research questions on fast food

Fast Food Research Paper Topics for Fast Food Lovers and Haters

Fast food helps to save time on shopping and cooking and to eat quickly and relatively cheaply. However, we pay for such convenience with our health: the nutritional value of this type of meal is several times overstated. If, for example, we take McDonald’s McCombo – a full meal consisting of a gourmet burger, French fries, and Coca-Cola – then we get 1,396 kcal per meal.

The energy value of the diet should correspond to the energy consumption of the body. A woman needs to consume no more than 1,800 kcal per day, while a man, 2,200 kcal. Thus, for one visit to McDonald’s, you get almost a daily calorie intake.

If you look at the composition of a burger, nothing is suspicious: bread, a piece of meat, vegetables, herbs, seasoning, and sauce. However, experts say this is a misleading impression. The most harmful food in all fast foods is just a bun with meat and sauce. There is no fiber, little protein, and most of all, simple carbohydrates and fats. Simple carbohydrates provide short-term energy and are stored as fat in the body. Saturated fats are mostly carcinogenic.

In general, the subject of fast food is very interesting and controversial. If you want to study it closer and even write a paper about it, we offer you to check out the fast food research paper topics. The writers from our research proposal writing service shared their ideas on titles to ease your life. We are sure you will find the best match for your needs. We also have a great choice of technology research topics and are ready to assist you with any task, from an essay about fast food to a depression research paper . Read on for more information.

Argumentative fast food research paper topics

These argumentative topics on fast food will help you develop strong thesis statements and support your ideas. If you need some help, we recommend you pay for research paper assistance and contact professional writers.

Should all fast food restaurants contain healthy dishes like salads?
Why is it difficult to monitor the quality of semi-finished products in fast food restaurants?
Why can fast food sandwiches lay for months at room temperature and not change their presentation?
Is the main problem of fast food its unbalanced composition, such as excessive amounts of salt, sugar, and saturated fat?
How can fast food restaurants replace oils used for deep-fried frying?
Should fast foods use agricultural products in their meals?
Why is fast food abundantly flavored with salt and sugar?
Why does constant snacking on fast food contribute to the appearance of excess weight and obesity?
How does the appearance of the working staff of fast food restaurants change over time?
What is the connection of fast food and heart and vascular diseases?
What are the arguments for fast food?
What is the main danger of fast food?
Why is there so much debate about fast food?
Why does the harm of fast food provoke more discussion than the harm of alcohol?
Is it easy to become addicted to fast food?
Is it good that fast food restaurant technologists in different countries make sure that the taste of food is the same?

Fast food research paper topics on fast food restaurants

The number of fast food restaurants is continuously rising. Here we have gathered the most current issues connected to this type of food service point. Try our research paper writing services for more exciting ideas on a topic and customized samples.

Why are fast food restaurants so popular? How does it affect society?
Explain why your small town needs more fast food restaurants.
How can you eat healthier if you choose fast food? Explain where calories are hidden. Is it possible to maintain a balanced diet eating in fast food restaurants?
Analyze the nutritional content of the menu in a fast food restaurant (of your choice).
Find out the difference between regular and cage-free eggs used in the fast food industry. Why do fast food restaurants use such eggs?
Describe what features of an oligopoly popular fast food restaurants have. What techniques do they use?
Is it possible to eat healthy food in a fast food restaurant?
Imagine that you are an owner of a fast food restaurant. How would you attract new customers? Create a feasibility plan with a list of actions.
Why are McDonald’s, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, and other fast food restaurants still popular in the US despite all the negative opinions?
Compare employee motivation at McDonald’s (up to your choice) with another fast food restaurant.
Should we replace cafeterias with fast food restaurants?
Analyze how fast food restaurants work under capitalism.
What are the main reasons why people eat at fast food restaurants? Are there any alternatives?
Should the government attract restaurants that serve healthy food with loyal taxation and bonuses?

Fast food research topics: obesity

Obesity is frequently connected with increased consumption of fast food. The nutritional qualities of fast food items are usually poor and become harmful for the human body if regularly consumed. Our authors are ready to assist you with more ideas and offer customized research papers for sale at your request.

