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Dr. Mercola
January 26 2008
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Which Country Loves Fast Food the Most?

fast food, french fries, hamburgerBritons enjoy fast food slightly more than Americans, and much more than the French, according to a survey of 13 countries by polling body Synovate and the BBC.

One of the questions of the survey was “I like the taste of fast food too much to give it up.” Results found that:
  • 45 percent of Britons agreed
  • 44 percent of Americans agreed
  • 37 percent of Canadians agreed
Meanwhile, 81 percent of the French disagreed with the statement, as did 75 percent of Singaporeans and 73 percent of people from Hong Kong and Romania.

In terms of losing weight, most people worldwide agree that cutting food intake is the best solution. Another 43 percent said they also do more exercise to lose weight.

However, while 57 percent of Americans, 56 percent of French and 54 percent of Britons choose to eat less to shed pounds, 14 percent of Malaysians use herbs and supplements to cut their weight.

Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola's Comments:
For many people convenience food, either in restaurants or ready-to-cook frozen meals picked up from the grocery store, has become a way of life. This is sad not only from a health perspective but also from a cultural one. Each country has its own recipe traditions, local foods and flavors that have been preserved for many generations, but which are quickly falling by the wayside as people choose McDonald’s and other fast foods over home-cooked meals.

The survey found that Britons topped the list of fast-food lovers (by a whole percentage point over the United States), and another recent study by the British Heart Foundation found that an astonishing 82 percent of 7- to 14-year-old kids do not consider potato chips a treat, but rather a staple food. And two-thirds of British children did not view fast food as a treat either.

Of course, fast food has become a worldwide epidemic. In the United States, 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is for processed food, and fast food is available just about everywhere, including in hospitals and schools.

What is interesting is that most people know that fast food is not good for you, yet still choose to eat it. (If you want to know just how bad it actually is, watch Morgan Spurlock’s SuperSize Me.) Fast food:
  • Increases your risk of obesity and diabetes
  • Is loaded with dangerous additives like trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup and MSG
  • Contains genetically modified ingredients
  • Lacks the nutrients your body needs to thrive
If you want the inside scoop, Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser is one of my favorite books, and does an outstanding job of identifying the problems of fast-food diets in America.

What Makes Fast Food so Tempting?

Knowing the risks, why do so many people sit down to a fast-food meal once, twice, or numerous times in a week? There are a number of reasons but my best guess is that it would be related to taste, convenience and cost. Plus, the large amounts of sugar, salt and grease in fast food are clearly addictive.

In one study, rats fed a diet containing 25 percent sugar became anxious when the sugar was removed -- displaying symptoms similar to people going through drug withdrawals, such as chattering teeth and the shakes.

A link was found between opioids, or your brain’s 'pleasure chemicals,' and a craving for sweet, salty and fatty foods. It is thought that high-fat foods stimulate the opioids, as when researchers stimulated rats’ brains with a synthetic version of the natural opioid enkephalin, the rats ate up to six times their normal intake of fat.

Further, long-lasting changes in rats' brain chemistry, similar to those caused by morphine or heroin use, were also noted.

There is also the convenience factor. Fast food is, well, fast, and it takes very little effort to pull up to a drive through and get a meal for your family (albeit a disastrous one).

The good and the bad thing about most convenience foods is that they are cheap. A December 2007 study found that prices for healthy food jumped nearly 20 percent over a two-year period, compared to a modest 5 percent increase in the overall food price inflation. Prices of high-calorie foods, meanwhile, remained about the same, and in some cases even dropped.

Finding the time, and the financial resources, to make healthy meals for your family is challenging, but please don’t use these as excuses to exist on fast food.

It really is vital to see the long-term perspective here. You don’t want to exchange convenience and taste for a bed in the ICU or an early ticket out of this life.

Your health -- your energy levels, your appearance, your mood and so many other factors -- will improve when you eat the foods your body was designed for. Returning to locally grown, fresh foods is really the only way to reach optimal health.

