Many of us have seen documentaries about how fast food stores in low income areas that show how they cause residents to become obese. The truth of the matter is that fast food is not that healthy at all for people in these areas.
Those who are poor have fewer choices when it comes to where they eat out. They will often choose to follow the best deal on food and a nearby location. A one dollar chicken sandwich can appear to be a good deal at the fast food place down the street, but it is loaded with calories and very unhealthy.
There has also been more than just a documentary over this subject. In fact, other sources have involved themselves, including the New York City Council. They passed regulations which require fast food stores to have to label their food with nutrition information.
However, even though new labeling laws have been in effect, a recent survey revealed that there was really no change in the eating habits of the poor in New York. They continue in the same dietary patterns.
Restaurants like McDonalds and Taco Bell are under the impression that this survey reveled incorrect information and that their customers are making better choices after all. This is inconsistent, and leads to wonder why these stores have different info from the surveys.
One reason that these figures are off target and inconsistent is that chains such as Subway offer much better and healthier food choices. The other unhealthy stores combine their reports with the healthy ones and their scores look better, and make them seem like they are eating healthier.
What is really happening in New York City is that they are combining data from wealthier neighborhoods with those in poor areas. This makes the numbers look good, but nothing really is changing.
All in all, New York is not really getting healthier, and this data is pointless because the same amount of people are still making bad choices. We may want to think twice about what we put into our bodies before we decide to eat it. The time has never been more urgent in terms of changing our lifestyles and the habits associated with them. These foods are legitimately dangerous ones, and years from now we’ll likely look back as a civilization and wonder how we could have fed ourselves with such dangerous offerings on such a regular basis. These foods are the cigarettes of this generation, only keenly disguised as tasty meals. Make a change in your life, it’s most certainly never too late.