Choose two articles about the influence of fast food on obesity rates. Think what can be done to decrease this influence.
Explain what role fast food restaurants play in rising obesity rates.
Define the effect of fast food accessibility and availability on childhood obesity.
Evaluate how fast food advertising influences children. Does it affect obesity rates among children?
Take the opposite position: fast food shouldn’t be blamed for obesity. Explain from the perspective of personal choice.
Fast food advertising to children and childhood obesity .
Should the government take an active part in the obesity epidemic? How?
Analyze the childhood obesity rates in the US (or another country). How can it be decreased?
How does fast food cause obesity? Describe the typical mechanism.
Explain the role of individual responsibility as regards to obesity and fast food.
Analyze the chemical composition of fast food. What are the most harmful ingredients? How is the food prepared?

Fast food essay topics: situation in the US

The US remains as one of the leading countries in consuming fast food. In this section we propose you topics connected to regulatory and social issues related to fast food in the United States. You can buy research papers online and get more ideas on topics that will impress readers.

Analyze the book “Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser. What is the author’s point of view on fast food?
Do you agree with the opinions of Eric Schlosser (author of “Fast Food Nation”)? Why?
Define why fast food became so popular among US citizens. How does fast food influence American society?
Prove that the US government should incorporate a special tax on fast food.
Should the fast food industry in the US be banned? Argue your position.
How does fast food affect food service wages in the US?
Is it appropriate to sell fast food in hospitals?
Define how fast food manipulates health in America.
Analyze the situation with fast food in schools. Should the government ban fast food in schools?
What are the economic and social advantages of the fast food industry?
Analyze how Disneyland got rid of fast food. What types of healthy food do they provide?
Can fast food be treated as a high-risk factor for the American population?
Does fast food influence the economic situation of the state? How?
Should the government control and regulate the ingredients in fast food?
How has fast food culture changed the dining tableware? How has fast food become an ordinary part of our daily meals? How have paper cups and plates become a regular part of our tableware?
Analyze what effect fast food has on lower social economic groups.
Should the government ban fast food advertising to children?
Explain why fast food products should be labeled with warning signs.

Topics on the harm of fast food

Many people are aware of the harms of fast food, but most of them still consume it in great quantities. Why do people continue to eat this kind of food? What are the consequences? All these and other questions are listed below. Note that our service creates customized samples on any topic. Our texts are unique, and you can check any of them with an AI text detector to ensure.

Explain why fast food is hazardous for human health and the planet.
Create an argumentative essay on prohibiting advertising of fast food, alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals.
Compare and contrast fast food and home-cooked meals. What option is the best? Why?
Compare and contrast the effects of tobacco and fast food. Are there any similarities?
What will happen to a person if he or she consumes fast food in great amounts?
Why do people continue consuming fast food even if they know that it’s unhealthy?
Explain why many people are obsessed with fast food these days.
Analyze your personal food choices. What place does fast food have in your daily ration? Are you influenced by the media? What can be done to make people refuse fast food?
Should high schools offer fast food options on the menu of student cafeterias?
Do you eat fast food? Why? How can avoiding fast food change your life?
What long-term effects on a person’s body does fast food have?
What is more dangerous for health – smoking or fast food?
Why do students prefer fast food even if they know enough about healthy eating?
Explain why you love fast food and why you think it’s right for you.
How can the quality of fast food be improved?
Does fast food influence the environment? How does the fast food industry worsen the ecological situation?

Topics about the fast food industry

The fast food industry has its own peculiarities. In the list below we have touched international issues, government regulation, advertising, and more.

Explain the role of fast food in the UAE. Why is fast food popular in this country?
Analyze the existing fast food TV commercials or big boards. What are the main messages? What tactics has the advertising agency used?
Explain the fast food industry in the context of Porter’s five forces.
Analyze whether the fast food industry should be regulated like the tobacco industry. What are the main factors?
Compare and contrast fast food and “slow” food. What is the typical portrait of an average client?
How is corporate social responsibility used in fast food digital marketing campaigns? What impact does it have on society?
What should be the main arguments in anti fast food campaigns? What arguments will work better for each social group/age?
Think about the future of the fast food industry. What has changed recently? What is the prognosis?
How does fast food benefit the health care industry?
Analyze how American fast food culture has integrated into the Chinese food market. Why has it become so popular in China?
Analyze the fast food franchise models. How has it affected business? What are the main reasons to own a franchise?
Explain why fast food in reality differs from the advertising pictures. Is it false advertising?

