Secondary School Level

We live in a fast world...and have no time .. .not even to fulfill our basic need .. .Food. This is where fast food steps in. Fast food is any food that is quick, convenient, and usually inexpensive and typically refers to food sold in a restaurant and /or served to the customer in a packaged

form for take away. It's cheap, convenient and often indulgently delicious. These foods are often sky-high in calories, saturated fat and sodium that can make us fatter, clog our arteries and send our blood pressure soaring. Not only does it feed and fill us quickly; there are scientific indications that it could end up killing us just as fast.

Although fast-food restaurants are often viewed as a representation of modem technology, the concept of "ready-cooked food to go" is as old as cities themselves; unique variations are historical in various cultures. Ancient Romans had bread-and-olive stands; East Asian cultures feature noodles' shops. Flat-bread and falafel are ubiquitous in the Middle East. Popular Indian fast food delicacies include samosa, vada-pav, bhelpuri, papri chat and panipuri. In modem times, fast food has acquired a new face. Shops lined with colourful pictures of burgers, pizzas, fries, hotdogs and the likes pull one and all.

One of the largest influences on children, teenagers and even adults is the eating of cookies, candy, chocolate, soft drinks, snack cakes, potato chips and so on. The marketing of these products has created a nutrition nightmare. It can't be any coincidence that ever since the popularity of fast food chains like Burger King, McDonalds and Wendy's gained that the average teenager is 9 to 18 kg heavier than they were 40 years ago. Obesity, today, has assumed epidemic proportions in the world. It's an epidemic that has grown side by side with the fast food industry.

Various reasons can be attributed to the growth of this menace. If advertising has been vigorous, it is also because an average family was ready to fall prey to it. With both parents working, there has been lesser time to cook and sit down to a home meal. It makes sense to grab a quick bite outside and save time. Children, teenagers and professionals too find it hard to resist the temptation or fad that the marketing of these products has created.

Yet, we need to wake up to the damage already caused. Forty years of fast food eating has finally caught up with us. The hypertension, sugar related problems, heart diseases, high cholesterol and obesity related problems have taken a toll on the health of mankind.. we have to find a way out and there is every reason to believe that there is a way out. Advertisements will never go away from television but if we make it "once in-a-while treat" instead of something regular, maybe that would help. If we would just take time to be more aware of what we eat and work at improving our eating habits, it will make a difference in the long run. We also have a responsibility to take care of our bodies through exercise, getting proper rest and making sure we have the right nutrients into our system daily.

To put the picture in the correct perspective, there is no such thing as a "bad" food. All foods can fit into a healthy meal plan! Even eating fast food once in a while is not going to cause problems. It is in our hands to choose a healthier fast food which keeps our taste buds tingling and our heart ticking.