Toronto, March 25, 2010 – Fast food is not only bad for your body, but may also harm your bank account.
Eating habits have shifted dramatically over the last few decades--fast food has become a multibillion dollar industry that has widespread influence on what and how we eat. The original idea behind fast food is to increase efficiency, allowing people to quickly finish a meal so they can move on to other matters. Researchers at the Rotman School of Management, however, have found that the mere exposure to fast food and related symbols can make people impatient, increasing preference for time saving products, and reducing willingness to save.
“Fast food represents a culture of time efficiency and instant gratification,” says Chen-Bo Zhong, who co-wrote the paper with colleague Sanford DeVoe to be published in a forthcoming issue of Psychological Science. “The problem is that the goal of saving time gets activated upon exposure to fast food regardless of whether time is a relevant factor in the context. For example, walking faster is time efficient when one is trying to make a meeting, but it’s a sign of impatience when one is going for a stroll in the park. We’re finding that the mere exposure to fast food is promoting a general sense of haste and impatience regardless of the context.”
In one experiment, the researchers flashed fast food symbols, such as the golden arch of McDonald’s, on a computer screen for a few milliseconds, so quick that participants couldn’t consciously identify what they saw. They found that this unconscious exposure increased participants’ reading speed in a subsequent task compared to those in a control condition, even when there was no advantage to finishing sooner. In another study, participants who recalled a time when they eat at a food restaurant subsequently preferred time-saving products—such as two-in-one shampoo—over regular products. A final experiment found people exposed to fast food logos exhibited greater reluctance for saving —choose a smaller immediate payment rather than opting for a much larger delayed payment.
“Fast food is one of many technologies that allow us to save time,” says Sanford DeVoe, “But the ironic thing is that by constantly reminding us of time efficiency, these technologies can lead us to feel much more impatience. A fast food culture that extols saving time doesn’t just change the way we eat but it can also fundamentally alter the way they experience our time. For example, leisure activities that are supposed to be relaxing can come to be experienced through the color glasses of impatience.”
The researchers point out that it’s impossible to know whether fast food in part caused the value for time efficiency in our culture or is merely a consequence of it—but it’s clear from their findings that exposure to fast food reinforces an emphasis on impatience and instant gratification. “Given the role that financial impatience played in the current economic crisis,” says Chen-Bo Zhong, “we need to move beyond counting calories when we examine the consequences of fast food as it is also influencing our everyday psychology and behavior in a wider set of domains than has been previously thought.”
The complete study is available here.
Psychological Science is ranked among the top 10 general psychology journals for impact by the Institute for Scientific Information.
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FAQs
Researchers at the Rotman School of Management, however, have found that the mere exposure to fast food and related symbols can make people impatient, increasing preference for time saving products, and reducing willingness to save.
What are the negative effects of fast food? ›
What are the health risks of eating fast food? Fast food is often high in calories, fat, and sugar but low in nutrients and fiber. While eating fast food occasionally isn't a problem, consuming it frequently may raise your risk of obesity, heart attack, and other health issues.
What are the disadvantages of fast food essay? ›
Disadvantages of fast food
- It can prompt memory Loss. Fast foods that are loaded with fats or sugars interfere with the activity of those brain peptides that are responsible for the formation of memories and their recollection. ...
- Your chances of getting dementia increase. ...
- You can get diabetes.
In the long-term, eating junk food can lead to: type 2 diabetes. heart-related problems (such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol) overweight and obesity.
What is the environmental impact of fast food? ›
The production of meat and dairy products, which are common ingredients in fast food, also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. Additionally, fast food packaging and waste can contribute to pollution and litter in communities, further exacerbating environmental issues.
What are 3 negative consequences of the fast food industry? ›
Especially because “meat,” dairy, and eggs are the main ingredients in fast food, the exponential increase in its consumption has engendered a wide range of negative social impacts—including rapidly rising rates of diet-related disease, worker exploitation, systemic animal abuse, and environmental degradation.
What are 5 negative effects of eating fast food or junk food? ›
10 harmful effects of eating junk food
- Cardiovascular problems.
- High cholesterol.
- Diabetes.
- Kidney damage.
- Obesity.
- Liver disease.
- Cancer.
- Dental cavities.
Eating excessive amounts of junk food may increase your risk of depression. The carbs and sugar in junk foods can lead to dental cavities. Fried foods are filled with trans fats which raise LDL cholesterol levels. Fast food is filled with empty carbohydrates, which can lead to increased blood sugar and insulin ...
What are the darksides of junk food? ›
Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases
These include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. The excessive intake of unhealthy fats and sugars can lead to high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar levels, and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for these diseases.
Is it OK to eat McDonald's once a week? ›
"Eating fast food once a week should not affect anyone as long as they have a balanced diet rich in whole foods besides that one time," he says. "Fast food should be limited as much as possible but one time a week is usually the recommendation since many people are eating fast-food at least three times per week."
In the same way as eating food you are allergic to can inflame your mouth; junk foods can cause a similar reaction in the brain. This is called neuroinflammation, and it sets off a self-perpetuating series of events leading to more inflammation that can damage brain cells called neurons.
How fast food affects the world? ›
One study found that ultra-processed foods can contribute up to one-third of the total diet-related greenhouse gas emissions, in particular for adults in developed countries6. Beyond environmental health concerns, such dietary shifts could have serious negative impacts on human health.
How much food is wasted in fast food? ›
According to a study of the University of Arizona out of the total amount of purchased food, 9.55% is wasted in fast-food restaurants, while 11.3% is wasted in restaurants with full service. More specifically, around 600,000 tons of food waste comes from restaurants.
How is fast food unsustainable? ›
This includes the production of large quantities of meat, which can lead to deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock farming. Additionally, the packaging materials used by fast food chains contribute to waste and environmental degradation.
How often is it OK to eat fast food? ›
"If you're really looking to improve your health and longevity, I recommend keeping it to once per week, or even just twice per month. If you go a few times per week, make weekly goals to eat fast food less and less. A slow transition like this builds longer-lasting healthy habits," Gargano says.
Can you lose weight eating fast food everyday? ›
Theoretically, you can eat fast food and lose weight if you stay within your energy intake goals and continue with other evidence-based weight-loss practices. Remember that eating one energy-rich meal shouldn't affect your long-term weight loss results, and you don't need to feel guilty after eating fast food.
How much junk food is ok? ›
You can consume a daily limit of empty calories or junk food depending on your nutritional requirements. A child can have around 120-150 empty calories. An adult man of age 31 to 50 and a male teenager around 14-18 can consume around 265 calories of junk food.
Why do people eat fast food everyday? ›
Why Do Americans Eat So Much Fast Food? Americans eat fast food for a variety of reasons, but most of these reasons tie into a central theme of convenience. Fast food is quick, relatively cheap, and made by someone other than you or a family member.
