The Obesity Epidemic Continues

America holds a long history of development, and advancements that allow us to be viewed as a major place of progression. Similar to our rapid developments in the realm of technology, the country is also renowned for its approach on broadly continually evolving the perception of food and the food culture. It's the home of global fast-food giants like McDonald's and KFC. While innovative ideas and solutions should \ be encouraged, there are clear negative implications of these innovations, because as we know, not all great ideas lead to the greater good of humanity. What we see today is that America is consumed with the fast-food culture that has led to many health-related problems and, most dominantly, the problem of obesity. Projected through media, predominantly Hollywood, we see the staple food of an average American to be essentially based on donuts, sandwiches, sodas, burgers, and French fries. The implication for contemporary American food culture is exhibited by the increasing percentage of obese people, health and heart-related issues, and an overall sedentary lifestyle that leads to an imbalanced and unfulfilling life.

The term ‘fast food’ was coined by McDonald’s in the 1950s, and as the term implies, it is fast, hassle free, and available on the go, perfect for people to enjoy food on the go. Over time, we see fast food culture to have become embedded in the American food culture, almost as an integral part where everyone is a consumer of it. It is interesting to see how culture, an invisible accumulation of civilization, is expressed through tangible means like food, dress, and language. Relating to the popular adage, you are what you eat, one can contend that with fast food culture dominating the American lifestyle, it impacts other aspects of the life of the Americans and, ultimately, the values in the lives of the people as well (Currie, DellaVigna and Moretti, The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity and Weight Gain).

Well, one might think of the claim that American food culture's impact on overall culture is an overestimation of the effect of dietary habits on the overall culture. However, it only takes one to look at the implications closely to see how it changes the everyday attitudes, behaviors, and lifestyle implications the embracing of fast-food culture can have on people's lives. To begin with, it has changed the regular American diet from a healthy, stable, and fresh one to a fundamentally unhealthy and fattening diet style that has negative health implications. Also, the associated efficiency of fast-food enabling people to eat and enjoy food on the go has impacted the culture of cooking and enjoying food together as friends and families, which in many ways distances people from their communities, families, and friends, where the so-called 'fast food nation' is losing out on major strands of the American culture leading to a decrease in quality of life and overall loss of cultural heritage (Schlosser).

The fast food culture that impacts the current American culture is also embedded with many technological adoptions in society. Mainly, as the automobile industry flourished in the United States, it enabled people to commute long distances and work large distances away from home, which eventually encouraged the development of faster means of getting food instead of waiting in a hotel to grab lunch or any other food item. The desire to be quick and efficient led to the development of drive-ins, where the customer wouldn't even have to leave their vehicles to grab food. While it is convenient in many ways, it steals away the opportunity from the people to sit in a hotel, perhaps to interact with their friends, colleagues, and neighbors, as verily, hotels and public places allow people to communicate and interact with each other, however, with fast food culture it restrains people from having the opportunity to interact and appreciate around each other, instead making it very systemized and efficient, at the cost of culture, interaction and ability to engage with fellow residents.

Fast food culture closely relates to people's emotions since it is seen as a way to satisfy Americans' needs. The sector has also gained more followers thanks to its appealing and eye-catching decorations that fulfill consumer expectations. Fast food outlets are another source of fierce rivalry, which has led to extensive advertising. Such marketing initiatives have also substantially impacted the fast-food culture's rising appeal. Most Americans are passionate about flashy advertisements and want to be connected to the fast-food industry (Currie, DellaVigna, and Moretti, The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity).

Also, fast food culture also relates to the historical impact of industrialization as well, with the drive for improving efficiency and maximizing the scale of production; it has led to the creation of fast-food stores that have also left drastic effects on our economy. It led to the downfall of private businesses and family-owned restaurants. All of these have succumbed to the overall monopolizing power of the fast-food industry, which, through its centralized financial gains and massive balance sheets against the small business owners, has massively advertised their food offerings, overshadowing the private businesses. This, over time, has destroyed the local businesses that celebrated local culture and brought together the local communities.

The majority of city people in America are victims of the fast food culture. People choose to consume fast food because they believe that eating is a hardship since they are too busy. In addition to being convenient, Americans also consider fast food effective and sanitary, which has led to the widespread adoption of the fast food culture. The rapidly expanding fast food sector essentially defines the American way of life. It is crucial to note that Americans perceive fast food as a framework of significance that encapsulates the American way of life. As a result, fast food culture is becoming increasingly popular nationwide.

