To the editor:

Hi, my name is Amina Grozdanic and I studied the effects of fast food on us for a school project. With COVID-19 entering our lives, door-dash and other food delivery services started becoming more popular. It was a fast and convenient way to get food without leaving your house. Most of the food delivered was fast food so there was an increase in eating fast food. We know that fast food isn’t the best for our bodies but to what extent?

The fast-food idea is appealing to many. The convenience of getting your food fast and not having to leave your car or house. It also takes away the anxiety of wondering how the food will taste. Every fast food place follows the same setup and ingredients so you know what you will be getting every time. The most appealing part is the cost. You can get a whole meal for a couple of dollars instead of going to the store and spending way more money. Also, fast food places provide a lot of jobs for everyone. Especially teens who have a tricky schedule and need a part-time job. In 2015 over four million people had jobs in the fast-food industry. But it’s not all positive. With fast-food meals, you are taking in more calories than needed leading to weight gain. Constantly eating fast food and intaking more calories than needed will lead to being overweight. Around 71 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, this was determined by classifying people with a (BMI) over 25 kg/m2. While one-third of children are overweight and obese which was confirmed by a medical professional. This happens because of the increase in eating fried foods that contain 1000 times more soybean oil compared to the 1900s. Which leads to major health conditions, stroke and heart attacks included. Consuming fast foods once a week increases the risk of heart disease by 20 percent. The American Heart Association recommends that less than 6 percent of daily calories can be saturated fat. Now we know that it affects our physical health, but it also affects our mental health. People who eat food constantly are 51 percent more likely to have depression than people who don’t.

So overall fast food has many pros like the convenience and more job opportunities. While the cons are the effect on our physical and mental health. The cons outweigh the pros because of the long-term effects. So Americans should lower the amount of fast food they eat in a month to keep a healthy lifestyle. I’m not saying to give it up completely but having it in moderation can drastically improve the daily lives of Americans.

Amina Grozdanic
Lindbergh High School