If price is a factor in your food choices, please do read my 14 tips to eat healthy on a tight budget, and for those who are time-challenged, you can find quick, home-cooking tips in How to Cook Whole Food From Scratch--and Keep Your Day Job!
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Community Comments ( 59 )
 Comment on this Article
  
  
NowPitching
 [ Joined on 01/08 ] [ Posted on January 4, 2008 ]
24 Points        
   
 
Novice User
testing, testing, new member testing . . .

Well, uh . . .now that I'm here I will say it was very depressing to see so many U.S.-based fast food chains in London on a recent visit.

I can't help but think the breakdown of the family contributes to such a prevelence of eating in this modern, unhealthy way.

My wife & I make sure we eat as a family (two daughters: 7 & 9) and really concentrate on healthy meals enhanced with a background of great music. I'm sure when we ship them off to college someday they will reflect on this period with fondness.

That is, if you can read this comment.

testing, testing, check, check . . .
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Kissamee
 		[ Joined on 12/07 ]  [ Posted on January 4, 2008]
12 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Ah your comment is seen just fine, and welcome.  I do have to say though I believe the Brits have the corner on the fast foods, Afterall Fish 'n chips are not a North American invention.  On the other hand I'd rather eat drippy fish and chips than a gut bomb from Mickey Dees.

Kel
Mercola
  
Reesacat
 		[ Joined on 01/07 ]  [ Posted on January 4, 2008]
6 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Welcome, NowPitching!

Keep up the good work with healthy eating and family meals.

It is so very important on so many levels.
Mercola
  
DrMom
 		[ Joined on 11/06 ]  [ Posted on January 26, 2008]
3 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola

My favorite childhood memories are of all 7 of us at the dinner table, we were allowed to talk, laugh, linger, and really enjoy this part of everyday as we did not go out to eat. Mom always made dinners with variety and from 'scratch'. We made fun of some of her healthy creations and she laughed with us. As a result we all love our veggies and some of us were able to pass that along to children and great grandchildren.

  
  
Aaltrude
 [ Joined on 04/07 ] [ Posted on January 3, 2008 ]
15 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
I wonder if they realise that that "taste" of fast food that they can't give up is probably due to MSG.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Katee Roux
 		[ Joined on 07/07 ]  [ Posted on January 4, 2008]
18 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
While shopping yesterday, i went down the "baking" aisle in the regular grocery.  I needed baking soda for washing, & cleaning.  On my way down something caught my eye, "food enhancers."  Don't remember the brand names.  Knowing what i know now, i was curious & read the labels.

Sure enough, MSG was not listed anywhere, but sodium caseinate, carrageenan, & matodextrin were.  

Most folks don't read labels anyway, but they'd never know if they didn't know what to look for.  I've never used such products, even when i didn't eat healthy.  Why would people buy something like this?

I think it is near criminal that they are able to "hide" the fact that these products contain MSG with misleading ingredient labels.  But we've talked of that before.
Mercola
  
Kissamee
 		[ Joined on 12/07 ]  [ Posted on January 4, 2008]
7 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
MSG: I heard it described recently as Umami, the savory flavor that's not included in our normal salty, sour, bitter, and sweet tastebud categories. And yes, it seems to be quite addictive but go without it for a while and you'll find that food tastes so much better when it's real.

Kel
Mercola
  
T_rex
 		[ Joined on 06/07 ]  [ Posted on January 27, 2008]
1 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

The "rich" taste of fast food is not probably, but most definetely due to MSG, which fools the taste buds into thinking that the food is tasty and nutritious when in fact it's junk.

When american troops discovered MSG in japan in WWII they discovered a gold mine for the fast food industry, while at the same time opening the door to the current obesity epidemic.
  
  
Michael J. .
 [ Joined on 01/08 ] [ Posted on January 4, 2008 ]
9 Points        
   
 
Novice User
Well, as a Brit I can confirm with eyewitness testimony that a lot of people here certainly like their fast food. I have a friend who works with me in the health movement, but used to work for a car manufacturer in central London. They had a McDonald's next door to the office and his colleagues were astonished that he would walk past it to get something healthier for breakfast.

That said, there are a lot of very healthy, very conscious people here too.

Mary, I agree that there is disparity between the title of this article and what it actually shows. I know people who don't eat it that often but who wouldn't like to think about ruling it out altogether.

