Research
Method - Fast Food
Name:
Abdulla Awad Aida Hejail
Student
ID: H00280536
Abu
Dhabi higher college of technology
Research
Method - Fast Food
Mind Map
Introduction
The focus of this
research report is on health and on social and environmental aspects of fast
food that is consumed on a daily basis. To examine these aspects, I will
initially look at challenges behind the consumption of fast food. Afterwards, I
will identify the reasons (price, quality, advertisement, taste, menu or time)
behind the daily consumption of fast food. Through effective use of these
aspects, I will easily analyze the health risks and threats that occur after
the consumption of fast food. I believe that this topic will be beneficial for
such people that consume fast food on the daily or weekly routine. Finally this
report will cover proposals and a primary questionnaire that is based on the
research topic.
Background
1.
Health
Risk of Fast Food
Fast food is
richer in calories than other food cuisine; therefore, usage of fast food must
be low. Furthermore, if fast food is excessively consumed then it might lead to
health risks such as mental disorder, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, sleep
apnoea, arthritis, liver damage and stroke, etc.
Over here, it is
important to examine that if a person consumes sweetened beverages then the
person might face health risks with respect to diabetes and cardiovascular
disease. Instead of such health risks, still large numbers of people are eating
fast food (Odegaard et. al, 2012). Around 59.36% of people eat fast food once
in a week or month. Among these 59.36% of people, 26.98% are facing health
risks especially obesity and diabetes (Nestle, 2013).
2.
Regular
Use of Fast Food & Overweight
Regular use of
fast food increases the weight of people especially among children and
teenagers. Furthermore, it augments the diabetes 2, cardiovascular risk,
obesity, and illness. However, I argue that overeating increases weight which
in turn enhances health risk. Thus, individual consumers should reduce the
overeating activities rather than reducing the consumption of fast food. In
today’s era, people are involved in multiple activities, and therefore, they
require enough food to eat. As the result of which, they overeat; and face
health challenges. Individuals can eat dietary food with an intention to reduce
the threat of health risk (Sanchez-Villegas et. al, 2012).
3.
Behavior
& Attitude of Children
Ritz et. al (2012)
conducted a research among adolescents with respect to weight related behavior
and attitude. According to the research, parents are the main source behind
creating the environment of fast food consumption. In short, parents do not
promote the development of healthy eating behavior which in turn negatively
impacts the weight and health of teenagers. Furthermore, it can be added that the
UAE is one of the largest countries where young generation consume fast food
regularly compared to healthy food which has caused severe disorders in them.
Over here, it is important to examine that almost 71.97% of the population in
UAE consumes fast food; most of them are teenagers that come under the age
bracket of 15 to 20 years.
4.
Benefits
of Fast Food
I believe that large numbers of people are
consuming fast food in order to reduce wastage of time, as it is easily cook by
the individual. Therefore, most of the people in UAE eat fast food instead of
nutritious and healthy food. Over here, it is important to observe that almost
69.87% of the women in UAE are employee therefore, they do not have enough time
to cook healthy food. Hence, they prefer to buy or order fast food from
restaurants. In short, fast food assists working women in the busy life style
where women have to spend enough time to meet the requirement of their jobs and
tasks. I further observe that people in UAE are also consuming fast food in
order to show their life style to friends, colleagues, family members, lovers,
and so on.
Hence, fast food becomes the main aspect
behind the showoff of lifestyle among others. In the social circle, whenever
people meet with friends, they select fast food restaurants and either order
burgers, or other cuisine. Prior to order, people also look at purchase price
of the cuisine with an intention to showoff among friends. However, most of the
UAE people select fast food due to easy cooking benefits (Basu et. al, 2014).
Proposal
The
thesis statement for this research report is to identify the benefits and
health risks behind the consumption of fast food. In the research, I observe
that around 71.97% of the people in the UAE consumes fast food; among which
most are teenagers that come under the age bracket of 15 to 20 years. The basic
reason behind high consumption of fast food is the parent’s motivation, as they
promote fast food in order to reduce the wastage of time. However, they must
promote healthy food in the lifestyle of children. I further observe that most
of the people in the UAE are facing health challenges i.e. obesity,
dyslipidemia, polycystic ovary syndrome, sleep apnoea, arthritis, blount disease,
liver damage and stroke due to the consumption of fast food.
In order to
examine the risks and benefits of fast food, behavior of the consumer, and the factor
behind the consumption of fast food; I will conduct primary qualitative
research. Primary qualitative data is in a raw form and available in the
genuine structure. Interview, questionnaire, and case study are part of the
qualitative method. On the other hand, quantitative data can be easily
controlled and available in numbers. Online websites and company research
reports are some of the common examples of quantitative method. The dependent
variable of this research report is the health risk of the human being, while,
independent variable is consumption of fast food. For conducting research, a questionnaire
will be used to observe the benefits and risks behind the consumption of fast
food. Furthermore, 50 respondents will be selected in order to fill the stated
primary questionnaire. These respondents will be randomly selected; and thus,
no respondents will be forced to take part in filling the questionnaire.
References
Basu, A., Shay, C. M., Colangelo, L., Jacobs, D. R.,
& Van Horn, L. (2014). Abstract P177: Higher Frequency of Fast Food
Consumption is Associated with Lower Likelihood of Meeting Dietary Reference
Intakes (DRIs): Findings from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young
Adults (CARDIA) Study. Circulation, 129(Suppl 1), 1-11.
Data Retrieved From:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/129/Suppl_1/AP177.short
Nestle, M. (2013). Food politics: How the food
industry influences nutrition and health (Vol. 3). Univ of California
Press. Data Retrieved From:
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=39oVBbtt6IEC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=health+risk+for+fast+food&ots=2X1JkaZIQB&sig=IqEjEJlinmF8pzct9A146Y0HMpw#v=onepage&q=health%20risk%20for%20fast%20food&f=false
Odegaard, A. O., Koh, W. P., Yuan, J. M., Gross, M.
D., & Pereira, M. A. (2012). Western-style fast food intake and
cardio-metabolic risk in an eastern country. Circulation,
CIRCULATIONAHA-111. Data Retrieved From: http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/05/31/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.084004.full.pdf
Ritz, E., Hahn, K., Ketteler, M., Kuhlmann, M. K.,
& Mann, J. (2012). Phosphate additives in food—a health risk. Deutsches
Ärzteblatt International, 109(4), 49. Data Retrieved From: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278747/
Sanchez-Villegas, A., Toledo, E., de Irala, J.,
Ruiz-Canela, M., Pla-Vidal, J., & Martínez-González, M. A. (2012). Fast-food
and commercial baked goods consumption and the risk of depression. Public
health nutrition, 15(03), 424-432. Data Retrieved From:
http://www.neurosafari.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/S1368980011001856a.pdf
