Americans are getting fat. On any day, one in every four Americans visits a fast food restaurant. The growth of the market for fast food is spectacular - in the US it has gone from $6 billion in 1970 to $110 billion in 2000, nearly 20 times growth. Having saturated the market in the US and Europe, McDonald's is opening branches in China. They now have 28,700 outlets in 120 countries. The startling figures don't just relate to beef, though; consumption of 'french fries' has increased from 4 pounds to 30 pounds per person per year, all cooked in beef tallow or hydrogenated fat. The soft drinks that are packaged in the 'meal deals' of fast food outlets ensure that a good dose of sugar is consumed with every burger and fries.
Obesity rates have, inevitably, rocketed in line with fast food production. The $320 billion cost of obesity to society is twice the income of the fast food industry. Fast food isn't the only cause of obesity, but the high levels of fat and sugar in a fast food meal are many times greater than those found in home-cooked food or in conventional restaurant food. Levels of dietary fibre and vegetables are much lower. The combination undermines all the health advice of government and nutritional bodies.