Fast food thesis statement examples

fast food paper thesis statement examples

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8 thoughts on “ Fast Food Research Paper Topics for Fast Food Lovers and Haters ”

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128 Brilliant Fast Food Essay Topics & Examples

The phenomenon of comfort food that takes a short time to prepare and tastes good has become extremely popular in the world, with chains such as McDonalds having an enormous global presence. However, the adverse health effects associated with the emergence of fast food have led to its nickname, junk food.

There is an obesity epidemic throughout the world, but people do not adopt healthy eating habits even as more and more issues surface. As such, you should cover some key points to write an outstanding essay on one or more fast food essay topics and show your understanding of the topic.

In this article we will reveal some tips and ideas for writing, as well as research questions on fast food.

👍 Tips for Essay Writing on Fast Food

🏆 best fast food topics & essay examples, ✅ simple & easy fast food essay topics, 💡 most interesting fast food topics to write about, ❓ fast food questions for research paper.

Your fast food essay should discuss the advantages as well as disadvantages of fast food compared to traditional healthy food.

Food items that contain excessive fat or were not good for one’s health have existed for a long time, but were never prominent enough to impact the population significantly.

Fast food options became popular because they pioneered the ideas of food being easily accessible, quick to make, and tasty nevertheless.

Compared to the usual cooking experience people went through at home as well as outdoors eating places, the new phenomenon constituted a revolution.

Fast food became popular with the population due to its significant benefits compared to other methods.

However, the disadvantages of excessive consumption of junk food emerged eventually, leading to the release of various legislation governing the dangers of a poor diet.

With its emphasis on fat and sugars, fast food can lead to a variety of issues, examples including uncontrolled weight gain, heart disease, dental issues, shortness of breath, and other adverse outcomes.

Obesity is now an issue that affects many people in the United States as well as other countries. It can also be difficult to stop consuming junk food because of its instant gratification properties.

Due to its concentration on taste over nutrition, healthy food can feel bland and uninteresting by comparison, leading the person to switch back.

You should discuss potential solutions to the issues created by fast food, but the issue is complex and complicated by the conditions of some of the people affected.

In Australia, some aboriginal people live too far from large cities to receive regular shipments of healthy food that will not spoil, so they have to rely on fast food that is packed with preservatives.

As a result, many become obese and malnourished at the same time. There is no easy solution to the issue, and as such, most options have to be theoretical or supported by evidence. The essay format is generally not suitable for in-depth discussions of topics related to the resolution of these issues.

Here are some additional tips that will make your essay truly outstanding:

Try to rely on facts that are supported by research and evidence rather than the popular perception.
The concept of fast food extends beyond chains such as McDonalds to ready-made meals and various snacks in stores.
Remember to follow usual essay writing guidelines such as an academic tone, the separation of section with titles, and the use of an introductions and fast food essay conclusions.

Here, at IvyPanda you can find lots of fast food essay titles and other useful samples that will help you create an excellent paper! Check them below!

