Overview
More people are overweight or obese in the United States. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the number of children 6 to 19 years-of-age who are overweight or obese has risen from 5 to 17 percent since the early 1970s, and the number of adults who are overweight rose from half to two-thirds of the population. Due to the number of fast-food chains and their proximity to most people, many have suggested a link between fast food and the rising obesity rates.
Fast Food and Obesity
A lot of fast food meals are super-sized, filled with fat and calories and a type of food eaten frequently by many people because of convenience -- there seems to be a fast-food restaurant on just about every street. Fast food can contribute to obesity, but there is not enough evidence to support a definite causal link, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. For example, obesity can be caused by other factors.
Being overweight or obese may be caused by genetics, health conditions, certain medications and living a sedentary lifestyle. However, a lack of energy balance can often cause you to be overweight or obese. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute defines energy balance as the amount of energy you take in being equal to the amount you put out. If you take in more energy from food or drinks than your body uses through breathing, digestion, and physical activity, you have a lack of balance. So if you eat a lot of fast food and are not physically active, you may gain weight.
Proximity
A study reported on the UC Berkeley News website concluded that fast food availability may be linked with the rise in obesity. According to the study, California's nearly 3 million ninth graders are 5.2 percent more likely to be obese if a fast-food chain restaurant is within a tenth of a mile of their schools. Economist and researcher Stefano Dellavigna of UC Berkeley said that this finding is important to understanding obesity. Proximity to fast food may lead to obesity because of lower food costs and self-control problems.
Eating Healthier Fast Food
If you do eat at fast-food chains, there are ways to eat healthier, according to the American Heart Association. Don't eat value-size meals, skip the sides such as fries, avoid double meat and bacon, eat grilled instead of fried chicken sandwiches, eat your sandwich open-faced so you avoid half the bun, ask for a wheat bun, avoid mayonnaise and other sauces and drink water or low-fat milk instead of sugary sodas.
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