The Negatives of Fast Food

ByEric R. Boehrnsen

Introduction

• Fast food chains are located throughout our modern world

• Champaign alone has 100 fast food restaurants, offering tacos, pizza, burgers, and sandwiches

• This presentation will show the negative aspects of fast food, looking primarily at McDonalds

Cost and Quantity

Berkots • Ground Chuck 1lb= $ 2.69

McDonalds • 1lb worth of Mcdoubles=

$3.21

McDonalds prides it self on affordable food to it is customers. However when buying the same amount of beef from a grocery store. McDonald's actually cost 52 cents more per pound.

Portions-Meat

• According to mypramid.gov the daily recommend serving size of meat is 5 oz per day.

• McDonald's only offers two hamburger based menu options that equal this amount, the single hamburger and cheeseburger.

• A single hamburger provides 3.5 oz-the least• The Angus Deluxe provides 11.1 oz- the most

Hamburger VS Angus Deluxe

3.5 oz 250 calories 11.1 oz 750 calories

Salt Salt Salt

• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that Americans consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.

• The Big Mac value meal at medium size alone contains 1320 mg of sodium. The Big Mac Meal alone contains over 1000 mg of sodium.

Fast Food & Health-Nutrients

• Research conducted by (Bowman & Vinyard, 2004) found that fast food consumption is associated with low amounts of essential micronutrients density in addition with frequent fast food consumption is related to weight gain.

Fast Food & Health-Healthier Choices?

• Fast food chains have been trying to be more health consensus about the food obtains that they can provide their customers.

• McDonalds offers: Salads and oatmeal as alternatives from the burgers at lunch and the Mcgriddle at breakfast time.

• However lets take a closer look

Healthier Choices? Cont

• Salad-The premium southwest salad with crispy chicken contains 430 calories of which 180 comes from fat. And contains an astonishing 920 mg of sodium.

• When salad dressing is added the caloric intake can increase from 470-620. The sodium content can increase from 1260-1650mg.

Healthier Choices? Cont

• Oatmeal- The oatmeal option at McDonald's sounds like healthier option but at a closer look it was to good to be true.

• The oatmeal option purchased from McDonalds plan contains 190 calories and 140 mg of sodium. When compared to Quaker oatmeal which only contains only 150 calories and 0 mg of sodium. Quaker oatmeal also contains 1 more gram of fiber.

Fast Food & Children

• McDonalds uses product placement with toys and cartoons to attract children (Nestle, 2006).

• The toys and the play place are was of attracting the youth to want to go there.

• They offer meals just for children with “healthy menu alternatives”

• The child size coca-cola contains 110 calories and 5 mg of sodium, the 1% low fat chocolate milk contains 170 calories and 150mg of sodium

Conclusion

• Although Fast Food consumption can not be solely based on the obesity epidemic plaguing our youth and country, it is clearly a focal point that must be addressed to help curve this problem.

Class Discussion

• Has this information changed your mind or opinion on fast food

• What are healthy options if you have to eat fast food

• What about the issue of food safety-such as sanitary conditions

Resources • Bowman, S., & Vinyard, B. (2004). Fast Food Consumption of U.S.

Adults: Impact on Energy and Nutrient Intakes and Overweight Status. Journal of the American College of Nutrition , 163-168.

• Nestle, M. (2006). Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity-A Matter of Policy. The New England Journal of Medicine , 2527-2529.

• U.S Government. (n.d.). http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html. Retrieved 2011, from Mypramid.gov: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010). Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Washington D.C: U.S. Government Printing Office.

• Yellow Pages. (2010). Yellow Pages. Champaign: DEX.