Fast Food Industry: Arguments for and Against For instance, those who believe that fast food industry is beneficial to them and other members of the society will expect the findings of this research to be in support of their beliefs.
Fast Food vs. Home Cooking: Lifestyle and Traditions The good thing with this business is that the food was from natural products hence healthy, a fact that has since changed Many people are very busy for the better part of the day and […]
Fast Food in Campus: Advantages and Disadvantages On the other hand, a classmate mentions that fast foods lead to obesity among university students who eat from fast-food restaurants.
The Fast Food Industry Lots of people claim that the growth of the rate of obese people correlates with the growth of fast food chains in the region.
HRM in the Fast Food Industry: US, Germany, and Australia It should be mentioned that the term human-resource relations refers to the programs that an organization puts in place in order to ensure that the employees receive the benefits that are guaranteed by legislation.
Survey to Study the Relationship Between Fast Food Consumption and Obesity The survey aims to analyze if there is any connection between consumption of fast food and obesity. The study aims to ascertain the relationship between fast food consumption and obesity.
Fast Food Effects on Human Health The phenomenon results in the ideological perspectives of increased obesity and the emergence of lifestyle diseases. The popularity and consumption rate of fast-food restaurants is one of the trending issues in cities and towns.
Fast Food Restaurants: Classification Most restaurants offer these services at their premises, whereby customers come, have their meals and leave for example the Deising’s chain of restaurants, while others especially the well-established ones offer take-out services and delivery services […]
Improvements of Supply Chain Processes in the Fast Food Industry: Subway The purposes of the research are to analyze the service delivery stage of the internal supply chain process typical of the Subway restaurants located in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; identify drawbacks in these areas […]
Global Challenges Faced By Fast Food Companies For instance the price strategy is usually determined by a number of factors such as the number of competitors in the market, the availability and costs of raw materials and the existent product substitutes in […]
The Negative Consequences of Employing High School Students in Fast Food Restaurants In addition, high school students should be advised that education and their careers are more important as compared to working at fast food restaurants.
Motivational Issues in the Fast Food Sector Fast food refers to a type of cuisine produced in mass and marketed by some eateries, presentation stands, and service establishments for fast and effective production and delivery.
Fritter’s Fast Food Restaurants: Overview Very fast and inexpensive to manufacture, Fritters can find their customers both in restaurants and kiosks, and in pre-prepared form.
The Consequences of Fast Food The most evident effect of fast food is obesity among others and these effects are what will be considered as the basis of discouraging the intake of fast food while encouraging other healthier options.
The Jungle and Fast Food Nation Though both books talk about the food industry and the ills that plague it, it is important to establish that, Eric Schlosser’s aim of writing Fast Food Nation was to make the public know the […]
The Reasons Behind the Popularity of Fast Food in the Context of the Lebanese Market Nowadays, in Beirut, the variety of traditional dishes which can be prepared quickly and served as fast food is amazing, from the kebab, to the falafel; most dishes are represented.
Employment Relations in Fast Food Restaurants It is therefore imperative to ensure the comfort of employees and for good employment relations to be built and extended there are certain advantages and legal constitutions that have to be established for the sake […]
The Fast-Food Industry and Legal Accountability for Obesity The principle of least harm in ethics is closely associated with the fast food industry; this is mainly because of the basic fact that fast food increases chances of obesity to its consumers.
Impacts of Fast Food on Childhood Eating Habits The author’s claim that lack of nutritional information on fast food packaging is a major cause of obesity among children and teenagers is not true.
Impact of Fast Food on Human Body Firstly, it is the economics of fast food fast food is the cheapest food on the market in terms of a calorie per dollar.
Environmental Analysis for a New Fast Food Chain in Australia The viability of the restaurant will depend, in a large part, on the stability of the host government as well as the strength of the host country’s political system.
Causes and Effects of Fast Food: Reputation for Unhealthy Eating By setting this price to a low value, fast food companies can exclude traditional restaurants from the selection, improve throughput, and increase their brand equity.
An Analysis of Marketing Strategies of Local vs. International Brands in the Fast Food Sector This comes as no surprise, considering that the UK is one of the world’s largest economies in the world, has one of Europe’s highest populations and is the largest consumer of fast food in the […]
Wendy’s Fast Food Restaurant The design has the potential to elaborate on the cause of failures inherent in the establishment and possess the capacity to make recommendations on combating the challenges.
