Due to the busy lifestyles of two income households, the demand for quick and easy microwaveable food, fast food and snack foods have increased drastically. It is estimated that 22 million of the world’s children under 5 are overweight or obese and approximately one in four American children are overweight.

Perhaps the advertising of fast foods, and busy life styles has contributed to this. Given our fondness for fast food (an ever-growing fondness, due to ever-busier lives) and our tendency to “supersize,” it’s easy to imagine that caloric intake is the crux of the obesity problem. Along with our lack of physical activity comes the convenience of fast food. It’s important to move away from all those ready-to-eat processed foods which contain almost no nutritional value (and are actually breaking the body down) and head instead to fresh, healthy foods.

First and foremost, require that your child finish his or her healthy meal before any “treat” type foods are made available. Stock your refrigerator with low-fat milk, water, or fruit juices made from real fruit. A healthy breakfast of milk with wholemeal wheat biscuits and a fruit is a good start for the day.

Try some of these ideas for school lunches and snacks: baby carrots rather than chips, fruit cups, turkey sandwiches cut in fun shapes on whole grain bread. It’s simply not an option to choose those refined sugar-loaded gummy bears when gummy fruit juice snacks in every shape and size are a mere isle or two away. Also, lets bring vegetables and fruit back into our lives. Does your family have five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily?

The benefits to physical exercise are extremely important as well, as it will reduce the risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, along with reducing or maintaining body weight. Since overweight children often avoid playing with other children because of the teasing and tormenting they receive, you may need to exercise with your child. Children are overweight because they eat inappropriate amounts and types of food and they don’t exercise enough. Plan a regiment of exercise with your child that is fun and stimulating like brisk walks, bicycle rides, hiking or swimming.

With bad eating habits, a fatty diet and some hereditary influence some kids are doomed to battle childhood obesity late into their twenties. If the family as a whole learns about healthy eating and cooks new healthy recipes together, kids won’t feel they are being singled out. Take a long term approach – healthy lifestyles develop slowly over time, and remember, your kids watch you and learn from your example.

Your family is not alone if most of your meals consist of pizza, burgers, and chicken purchased at fast food chains. You can’t drive down a street without seeing a fast food place, and it’s that convenience they rely on. With our fast-paced lives, it is easy to make a stop at a drive-thru window, as opposed to going home at the end of the day and making a meal. With this mindset, it’s no wonder that obesity is a huge problem facing a great deal of families these days, as fast food is usually full of fat and salt, not to mention lacking in vitamins and minerals.

There are many alternatives, however, which are much healthier and are still as convenient as going through a drive-thru window at your favorite fast food restaurant. More and more food companies are making ready to eat meals, or at least ready to heat meals, which are much healthier and provide more variety than relying on that burger place down the road when you’re short on time. Check out your grocer’s freezer section, and make sure to go down the prepared food aisle. By making one trip to the grocery store, rather than several trips to the local fast food establishment, you can save money on gas as well. Your budget and your family, and perhaps your waistline, will thank you for choosing this route.

Sometimes, though, there really is no choice but to eat out. Thankfully, restaurants are attempting to provide more healthful choices besides the standard burger and French fries. It is not uncommon to have a choice of a side salad, baked potato, or even baked potato chips to replace your fries. They also offer full-size salads, which are definitely more healthful, as long as you don’t go overboard on the toppings! If you’re tired of burgers, you could always try the grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps, or deli style sandwiches, which are often lower in fat. But it’s still a good idea to limit your fast food meals to special treats, as nothing really replaces the nutrition of a home cooked meal.

By choosing to prepare a home cooked meal for your family, not only will you be doing something to stem the obesity epidemic in this country, you will also be getting to spend valuable time with them. Think of how much more fun it is to sit around a table and talk about your day, rather than standing in line or waiting in your car at a fast food place. By being more proactive in your approach to meals, you will be able to provide more healthful choices, and possibly get in some valuable together time you might miss out on. It’s really a win-win situation all around, so it can’t hurt to stop by your local grocer and see what they have to offer.

1. Fast food has a very high energy density. About 65 percent higher than a typical diet and twice as high as recommended healthy diets which makes us eat more than we otherwise would. Energy density refers to the amount of calories an item of food contains in relation to its weight. Foods with a high energy density confuse the brain’s control systems for appetite, which are based solely on portion size.

