Causes of people purchasing fast food - Essay Example

However, if a person eats this food regularly and has a diet mostly made up ofthis junk food, then it can cause health problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. According to Readers Digest magazine (2012), health studies show that “over 60 percent of Canadian adults and 31.5 percent of Canadians aged 2 to 17 are overweight or obese.”(Readers Digest, 2012), It cannot be disputed that fast food plays a key role in these shocking statistics. The main causes for people choosing to eat fast food over cooking healthy meals are availability, convenience, low prices, and advertising.

Because fast food is now available in many locations around the clock, it is now a part of many Canadians’ everyday meal plans because a wide variety of fast food restaurants are available to the public throughout the day and night. In Canada, there are over 62,600 fast food service outlets, and many of them are accessible 24 hours a day (Statistics Canada, 2009). Because of the numerous food outlets that are available, many consumers now eat whenever they feel the urge to and not necessarily when the body requires food.

In addition, fast food is not only available in restaurants but also in elementary schools, secondary schools, and universities. For example, many elementary schools have weekly pizza and McDonalds days, while a vast amount of universities proudly display the number of Starbucks and Tim Hortons located on campus. This availability allows students of all ages to routinely purchase fast food instead of learning how to eat healthily. As a result of fast food being obtainable anytime and toand night, and to all age groups, it is clear that availability is one of the key reasons for consumers eating fast food.

Another major cause of people choosing to eat fast food is due to the convenience that it provides. It is quick and easy to locate any fast food restaurant simply through using a computer, phone, or telephone book. There are even apps for electronic devices to locate the nearest fast food restaurant. For instance, if an individual is driving to work and is feeling, then a simple push of a button on a phone or GPS to locate ‘nearest food’ will result in a location being found. Also, if you are driving and have little time available, you do not even need to get out of your car.

Many establishments have full menus available at drive through locations, which makes it extremely easy and quick to pick up a meal on-the-go. This convenience allows fast food to fit easily into the hectic daily schedules of people who do not have the time to prepare healthy and nutritious meals or those who do not want to go to the hassle of making a meal. Consumers are also drawn towards fast food because of the low prices available. With the tight financial economy today, saving money is important for many families, and inexpensive fast food fits many budgets.

Thousands of dollars are spent daily to purchase this unhealthy yet tasty product. In fact, 40 percent of the money spent on food in Canada in 2009 went to fast food outlets. This percentage converts to $58.4 billion dollars spent on fast food in a single year (Statistics Canada, 2009). One of the reasons why so much money is spent on fast food is that it is much cheaper to eat a full meal at a fast food restaurant rather than another location with a healthier option that likely includes fresh produce.

If a consumer eats at