Every week, three times a week, I pick up my three-year-old stepson from preschool. In the four miles that we drive from our house to the school, we pass four or five fast food restaurants. Each and every day, he begs me to stop at McDonald's or Taco Bell to get a kid's meal so he can get a toy and claims to be hungry. Little does he know that in his generation he is 1 in 3 to develop type two diabetes throughout his life (Food Inc.). Little does he know, that those fast food companies are attempting to brain wash him to go there and buy their product, not only weekly but also daily. The cause and effects of living a fast food diet life style stretch from not having enough time or money, which leads to obesity, type two diabetes, food borne illnesses and so much more. .
These days, time is money and no one has enough of either of those. The average American doesn't stop throughout their normal day, especially for time to cook a healthy meal and eat it. People turn towards Fast Food as an outlet to feed their families for a cheap price, while still making sure that everyone goes to bed with a full stomach. Plus, the convenience of being able to not have to get out of your car and be given your meal on the go, taking maybe only three to five minutes out of your day. I get it. It's hard to make time and enough money to eat healthy, but people don't even realize what they are consuming.
In an average lunch at McDonald's you are probably unaware that your double cheeseburger and large French fries are together 820 calories (Source D). Add a large soda to that and put an extra 500 calories to the mix. Right there alone, you are at 62% of your needed calorie intake for the entire day, as a twenty year old (Source E). Add to that breakfast, snack and a normal size dinner and you are already creating a pattern for yourself to become overweight. Not to mention the crazy high sugar intake you receive from these meals.