2. British researchers from the Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Center and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have determined that repeated eating at McDonald’s or KFC or Burger King, people are more likely to gain weight and become obese. This is because fast food not only contains many more calories than traditional food, but also is more likely to undermine normal appetite control systems.

3. By eating a Big Mac and fries, the body consumes almost twice as many calories as you would if you ate the same weight of pasta and salad. Fast Food restaurants feed the obesity epidemic by getting people to eat many more calories than they need through persistent advertising.

4. McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King menu items using nutritional data from the fast food restaurants’ Web sites, found that when we eat high energy density foods, we don’t reduce the portion size so we get a lot more calories than we need. Our current society possesses a weak innate ability to recognize foods with a high energy density. Food intake is assessed by the size of the portion, yet a fast food meal contains many more calories than a similar sized portion of a healthy meal. The conclusion is we are all being fooled into eating too much food.

5. People get fat eating regular portion sizes, but since the food has a high energy density, people gain weight. In evolutionary terms, the human appetite was designed for low energy density foods. In other parts of the world where these foods are still the dietary staples, obesity is virtually non existent. Our bodies were never designed to cope with the high energy dense foods consumed in the West. That is a major reason why fast food in contributing to the major rise in obesity.

6. Another fact is that fast food may speed up people’s risk of clogged arteries that can lead to heart attacks. Researchers at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco have demonstrated that a certain type of fat, called oxidized fat, can accelerate the buildup of plaque in arteries. And many types of fast food such as hamburgers, pizza and French fries are loaded with oxidized fat. The conclusion is fast food meals are high in saturated fat and low quality carbohydrates, white bread and lots of soda. Our bodies require fiber and more healthful types of fats. Fast food represents a dietary pattern that is the opposite of what is recommended for a healthy body.

Although diet and the fast food restaurant do not commonly go hand in hand, many quick food joints are providing options for the diner who seeks healthier fare. Even a person trying to follow the candida diet can enjoy a fast food meal by avoiding sugars and starches and going for the vegetables and proteins listed on the menu.

Of course, in a perfect world, one would always have time for a nice, home cooked meal with plenty of fresh ingredients and whole foods. But reality is that fast food restaurants come in very handy on days when you are on the go or simply don’t have the time, energy or desire to slave in the kitchen.

Fast food restaurants often get a bad rap, but just like the grocery store, most of these restaurants offer both healthy and less-than-healthy options. It is the individual’s responsibility to make the right choices, and there are plenty of meal possibilities to keep the candida dieter on track.

The best game plan when considering a fast food meal is to decide which restaurant provides the healthiest options. Pulling up menus online is a simple way to check out menu and nutritional information, and nearly all fast food places have a home on the Web in order to provide such information to consumers.

Compare menu items and ingredients and determine which restaurants offer items like salads, low-sugar salad dressings, un-breaded sandwiches, and good protein sources. Even a burger can be candida diet-friendly when the bun is removed. Just ask for extra lettuce and use the leaves as the covering for the meat. You can enjoy the burger without the candida-increasing starches found in the white, processed bun.

When choosing salads, remember to ask for grilled meat. The crispy-coated or breaded meat can be detrimental to the candida condition. Also, go for low-sugar dressings such as ranch or blue cheese. Sweet dressings like French, thousand island and even many types of vinaigrette are often packed with sugar.

Although many people assume a salad is automatically healthy just because it is a salad, the truth is that common salad toppings such as sugary dressings, croutons and breaded meat can make the salad just as much as a candida trigger as a burger, fries, and an ice cream shake.

Once you get the hang of the kinds of foods that work on the candida diet, eating out becomes easier. Candida diet staples include vegetables, protein, low-sugar fruit and some dairy. If you can find these items on the menu and avoid carb and sugar-laden foods, you will be able to enjoy your fast food meal while keeping your body as healthy as possible.

Few dietary trends have been or are as prominent, prevalent, and influential as the movement towards dining out in general and fast food in particular. Dating back as far as the 1940s with the birth of McDonald’s the fast food trend continues unabated today, despite a modern wave of so-called “health initiatives.” In spite of a slew of new diets, new exercise regimens, and even new lawsuits, statistics consistently show that the United States population - along with the populations of many developed countries - is getting fatter by the year.

Causes of the Obesity Crisis

Why is fast food so harmful? The obvious and traditional answer is because of sheer caloric excess. A recent, 15-year study showed that young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who ate at least 2 fast food meals a week were, on average, 10 pounds fatter than those who did not. It’s also no secret that fast foods are soaked in oil and fat, saturated with sodium and sugars, and designed with convenience and taste, rather than nutritional value, in mind. However, can this be the only reason?

