By Ng Ai Loon
7 April 2011
In general, fast food can be also known as junk food, which is food that is perceived to have little or no nutritional value. A group of scientists at the Scripps Research Institute, who was study on the human eating behaviours are conducted on a study towards fast food, which is tremendously become a trend in the world. In the study, researcher divided rats into three groups and all three were given unlimited access to standard rat food. A second group was given foods like cheesecake, fatty meat, sponge cake and chocolate snacks for an hour a day while the third group was given “unlimited access” to these option. Finding shows that the rats given free access to junk food was quickly became obese and when researchers applied an electric shock to the rats’ feet in the presence of food, the rats in the first two groups were frightened away while the obese rats were not, their attention was solely focused on consuming food.
Question rise up, why did the obese rats act so differently? According to researcher observation, they found that those obese rats brains’ chemical makeup had changed and their brains need more food to trigger the release of Dopamine. Dopamine is normally acting on the sympathetic nervous system and producing effects such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. So, do you feel this is similar with the drug addiction?
No doubt, many of us know that fast food is unhealthy for our body. Fast food is fattening and fast food is dangerous. But how, people just can’t stop their desire to eating it. Moreover, why do people like to eat fast food and what make fast food restaurants really popular years after years?
Affordable? Fast food has become popular as fast food companies can provide food to customers at very low price? I don’t think it is the reason. In Malaysia, fast food is definitely not cheap, not everybody can afford to eat out at fast food outlets as the prices are even higher than preparing the meal yourself or eating at traditional food stalls. Yet, this was not the reason that makes it remain popular since many decades ago.
Convenient? Undeniably, people will look for fast food whenever they want a quick and convenient dine to filling their stomach. Just to make an example, student and worker which may consider as their supporter, hence, it is understandable for them to visits McDonalds, KFC and pizza hut rather than spending hours in the kitchen to cooking and cleaning as they do not have the luxury of time. Thus, this food which is easy to serve and supplied quickly is good for people who are already famished.
Undeniably, fast food influences our lives as well as our culture since the last few decades especially affects the most on younger generation like high school students and teenagers. According to a research paper, it stated that the relationship between fast food culture and teenagers is inseparable. McDonald, Pizza Hut and KFC are branched out in the whole world as well as Malaysia in which the number of the fast food outlets is increasing over the years.
Based on the research, approximately 23% of the population eats one of the day’s meals away from home. This phenomenon could be seen especially for high school students. Hence, it is foreseen that over the next few years, the number of people eating fast food will be even higher, particularly in urban areas. This impact on our lives as the people lifestyle will be changes, these change in eating habits may also caused the imbalance diet as well as the diabetes and obesity. Fast food, definitely failed in health inspection however, people seem to be addicted to it and can’t avoid or escape from its lure.
No doubt, people are getting influenced by the westernized culture, thus, the attitudes of eating fast food represent a popular culture which is the culture that youngster look forward to. Besides, the fast food marketing strategy in which their marketing channels like internet, promotion which often targeted on youth is the major reasons why the trend is going towards. Just look at those advertisement on internet especially from McDonalds, they are posing an image of cool and fresh. Furthermore, western country might perceive fast food as cheap or it is for low income people, however, in Malaysia, we would not feel that fast food are low class even they are cheap. In fact, some may be proud of it when they told their friends that they had fast food as their meal especially for children or even some of us. Hence, fast food is not merely food or drinks, it represent a set of popular culture, a sense of belonging as well as youngster preference entertainment. A few decades ago, people went to fast food restaurant pretty often, even until today, fast food remains to be a popular choice within the society.
Back to the point, asking people to quit fast food was just like asking people quit smoking and drinking. So, when will be the end for the glory result and outstanding achievement of fast food trend? No one knows. Probably there will be no ending and it will continuously become more brilliant in the future.
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