown are referenced from Morrill Hall on campus.

The map to the right shows the options a typi-

cal UT student has for where to eat on any given

day around campus. Red dots represent fast food

chains or convenience stores where food items

can be purchased, and blue dots show full size

super markets.

In total there are over 45 locations2 within walk-

ing distance that serve either fast food or pre-

packaged/processed foods. Other contributing

factors to fast food’s popularity on UT’s campus:

• many students don’t own cars

• students feel they don’t have time to go gro-

cery shopping

• a majority of student’s living on campus do

not have the storage space to hold the neces-

sary amount of food for one person.

g

-

o

-

15 minutes

40 minutes via Rt. 11

1 hour

2 hours 45 minutes

10 minutes

22 minutes via Rt. 11

25 minutes

1 hour 15 minutes

Education and access: A tale of two failures

Page 21: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

Pilot

Sunspot

Cookout

Tiger Mart

Jason’s Deli

Penn Station

Wing Zone

Oscar’s Tacos

Domino’s

Zaxby’s

Mellow Mushroom

Starbucks

Rocky Top Market

Panera

Whiskey Dix

Roaming Gnome

Nori Sushi

Taco Bell

Tin Roof

House of Dragon

Jimmy John’s

Oscar’s

Papa John’s

Cool Beans

Goal Post Tavern

Half Barrel

Hibachi Factory

Wendy’s

Moe’s

Copper Cellar

Walgreen’s

Ooga Mooga’s

McDonald’s

Firehouse

Noodles & Company

Chipotle

Gus’s Good Times Deli

Quizno’s

Presidential Court

Smoothie King

Einstein’s (A+A)

Hess Grocery

Hodges Library

Einstein’s (Haslam)

University Center

Food City

Kroger

Walmart3

5 minutes

20 minutes via Rt. 11 to Rt. 13

15 minutes

30 minutes

Page 22: America's Addiction: Examining the Consequences of Fast Food's Popularity in America

References:

Berman, Jillian. “Obesity Costs U.S. Companies Billions In Lost Productivity: Gallup.” The Huffi ngton Post. TheHuffi ngtonPost.com, 17 Oct. 2011. Web. 05

Feb. 2013.

De Vogli, Roberto, Anne Kouvonen, and David Gimeno. “‘Globesization’: Ecological Evidence on the Relationship between Fast Food Outlets and Obesity

among 26 Advanced Economies.” Critical Public Health 21.4 (2011): 395-402. Print.

Dray, Sarah. “What Is Average Caloric Intake of People?” LIVESTRONG.COM. Livestrong, 24 July 2011. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.

Hitti, Miranda. “Top 11 Reasons For Fast Food’s Popularity.” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 3 Dec. 2008. Web. 28 Jan. 2013.

“Home :: McDonalds.com.” Home :: McDonalds.com. McDonald’s Inc, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2013.

Marlar, Jenny. “U.S. Payroll to Population Rate at 45.7% in October.” Gallup.com. Gallup, 2 Nov. 2012. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.

“Meat Your Protein Partner! OSI Group Execs Talk R&D, Culinary TrendsFind out in Food for Thought. A Product Developer’s Perspective on Trends, Tech-

nologies, and More. .” Fast Food’s Popularity Among Lower- and Middle-income Families. Prepared Foods Network, 2 Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.

“Putting in the Hours.” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 16 Apr. 2008. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.

USDA. “Offi cial USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food at Home at Four Levels.” Http://www.cnpp.usda.gov. USDA, 1 Feb. 2012. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.

USDA. “USDA Food Desert Locator.” USDA Economic Research Service. v, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2013.