Influencing Consumer Behavior: the changing image of ‘fast food’ Some of the factors that consumers may be influenced with include the cost, what their friends and family members say, where the restaurant is located, the duration the meal takes, and by how the consumers […]
Social Media Marketing Plan: Subway Fast Food Attract The main objective of this digital marketing plan is to attract the younger customers’ market through the Subway’s website and a twitter fun page in order to increase the customer traffic in its stores.
Healthy Fast Food Restaurant The project committee has ensured that this project has a number of strengths as it is introduced in this competitive market.
McDonald’s Corporation: Analyzing Fast Food Industry A glance of the profit margins of the major players in the US industry will provide a more clear perception of the fast food industry’s success in 2009 in global perspective: Key Competitors Profits 2009 […]
American Fast Food in Foreign Countries On the one hand, fast food chains like McDonald’s are at risk of pushing local cafes away, leading the latter to bankruptcy.
Fast Food: What We Eat by Eric Schlosser The industry became the cause of multiple economic trends and shifted the behaviors of consumers. In conclusion, the fast-food industry has had a great influence on economics, society, and politics.
The Culture of Fast Food Consumption Thesis Statement: The purchase of fast food is largely driven by the convenience of purchase, enjoyment of taste, and pricing. However, it is worth sorting out the reasons for consuming fast food and the main […]
The Effects of Fast Food Consumption on Obesity Afterward, Lane et al.combined homogeneous conditions and conducted a meta-analysis to determine the effect of fast food consumption on their development.
The Fast Food Mass Production Problem Mass production was planned as a phenomenon to ensure the supply of food in sufficient quantities to cover the loss of production in the sale and, at the same time, meet the economic needs of […]
Fast Food Restaurant: Emergency Procedure It is essential to lay out a clear communication plan to ensure the team maintains functional capacity during a hurricane threat.
Drive-Thru Dreams and Fast Food Nation by Adam Chandler In the introduction to his book, Drive-Thru Dreams: A Journey through the Heart of America’s Fast-Food Kingdom, Adam Chandler uses pathos as the central appeal to convince the audience in the strength of his reasoning.
Slow and Fast Food Values by Alice Waters Uniformity is a fast-food value that causes people to lose their individuality because of the pressure to conform. Awareness is a fundamental value in the current fast-food world.
Employee Retention & Staff Turnover in Fast Food Industry Whilst the recruitment strategy errors include the lack of such documents as A Set of Competencies and The Perfect Candidate, the lack of recruitment specialists, and the provision of insufficient information to the candidate. It […]
The Environment of Fast Food Chains The basic research question is based upon the fact as what is actual scenario of HK fast food industry and what marketing strategies are being used commonly by the industry?
Customer Loyalty in Fast Food Industry Under Current Economic Crisis The objective of this research is to evaluate different customer loyalty programs offered by companies operating in the UK Fast Food Industry to induce more sales and assess their effectiveness amid of the current economic […]
Promoting Fast Food Ingredient Awareness The result of this progress has been the spread of the concept of fast food, meals for those who are busy and do not want to burden themselves with cooking.
The Fast Food Restaurant Market of Canada More than 100 various franchising offers Growing demand for fast food restaurant franchising Wide variety of demanded franchises with diverse prices and distinct revenue potential Growing possibilities to utilize disposable income, which increases proportionally […]
Ideology of Fast Food Industry Development Demonstrating the parallel that can be drawn between fast food and the ideology values such as the fast pace life and consumerism, it is important to stress that several values resulted from the formation and […]
The Fast Food Culture in Saudi Arabia The increased consumption of fast food is an issue that has gripped the attention of healthcare providers worldwide. The high incidence of diabetes is perhaps the most notable effect of the excessive consumption of fast […]
Fast Food and Gender: Is There a Relation? The study was to observe the gender that formed the majority of the customer base in respect to fast foods. In this case, it was important to select a predetermined restaurant that specializes in fast […]
Obesity Prevalence and Fast Food Restaurant Prevalence The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between obesity prevalence and fast food restaurant prevalence in the United States.
Regulation of the Fast Food Industry: Review The rapid growth of the fast food industry has led to the high consumption of fast food by many people. The extraordinary growth of the fast food industry has been driven by fundamental changes in […]
Fast Food: What Is Really in It? Fast food restaurants use TBHQ to eliminate oxidation of fats and oils in order to prolong the expiry date of their foods.
“The Bitter Truth About Fast Food” by Schlosser While such a regulation is hard to follow, it has been proved that some natural ingredients used in the manufacturing of flavors pose more health risks than artificial ingredients.
