As most in the U.S know, fast food restaurants dominate our economy and provide tasty snacks for the average on the go working Joe, they have been proven to cause obesity which some studies find causes more deaths than smoking related illness. While some fast foods aren’t as bad as others, the general public should be conscious of the effects and possible alternatives.

Fast food joints have taken the United states by storm and have changed the world, starting with White Castle in 1921 which served (and still serves today) sliders. The chains we know today Mcdonalds, KFC, Taco Bell, Sonic, Burger King, Subway, etc. Have made getting food extremely easy and affordable, many low income families rely on fast food which are cheaper but filled with more fat and sugar than the fresh organic more expensive alternatives. Some fast food meals can reach over 1000 calories a daily serving of calories for the average adult male is 2500 calories and 2000 for the average adult women. Everyone remembers the magical moment of opening a happy meal to discover what toy we received, then devouring the chicken Mcnuggets or the small burger and then the fries but always leaving the apple because we figured we could have fruit at home. It was a once in a while special treat whether it was on a road trip, or after a PeeWee soccer game. We didn’t realise the amount of calories or what it could do to us in the future, most of us didn’t eat it enough to have effects other than a small stomach ache after we took down the food in 5 minutes, people who eat it regularly experience weight gain, cramps, shortness of breath and unable to perform basic exercise. Fast food Advertising targets children showing must have food items, toys and even videogames. It's no secret that fast food giants want kids to come to their restaurants but its crazy how far they go to do it. They advertise mainstream products with their food to show that they are “with the times” or “understand the youth”. They also appeal to romance, father son bonding, sharing school children, rivals making up, gaming, transparency, and even politics. The fast food industry has lobbyists in high levels of government trying to push the boundaries one inch at a time to reach as many people as possible. Fast food started out as an original hometown Idea and now is a generic meal that is available any time, and almost anywhere.

The person who showed the world how dangerous fast food can be is Morgan Spurlock, he ate only Mcdonald's for a month. The results were amazing, but not in the the way you would expect, he gained an insane amount of weight, suffered liver and heart damage, and even became addicted to it. By the end of the month he had gained  24.5 pounds and lost muscle mass, he was not able to perform the menial exercises and tasks that he could before.

Nutritionist recommend that you have fast food as little as possible because of the damage it can do to you. This also proves the health risks you take when you indulge in the greasy heap of deliciousness regularly. Fast food controls much of our economy and has a place in the minds of people across the globe, though it is not completely healthy it has its benefits. It is cheap and fast to get on the go. It benefits those living in poverty and those with jobs that take them to different places, such as truck drivers, policemen etc. The best those of us blessed with good living can do is try to limit our impulses to indulge, once in a while is ok but regularly can be hazardous. The fast food industry has its goods and bads, we should focus on the good and try to make it better.  The world can benefit from Fast Food if the big corporate companies took time to make the ingredients healthier and more nutritious, it would help people from around the world. Imagine healthy, nutritious and delicious cheap food! It would help us achieve an end to world hunger.

Fast Food has its ups and downs and it has room for improvement but at the moment many people who have been negatively affected by fast food only have themselves to blame, only 13% of Americans live in poverty but 33% of Americans eat fast food. There are plenty of alternatives to fast food you can make at home that are healthier. Fast food has great potential to do good and bad, if worked on properly it can be of great use to the world.