With the recent trend towards (or at least, lip service towards) healthy lifestyles with managed calorie intakes, frequent exercise, and even target nutrition, one would think that the “obesity epidemic” would be feeling the effects. Statistics, however, show otherwise. While some blame (perhaps rightly) these disappointing numbers not on fat, sugars, or calories, but on the layers of artificial additives on virtually all fast food items, others researchers have begun to look at the fast food trend as part of a larger, social change. In their eyes, modern American culture makes it all but inevitable that diets will fail, people will relapse into unhealthy habits, and the obesity rate will continue to increase.

A Different Point of View

American people today live in an environment where low cost and convenient access often take precedence over nutrition. Television and radio airwaves are replete with advertisements, and billboards are covered with fast food propaganda, but the core of the issue is the public mentality. People are much more likely to dine out than ever before. A disintegrating nuclear family tradition means less gatherings around the dinner table, at least at home. A misunderstanding of what low-carb, low-fat, or low-sodium actually means leads to people rationalizing their unhealthy diets. A steady trend towards larger portion sizes has subtly influenced people to eat more without ever realizing the difference.

And fast food companies may only be partially to blame. Though it is true that fast food restaurants are a prime source for unhealthy food, in another sense these companies are only responding to the economic demands of the American public, according to Rudolph Leibel, an obesity expert from Columbia University. If the public attitude truly changes (that is, in a way more profound than simply hiding behind sham diets, rationalized food choices, fancy catchphrases, or a salad every few days), Leibel argues, the fast food menu will change along with it.

The question, then, is - how does one go about changing one’s viewpoint and lifestyle? One way is by circumventing the vicious cycle of relapse and rationalization. Instead of choosing “healthy options” off the local McDonald’s menu, eating true home-cooked meals is a much better and sustainable solution. Remember - the key is not how well a diet works in the short run, it’s how long you can keep it up in the long run.

Do the parents of children and corporate executives of fast food restaurants have anything in common? At first glance, you might think the answer to this question is no. Parents are supposed to provide nutritious meals for their children’s health, while fast food restaurants offer quick and cheap meal alternatives that are on the low end of the food pyramid (”Look at the Food Pyramid,” 2003). There exists an ethical dilemma on the part of parents and fast food executives on their decision to offer and feed fast food to the children on America. This article will touch on the ground rules of serving fast food to children, what could and should be the ground rules of the decision, what are the ethical implications of the decision including health and lawsuit issues, and how might the decision change the ground rules.

The Ground Rules:

Parents are expected to raise children to the best of their ability. To the average person that means provide shelter, put clothes on their back, and feed them healthy food. Fast food corporations are expected to offer employment for many unskilled and low paid workers while making money for their shareholders (many times using whatever means necessary as Enron and WorldCom come to mind). They do this by serving up affordable food. The days of latch key kids and life moving at quicker speeds than ever before, makes it seem that fast food restaurants and parents on the go are perfect partners. But as happens in many seemingly perfect partnerships, questionable decisions have been made that make us challenge the ethics of both parents and fast food firms.

Could be Should be

Fads come and go, but ever since the Henry Ford of fast food named Ray Kroc entered the picture, there has been a race between McDonalds, Burger King, and the rest to reach critical mass by producing food at low prices. This is best done by buying in bulk and usually in less than superior quality. By offering a low quality product, it would seem logical that a business could not survive. Here is where the ethical dilemma starts. Fast food companies found that if they used the proper additives (sugar on french fries etc.), they could make the food palatable and thus keep their market share. The other part of the equation is the value parents place on getting their kids fed quickly and cheaply so they can enjoy “down” time.

Ethical Implications

The ethical dilemma parents face is that they have can continue to take the easy route and feed their children fast food. They also have the ability to lose “down” time and cook healthy food at home or buy better quality but more expensive restaurant food. Unfortunately, it seems we have picked the former. In a lawsuit filed against McDonalds in a federal court in Manhattan on November 22nd of last year, lawyer Samuel Hirsch alleged that, “The fast-food chain had created a national epidemic of obese children. He argued that the high fat, sugar, and cholesterol content of McDonald’s food is “a very insipid, toxic kind of thing” when ingested regularly by young children” (Suit blames McDonalds, 2002).
As with any great marketing machine, the fast food restaurants were prepared for this ethical dilemma. They printed there foods ingredients on menus, they started putting toys in their meals (an incredible marketing ploy that created synergies between entertainment companies and the collectable markets at the same time), super sized their portions, and dropped their prices to pre-1980 levels.