The Film “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!”: How the Fast Food Industry Interacts With Its Customers Another obvious cause and effect relationship portrayed in the film concerns the rise in the threat of diseases such as diabetes as the effect of the food choices that McDonald’s provides to its customers.
Biotechnology and Animal Welfare: How Genetically Modified Chicken Serves the Demand in Fast Food Chains Beef was the most often used meat for the restaurants due to its containing in burgers, however, in 2020, the tendency started to move in the direction of chicken consumption.
”The Ritual of Fast Food” by Margaret Visser At the pace of modern life, people often do not have time to dine fully, and then fast food comes to the rescue.
Fast Food Nation in the “Omnivore’s Dilemma” by M. Pollan The author’s main purpose in writing this text could be summarized as a plea to food-conscious people that there is more to what they do not know about the food they eat.
Fast Food Industry: Five Forces of Success The possible threat of market saturation by new sellers inflowing the market. The strength of rivalry or competition in the food industry as franked by existing markets is a pronouncement that helps in the determination […]
Branding of Fast Food Industry: Sound and Strategic Brand According to Thomson and Rampton the brand image should be able to provide customers with a degree of excellence and comfort, making them outshine from the rest of the group that is they provide a […]
Media Plan of a Fast Food Chain Subway Food The uniqueness and importance of this media for Subway Foods is that the sender of the advertising message, who can be regarded as the seller, does not know in advance what he will receive in […]
Fast Food Empire: ”Behind the Counter” by Schlosser Schlosser underlines that the fast food problem in society, culture, and identity is presenting all Americans with profound dilemmas- that are badly in need of clarification and resolution of real life values and ideals Schlosser […]
Opportunism in Fast Food Chains: Schlosser’s ‘Behind the Counter’ The fast-food chains employ the most disadvantaged members of the American society and provide only training on basic job skills such as getting to work on time.
Technology in the British Fast Food Industry The use of modern smartphones and apps is an emerging trend that will continue to dictate the performance of business organizations.
Fast Food Restaurants and Buyers’ Responsibility Fast food and chain restaurants sell their products, but they do not force people to buy them. Thus, people are to be responsible for their behavior and understand the danger of unhealthy food.
Fast Food, Fat Profits: Obesity in America With the current trends in the consumption of foods, statistics show that, by the year 2015, a third of America will be obese.
Fast Food History and Global Presence The popularity of fast-food restaurants at the time could be associated with the increased numbers of people moving to the city centers during the Great Depression.
“Fast Food Nation” Movie by Richard Linklater This is a story of how one of the most favorite things in the country is destroying people’s health and undermining the belief that the world is a friendly and kind place where people love […]
Obesity in Hispanic Adolescents and Fast Food Most of these, however, describe the relationship existing between the prevalence of diabetes in the population and the consumption of fast foods.
Fast Food, Obesity, Depression, and Other Issues However, in busy communities, fast foods are increasingly being the preferred choice of food because of their price and convenience and that is why they are commonly served in many hotels, cafes and even some […]
Fast Food Ban Necessity in Schools Schools should not offer fast foods because they lead to the development of bad habits, long-time health complications and influence students to spend money unnecessarily.
Green Management in Fast Food Restaurants The corporations have to acquire large amounts of capital to operate efficiently and survive in the market because of the high demand of social responsibility in the food industry.
Fast Food Consumption in New Jersey (United States) The survey aimed at evaluating the consumption of fast foods amongst the residents of New Jersey in the USA. Other objectives that were considered during the study included determination of whether the habit contributed to […]
Factors Contributing to Fast Food Consumption in UAE Nevertheless, the transformation from homemade food to fast food has been so severe and widespread that people have become addicted to fast food in the UAE.
The Fast Food Danger Awareness Among the Young People However, it is worrying that many people in this society are not aware of the dangers that this industry poses to young people.
Blue Springs Fast Food Store vs. Blue Gardens Restaurant Analysis The lighting is moderated to give the facility a unique ambiance, and the color of the walls is also very attractive.
Fast Food War in Singapore: The Stiff Competition and Fight for Customers In this case, the market conditions will allow the firm to choose product attributes that counter the products of their competitors.
Should Fast Food Qualify As “Food”? Nowadays, it became a commonplace practice among many people to suggest that fast food cannot be considered areal.’ This, of course, implies that the consumption of fast food can hardly be considered beneficial to the […]
