Enigmatic Horizon Staff
Fast foods in recent years, have become very popular among today’s generations especially among the young people. On an everyday basis, lots of cafe outlets and restaurant chains are opening up to meet the demands of so many people in terms of varieties. Nowadays we find fast foods even in food trucks/carts etc, where the location keeps on changing as per customer needs and exposure. Varieties of fast foods ranging from continental to Indian have evolved over the years. People go to these places to relish their taste buds, celebrating an occasion which might be marriage, birthdays, anniversaries etc or just because they enjoy eating delicious foods.
But in contrast to satisfying our appetite, fast foods actually do a lot of harm to the body if it is not consumed under control. Even young people aged less than 30 now tend to be more prone to diseases. It is being reported that 60-70% of the youth today are in high risk of getting diagnosed with heart, liver and kidney diseases, something that never occurred during our parent’s/grandparent’s generation.
Many studies have shown that eating fast foods often on a daily basis can lead to unwanted health consequences that can even lead to death. Researchers have provided evidence that consuming fast foods unmindfully can affect our cardiovascular health and it also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes
A survey was held where participants filled in questionnaires detailing their dietary habits on an everyday basis. They have reported on their specific intake of a variety of fast foods and their consumption in which the researchers have split these into three categories:
- Fried chicken
- Fried fish, Fish Sandwich, and Fried Shellfish, such as shrimp or oysters
- Other fried foods, such as French fries, Tortilla chips, or Tacos
The research team’s analysis confirmed that there was an interconnection between eating fast foods on a regular basis and an increased risk of death from any factors. The association was very confident about the cause of death that mostly occurred from factors that are related to heart problems.
Considering most factors, including lifestyle, diet quality, income and education level, the researchers found out that the participants who had reported eating at least one variety of fast food per day had an 8 percent higher risk of death than those who never consumed fast foods at all.
The researchers now looked at the food value and the impact of specific fast foods on our body. They found out that eating at least one piece of fried chicken per day has led to a 13 percent risk of death along with 12 percent higher risk of death mostly due to heart problems.
So, considering the above, fast foods have actually become a major cause of concern which has worsened the health condition over the years and it will continue to do so if we don’t improve our eating lifestyle at the earliest.
In order to stay fit and healthy in the long run we should avoid fast foods whenever possible or at least try to keep a portion control whenever we have a craving. Too much indulgence of fast foods in our day-to-day life affects our health both physically and mentally. Instead, it is important to try to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle by including lots of vegetables, fruits, dry fruits, home cooked meals with less oil and less spices, drinking plenty of water to maintain a balanced diet. In addition, it is important that we also try to maintain a hygienic routine as well, if we want to stay healthy in the long run.
