Lyndsay Burginger
The CDC has just released their latest study and get this, 1 in 3 Americans eat fast food on a given day. While it comes as no surprise that America loves fast food, one thing that did shatter a myth was who was eating all the fast food. In the past, it has been said that people who come from lower income are more likely to eat at fast food restaurants. However, this study has concluded that people in lower income brackets actually eat less fast food than those in higher brackets.
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According to the study, which was conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, of the 36% of American adults that indulged on fast food31.7 percent of fast food consumers are low-income, 36.4% are middle income and 42% are higher income, altering the link between fast food consumption and income levels.42.4% were non-Hispanic blacks, 37.6% were non-Hispanic whites, 35.5% were Hispanics and 30.6% were non-Hispanic Asians.
Age played a factor as well in the CDC report. 44.9% of those were aged 20 to 39 years, 37.7% of those were aged 40 to 59 years and 24.1% of those were aged 60 and older.
Where ever you fall on the family income, race or age scale, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is quick to point out that Americans are eating too much processed fast food. Overconsumption of fast food from places like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and even Chipotle, can serve an adult’s daily calories in a single meal. Public health is at risk with heart disease and type 2 diabetes as a connection with obesity and weight gain.
To fight this, some fast food establishments in the United States are beginning to sell healthier options. Just recently McDonald’s announced that all of their burgers are free from artificial preservatives. More and more restaurants are adding meat-free alternatives to their menus. White Castle launched their vegan sliders at the beginning of September with high praise.