Also, with the pervasive fast-food culture, people frequently eat outside instead of cooking their meals; this has led to the increasing shrinkage of the grocery stores and increasing grocery prices, which in turn has further contributed to encouraging people to consume fast food. As we know, a monopoly of any kind isn't appreciable; it limits the prospect of the local business organizations and family-run businesses to even having a competing chance against the larger industrial enterprises. This, in turn, impacts how Americans eat, shop, and go about their lives.

One of the noteworthy implications of embracing fast-food culture in a society is how it is consumed. The on-the-go eating style does not, in any manner, allow or encourage the enhancement of social and family ties in a community. Families and people who embrace fast food culture surrender the chances and ability to interact, leading to fewer opportunities for families and friends to sit together and enjoy contests over a table of food. In essence, fast food is increasing the distance between families and friends and is fundamentally changing the attitude and behavior towards American people's social lives.

The rising popularity of fast food in America suggests that many do not have the desire or time to prepare wholesome meals for their families. According to studies, the average American visits a fast-food restaurant four to five times weekly to eat. The Americans are observed swarming in and out of these eateries like bees in a hive, even though there is a strong presence of fat and sauces that might promote various lifestyle disorders. American principles are said to be responsible for the fast-food industry's success. American society has embraced a high-efficiency lifestyle and a fast-paced work environment.

Most Americans continue to eat fast food despite a concerted effort to raise awareness of the health risks associated with it. The excessive consumption of fast food has been linked to a number of lifestyle disorders, including obesity. The fast-food industry' extensive advertising and marketing have led to continued consumption of these meals. In essence, Americans embrace fast food as their standard diet and believe that fast food has a unique place in American culture. The Stockholm syndrome is a result of our continuous reliance on fast food. This is a paradoxical psychological phenomenon that explains circumstances in which captives show admiration and affection for their captors. American citizens are deeply psychologically imprisoned despite not being physical captives, they find themselves captives of pervasive advertisements, ubiquitous availability and affordability that leads to American Fast-food syndrome.

It is not to say that a certain food type or a certain class of food exhibits the overall cultural background and identity of the community, but what goes around it exhibits the overall cultural behavior and attitudes of the people. The whole process of making the food together as a family, the familial interaction and exchange of ideas at the dinner table, embracing and encouraging certain habits, sharing everyday experiences, and the overall moral education a person would go through while sitting at the table with their family, this all gets stolen away as a person is limited to consuming fast food items, which would normally be consumed in a vehicle, devoid of social process and interaction.

Statistically speaking, today, one in three Americans is overweight, and an estimated two in five American adults are suffering from obesity. This statistic alone tells us how fast food impacts the overall American lifestyle and culture as the worst form of nutrition. Such statistics are greatly undesirable for the nation’s collective well-being and development, and it goes to tell a lot about the impact of fast food on the life of an average American (Kulkarni).

In a nutshell, food exhibits the cultural nuances and ideals of many communities. The ubiquitous availability and embracing of fast-food items in American society also impact the overall culture. It must be noted that food consumption, aside from its nutritional benefits, is also fundamentally a social activity that must be acknowledged in terms of its considerable value offered to society. It brings and joins together communities, families, friends, and overall cultures. And when we look at food consumption habits and culture closely, we realize its impact in terms of cultural, political, social, and economic implications as well. Similar eating habits bring together people, friends, and communities and create a vibrant culture. Pervasive fast-food culture steals away the local identity of the cultures, their unique foods, and cultures, smearing them with an unhealthy lifestyle that eventually monopolizes the entire industry.

Works Cited

Currie, Janet, et al. The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity. 2009. 9 9 2022. <https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/47830>.

"The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity and Weight Gain." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 2.3 (2010): 32-63. 9 9 2022. <https://aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.2.3.32>.

Kulkarni, Karmeen D. "Food, Culture, and Diabetes in the United States." Clinical Diabetes 22.4 (2004): 190-192. 9 9 2022. <https://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/22/4/190>.

Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. n.d. 9 9 2022. <https://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/schlosser-fast.html>.