Russ, you're right that we have a terrible binge drinking culture, although less so smoking now (especially since the smoking in public places ban began last summer). As regards the weather, yes we still have a thriving package holiday industry to the Mediterranean. There are many things I love about this country, but the weather is not one. For your information, I plan to die old and happy, leaving a large inheritance :-).
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Russ Bianchi
 		[ Joined on 09/06 ]  [ Posted on January 4, 2008]
4 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
With a mother of British roots, yes, how does one make a 'small fortune in England'?  Start with a large one.

;-)

Uncle Russ
  
  
seg
 [ Joined on 11/06 ] [ Posted on January 4, 2008 ]
8 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Live "fast" AND DIE YOUNG...
 [ Reply ]
  
  
mama bear
 [ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on January 26, 2008 ]
7 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User

Has anyone seen the new Gaterade G2 out yet?  It has been advertized heavily in my market.  I read the label and no surprise ....SUCRALOSE (Splenda).  It is crazy what other parents will give children.  My daughters are now 14 and 11 so we discuss it all the time but sometimes some things slip through especially with the younger one.  She was sipping on a water bottle when she got into the car at school the other day.  When I looked at it, it had FLOURIDE added to it.  So we had an interesting discussion on the way home about the dangers of flouride.  Stay vigilant.....

Mama Bear

 [ Reply ]
  
  
miragemama
 [ Joined on 06/07 ] [ Posted on January 25, 2008 ]
6 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User

I think for some Starbuck's might be considered as fast food :)

 [ Reply ]
  
  
Tommo
 [ Joined on 02/07 ] [ Posted on January 25, 2008 ]
6 Points        
   
 
Novice User

As a Brit now living in Australia (wonderful country) after a long period in Asia, and who was born and raised during the period of "rationing" (during which Britons were healthier than ever before or after) I can say there were virtually no fat kids when I was at school. However we had almost no soft drinks.  Cocca Cola was a luxury.  We got brown sugar to cook  our home fruit only because my dad made bagpipes and reeds for the Canadian and US Air forces. We loved these generous people!

When I went to Singapore and Malaysia for the first time in the early '70's there were no fat Singaporeans or Malaysians despite what we are told is very unhealthy street food because it is fat laden (delicious by the way).   There are lots of fat kids and adults now.

What's the common difference?  Massive availability of soft drinks (sodas), Big Macs and sugar laden buns.  Much less exercise and if one does exercise, in aircon - not seriously sweaty squash as we used to do.  And massive portions.

It's  very simple, eat natural food cooked traditionally, avoid useless calories, or easily gained calories like fruit juice and eat less.  Drink water before a meal and you will certainly eat less.  

Exercise.

It's not  rocket science!

But most of all - Avoid ready-made food. It is poison.

Happy Australia Day

 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
ozseppo
 		[ Joined on 06/07 ]  [ Posted on January 27, 2008]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Happy Australia Day, Tommo!

While I eat healthy now, I'm never scared to go back to Oz, (Monday for the 20/20) cricket, and enjoy greasy fish n chips, Tim Tams, VB, and Bundy Rum!

Admit it tastes good, enjoy it once or twice a year, no worries, the body is WAY MORE RESILIENT than some of you people give it credit for.
Mercola
  
artworks
 		[ Joined on 10/07 ]  [ Posted on January 28, 2008]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

As an aussie now living in Italy I am constantly amazed by the lack of obesity here. There is very little fast food culture here with most people choosing to eat at home. Of course, there are McDonalds in the big cities but I think they cater mainly to the tourists (a shame really when you consider the quality of the food here). However, there does seem to be a general shift towards pre-packaged or pre-prepared foods here so I guess its just a matter of time before the obesity kicks in. When I took my italian husband to Australia last year he couldn't believe the number of fast food restaurants everywhere AND the number of obese people. But that didn't stop me from introducing him to the BEST fresh fish and chips in the world and a hamburger with beetroot.
Mercola
  
Pat Ormsby
 		[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on January 30, 2008]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

Happy Australia Day!

We just got back from Australia--Exmouth is heaven!  Just wave away the flies, ;-).  Outside of Perth, there weren't any fast food places I can remember, and not much more than good old roadhouse hamburgers.