Changing the Ground Rules

Can this decent into a nation of obese children, greedy corporations, and parents who need their “down” time continue? In yet another lawsuit filed, a man became addicted to fast food. According to his lawyer, the food sold by the companies produced a “craving” in his client (Parallax, 2002). It seems that a war that fights dirty (cheap prices, free toys, bigger portions, and addictive additives) can be a hard one to win. Parents can fight back if they exercise a little due diligence; they must follow the five P’s. Prior preparation prevents poor performance, this means that meals must be thought of ahead of time, children must be educated in the art of cooking, and they must keep their children active with more outdoor play.

End the Madness

An article in the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics makes some astute observations. They say, “Ethics or morality poses questions about how we ought to act and how we should live” (A Framework, 2003). In this article, I hope the reader has found that both parents and fast food restaurants have not acted in an ethical manner in their pursuit to satisfy profits and lack of time. The article in fact goes on to ask about these relevant questions that substantiate the argument listed above: What individuals and groups have an important stake in the outcome? What is at stake for each? Do some have a greater stake because they have a special need (e.g., those who are poor or excluded) or because we have special obligations to them? Are there other important stakeholders in addition to those directly involved?

If we carefully consider the decisions we currently make in how we feed our children, we will see that we have created an ethical dilemma. The rules were set when the world sped up; we could and should have seen this problem happening if we watched the waist line of our children bulge over their belts. The ethical implications of our decisions to eat fast foods are that we have opened up a lot of trouble for these restaurants. Lawsuits have been served against the fast food firms as they try to satisfy their shareholders quest for profitability, and finally; if parents are willing to just say no to the fast food trap, the ground rules can be changed to favor the good guys; THE CHILDREN.

References

A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. (2003). Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Santa Clara, Ca. Santa Clara University.

Look at the Food Pyramid. (2003, March 7). Weekly Reader, 72, 2.

Parallax. (2002, August 2). The Journal of Ethics and Globalization. Suit blames McDonald’s for unhealthy children. (2002, November 22). Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 8A.

We Americans have gained a lot of weight in the last 20 years. And at the same time we are eating out at restaurants more often. According to surveys we are spending almost half of our food dollar outside the home.

Selecting a healthy meal has never been more important. Knowing which menu choices are low calorie or high fat may not be obvious. Salad dressings, for example, may have many more calories than you would think. Yet with the few following simple tips you can get a handle on belt busting dishes and instead stay slim and trim.

• The first and most important consideration is portion size. Avoid getting the next bigger steak, super-sizing, or adding a combo dish that is more food than you want.
• Don’t forget that your eyes are bigger than your stomach. People tend to order more when they are hungry. When you walk into a restaurant, you are probably starved. Order the smallest portion you can live with; later if you still want more food, get more.
• Never buy just because it is a good deal. Save your bargain hunting for clothing stores. While I am a great believer in saving money, eating more food than you need is not a good idea. However, if you want to share a discount meal, dessert, or appetizer with a friend (see below), this could be smart.
• Be careful when you select a salad dressing. These can range from 80 to 300 calories without there appearing to be much difference. Ask the wait person to give you details.
• Keep an eye on condiments, dips, sauces and spreads. These include tasty extras such as onion dip, tartar sauce, mayonnaise, syrup, jelly and gravy. These can add a huge number of calories to a sensible meal. For example, McDonald’s restaurant suggests that you order one of their hamburgers without the special sauce to save 100 calories.
• You might consider sharing. You should never feel embarrassed or self-conscious. Most restaurants will not object and the waiter will not look at you cross-eyed. This is an easy way to cut calories and portion size by fifty percent.
• Don’t get talked into ordering a dessert or an appetizer that you don’t want, even though the food is a good deal. Waiters and waitresses are often trained to suggest more food. If you are full, don’t do it.
• Get detailed nutrition information from the restaurant. The business may have handouts, for example, to help you make intelligent choices. Also most major chain restaurants have nutrition facts and calculators online. Most web addresses will be quite simple such as the company name dot com; for example, the address for the Wendy’s chain is www.wendys.com. Most also have printer friendly pages on the web that you can print out and take with you the next time you go.To get you started, go to the NutritionData Internet site which is a good general web site with detailed nutrition and calorie information for over 30 chain restaurants.