Fast Food Nation: The United States of Obesity

College students throughout the United States leave their first classes of the morning and are ready for lunch. On campus they have the options of McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s and Taco Bell. All of these fast food restaurants are very popular choices among teenagers. Unfortunately these choices are very unhealthy and are linked to many negative effects on the body. The most common effects are health issues, obesity and student academics. Students are putting more of a struggle on themselves by eating at these fast food restaurants that are available on their campuses. By limiting the availability of fast food restaurants on campuses, students will find it easier to maintain a healthy body and eating habits both during and after college. College is a crucial time when young adults learn how to become independent, and by making nutritional classes mandatory for all first year college students, it will help them achieve their goals of creating a comfortable and healthy lifestyle for the future. Not only are these restaurants taking a toll on college campuses throughout the nation, but they are also taking a toll on the human mind. Americans are beginning to realize the negatives effects that are associated with these foods; but what most people don’t know is also the effects these foods can have on the brain. As Victor Lindlahr says,

“You are what you eat.”

Students for the first time have no parents, teachers or anyone telling them what to do, when to do it or to make sure it’s done. So it is important for them when entering college to manage their time appropriately, maintain an effective study habit, finance their money and so on…everything that comes with gaining independence. Also they don’t have the convenience of eating home cooked meals every morning and night or spending half an hour in the high school cafeteria every week day. With all these conveniences gone, students rely on what’s available on campus to feed and keep them going every day. A lot of the time students will have the temptation of eating a fast food meal rather than a healthy meal.

When students get to college they tend to eat less healthy than they did living at home. They eat more fast-foods and junky snacks and less nutritional choices, while often skipping out on daily meals (cite). With the first couple years of college, students gain 5.5 times more weight than the average population (Mihalopoulos). This is because of excessive snacking on junk foods such as chips and eating foods that contain high concentrations of fat which are usually found in fast food meals.

Most students live in a dorm their freshman and sophomore years’ and usually don’t have a car, so colleges are surrounded by restaurants and shops. For example, Wright State University has a main cafeteria in the student union plus a separate building (referred to as The Hangar) with restaurants including Burger King, Taco Bell