It is true that junk food is widespread and more people are consuming it. Although this phenomenon can bring about some positive impacts, the drawbacks related to it are far more significant.
There can be numerous minor benefits of the growth of fast food globally. Chief among these is the high chance of job vacancy. Fast food restaurants, in fact, are expanding, meaning that human resources are needed to help manage the restaurants. This shortage of human resources provides low-skilled workers who lack hands-on experience an opportunity to work and make ends meet. By way of illustration, Jollibee in Vietnam recruits 7,000 blue-collar workers every year, which enables many undergraduates to earn money and cover their living expenses. Another advantage is the convenience that this phenomenon brings. People who are under intense pressure from a heavy workload usually work overtime, and thus they do not have time to cook proper meals for themselves. Therefore, convenience food is the only choice because it can be consumed in a short time and is available everywhere.
Despite these detrimental effects, the fact that fast food’s availability is increasing can be more disadvantageous for several reasons. Perhaps one of the major reasons is the destruction of health. In specific, tremendous junk food intake leads to detrimental health-related problems. This consumption means that people can pose a risk of various health diseases such as cardiovascular disease, heart disease, hypertension, and so on. A case in point is in the United States, a survey finds that individuals who regularly consume fast food are more likely to be overweight or obese compared to those who consume it less frequently. The second issue is the problems about the environment. In order to maintain the supply chain of a fast food restaurant, a large amount of meat and dairy products is needed. This process involves butchering animals in farms, which contributes to deforestation and greenhouse gas emission, thereby exacerbating environmental problems.
In conclusion, the increasing ubiquity of fast food can be beneficial in some situations. However, this phenomenon can produce some negative impacts which are of greater significance.