Fast pace, fast food

The value placed on fast food in Port-of-Spain

Life on the go has fostered an environment, particularly in cities, where nutritious diets and proper eating habits are neglected in favour of the less nutritious foods. This unhealthy lifestyle is facilitated by globalization whereby multinational corporations such as KFC, Wendy’s, Burger King, Subway,and others, were invited to set base in countries around the world. One such country, is the developing country of Trinidad which currently houses a large number of fast food restaurants especially in Port-of-Spain.

 While hustling to work on mornings with minimal time, the opportunity cost of cooking a nutritious meal before leaving home, is having to purchase unhealthy food at a fast food restaurant to satisfy ones energy requirements and palate. In the pictures above, it is evident that these unhealthy eating choices driven by busy lifestyles, is impacting all demographic groups from young people to working class adults. A recent article in the Trinidad Express Newspaper highlights the health implications of a fast food diet stating that “our teeth are digging our graves.” Between 13-15% of the population of Trinidad currently suffer from diabetes which is linked to an unhealthy lifestyle. According to the article, we are increasingly becoming more Americanized in our eating habits and cooking less meals at home. This is due to the hectic lifestyles of persons particularly in cities, with less time devoted to cooking a nutritious home-made meal. Not only do hectic lifestyles cause health problems, but also the associated stress levels resulting from a hectic lifestyle. The video below delves into  the health implications of a busy urban lifestyle. Our diets are becoming increasingly representative of our busy lifestyles.

         How Stress Caused By An Urban Lifestyle May Affect Ones Health

McDonald's fast food restaurant

The picture above shows one of the mutinationals dominating the fast food market with its affordable prices and accessible locations. This establishment in the picture is situated along the Arapeter Avenure where multible restaurants with healtheir food choices line the narrow two-way street on either side. It is so conventiently located to defer the competition by enticing customers. A recent article suggests that fast food restaurants proliferate in cities worldwide. To curb the deleterious effects, an aticle in a US theguardian Newspaper states that cities need better planning for health. Land use planners should take into consideration the development of parks and gyms to encourage physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Additionally, new establishments offering healthy food choices would certainly go a long way in helping customers with busy lives to adopt a healthy lfestyle and to rethink their food preferences. The city of Port-of-Spain contains little green space for recreation or physical activity, thus enhancing the negative effects of fast food restaurants located at almost every corner.

References

Castillo, Kimberly. (2014, February 2). Breaking the cycle...sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits. Trinidad Express. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.trinidadexpress.com/featured-news/Breaking-the-cycle-243265941.html.

Boseley, Sarah. (2014, February 26). Sick cities: how to beat pandemics that spread like we live in one big metropolis. Theguardian. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/feb/26/sick-cities-pandemics-spread-metropolis.