IELTS Essay # 21 - The fast food industry has negative effects on our health, the environment and family eating habits...

Essay # 21

The fast food industry has negative effects on our health, the environment and family eating habits. Do you agree or disagree?

Fast food has become extremely popular among people owing to the present lifestyle conditions. However, tasty it may be, it cannot be denied that it does take a toll on our health sooner or later. This essay shall explore the various disadvantages of having fast food more than required.

The reason why people consume fast food so much is because most people who have a hectic work schedule, do not get time to eat a proper full length meal. So they prefer to snack on fast foods instead, in turn disturbing their appetite. Fast food is fattening, high in calorie content, many-a-times not served fresh. All these factors give rise to many health problems, like obesity, high cholesterol accumulation, high blood pressure and diabetes to name a few.

Fast food places use a lot of packaging. From the wrappers and straws to the boxes and bags, fast food packaging counts for a large amount of litter, including drinks, chips, candy, and other snacks, with styrofoam and plastic being the most common food waste. These non-degradable materials in the long run act as a poison to the land they are dumped in, making it barren.

The effects of fast food consumption on family eating habits are quite evident. Munching on packet foods or instant noodles at any given time of the day makes you skip meals, thereby cutting you short of the quality family time you could've spent. Also, healthy eating habits like having fruits or cereal are replaced due to this. The satisfaction which a combined meal provides is lacking in fast food.

To conclude, I’d say that fast food can be a good way to save time, but it is not the proper way for gaining nutrition. It should be eaten seldom and in moderation as it affects all aspects of one’s way of living, more negatively as seen above.

(311 words)