Some Like It Quick: Which countries are obssesed with fast food?

Fast food has become a potential substitute because it is readily available and reasonably priced. Whenever we want a quick meal, fast food restaurants are our first choice.

There are chain restaurants popping up due to demand in every significant market worldwide.

Recently, a report revealed which countries are most obsessed with fast food.

CEO World Magazine carried out a survey in order to know how often residents of over 20 countries eat junk food in an average month.

The United States and the United Kingdom topped the list that was originally released in December 2022.

France and Sweden secured third and fourth spots, followed by Austria, Mexico, and South Korea. India was ranked thirteenth on the list.

More from Explainers

Let's take a closer look at which countries are crazy about fast food and why is it so popular.

Also read: Food Poverty Haunts UK: How 4 million children are going hungry

Most fast-food-obsessed countries in the world

A report reveals which countries are most crazy about fast food.

It's a growing industry

According to The Barbecue Lab, the fast food business is still expanding by 2.2 per cent annually.

Despite all the health dangers associated with frequent fast food intake, it is still rising.

With 826,000 restaurants and chains worldwide and 13 million people employed by the fast food sector, the industry seems not going anywhere anytime soon.

Also read: Norwegian diplomat praises France for banning supermarkets from throwing out unsold food

Reasons why fast food is so popular

The major reason fast food is so popular in many countries across the world is that -- it's cheap, quick, convenient and readily available!

In today's busy culture, it has become difficult for people to prepare food or even eat food peacefully.

According to a study by The Barbecue Lab, most Americans eat fast food one to three times a week and over 83 per cent of US families eat it at least once a week.

The study suggests many people think eating fast food is "relatively inexpensive compared with other restaurants." Over 32 per cent of the people that eat fast food think it is cheaper than the alternatives.

A food cart operates outside City Hall in New York City. AFP

However, it’s significantly more expensive than preparing food at home. While many people think lower-income families consume more fast food due to "inexpensive costs," it is those with higher incomes to consume more fast food than those with lower incomes.

According to the US-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 42 per cent of adults that have a higher family income level eat fast food on any given day, while only 31.7 per cent of adults in lower income brackets do so as well.

Even though the food too is tasty, however, it is loaded with high calories, fat, sugar and salt. Thus, the nutrition is stripped away due to processing.

According to The Barbecue Lab, McDonald’s is still the most popular restaurant in the fast food industry with $130.4 billion spent there worldwide in 2019.

Health risks

While the occasional fast food restaurant meal doesn’t pose a huge risk, regular consumption starts posing significant health risks. 

According to Medical News Today, the consumption of commercial fast food products in excess has been shown to have detrimental short- and long-term effects on health.

Living near a fast food restaurant is associated with a 5.2 per cent higher risk of obesity, and eating fast food at least twice a week can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by promoting insulin resistance, according to The Barbecue Lab.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes both raise your risk of heart disease and a variety of other disorders.

Eating fast food frequently can raise your chance of depression by up to 51 per cent, in addition to raising your risk of heart disease.

The technique deprives the food of its essential nutrients in order to produce food that can be swiftly cooked and be reasonably shelf stable. It's understandable why eating a lot of fast food makes us feel unwell because it's deficient in the right nutrients and contains excessive amounts of sodium and sugar.

With inputs from agencies

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,

India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.