Fast Food Industry and Its Impacts The experiment made in the film shows how consuming of the fast food influences the human body, presents a visual demonstration of the processes happening in our inside organs under the influence of chemicals contained […]
Analysis of the Documentary Fast Food, Fat Profits This is one of the issues that can be distinguished. This is one of the limitations that can be singled out.
Fast Food Industry in the US This paper will discuss the fast food industry in the US with an emphasis on the positive as well as the negative impacts it has on American economy.
The economical aspects and different perspectives for fast food industry in Canada Figure 1: The leading fast-food companies in Canada Source: Reiter Slcfred stated that Mcdinalds had more than 31000 outlets all over the world, among them 5% restaurants or 1550 outlets are in Canada and highest […]
Challenges Inherent in Repositioning a Fast Food Chain Much money has to be spent during the repositioning process, and, in a period of financial crisis, as is the current situation, it is very important to come up with some cost-effective strategies to succeed […]
The Fast-food Industry in Russia For example, the legislation guaranteed the right of workers to organize themselves in labour unions, strike and even challenge the decisions that are made by the management The Russian federation labour laws are a combination […]
Fast Food Drive-throughs In this respect, the drive-through services are aimed at reducing the throughput time and serving a maximum number of clients in the minimum time compared to other similar services.s such, it is necessary to compare […]
Deli Depot Fast Food Restaurants Strategy Objectives To improve on the sales of the business hence increasing the profit margin To strategise on how to take over the market from other competitors To come up with a good team of employees […]
Fast Food on Campus: When Affordable Meals Overshadow the Nutrition Issues Starting Positively Much to the credit of fast food and the companies producing it, there are also a number of positive aspects of providing fast food on the territory of campus.
Fast Foods More Harm Than Good The rest of the life of such a child is upsetting as the child is ridiculed in and out of school, through his/her adolescence, and even in college.
The Fast Food Chains “Five Guys” in the USA Five Guys is one of the fastest growing fast food chains in the USA and it is now expanding overseas. One of the reasons for such a success is the thoughtful philosophy of the fast […]
Fast Food’s Main Detrimental Effects This state of affairs is perfectly explainable, because during the course of recent decades, the effects of a lengthened consumption of fast food on one’s health remained the subject of a number of heated public […]
“The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Search for a Perfect Meal in a Fast-Food World” by Michael Pollan The poultry helps in the spreading of manure as the chicken looks for larvae to eat. There are a lot of processed foods available in the market such that one is spoilt for choice.
Comparison Between the Jungle and Fast Food Nation The writer of the book came up with suggestion on what ought to be done to eliminate the issue of minimal salaries among the citizens, hence, improve the living standards of the people in the […]
Increased Nutrition Regulations on Fast Food Restaurants Some critics believe that federal policy to increase the cost of healthy food has led to the increase in consumption of the cheaper alternative i.e.fast food.
The Nature of Fast Food Advertising in North American & Its Influence The nature of fast food advertising in North America is such that most fast food restaurants depict the advantages of eating fast food in a bid to entice the clients.
Fast Food, Quick Problem Emergence, Rapid Addiction and Slow Recovery Process Because of the growing popularity of the fast food products, the concern for the effect that the fast food meals have on the population is growing increasingly big, yet the solutions for the problems and […]
Fast Food and Hate Groups Harvey would lay his hands on the member’s heads to reconfirm them to the group after which the members would swear an oath to Harvey and Pendgrass that they will uphold the beliefs and convictions […]
How Has the Fast Food Industry Changed From the 1950s to the Present?
What Are the Causes of Popularity for Fast Food Restaurants?
Are Fast Food and Junk Food Companies Ethically Responsible for Customers?
What Are the Effects of Eating Fast Food?
How Did Jollibee Build Its Position in the Philippine Fast Food Industry?
What Are the Key Success Factors That Make the Fast Food Business Model Work?
Does Consumer Preference Shift Away From Fast Food?
What Constitutes Good Customer Service and Makes a Company in the Fast Food Industry Indispensable?
How Are Fast Food Advertising and Childhood Obesity Related?
What Makes Chipotle Unique Among Other Fast Food Chains?
Can Apps Make Fast Food Even Faster?
How Is Fast Food Changing American Food Culture?
Why Isn’t Fast Food Cheaper Than Healthy Food?
Are Fast Food Restaurants to Blame for Obesity?
How Can Fitness Overcome Fast Food?
What Marketing Strategies Use McDonald’s to Compete With Burger King in the Fast Food Industry?
Why Are Fast Food Restaurants Popular?
How Has Healthy Living Culture Brought About Changes in the Fast Food Industry?
Does Fast Food Have a Possible Connection With Obesity?
How Do Eco Activists Take Action Towards the Fast Food Industries?
Should Fast Food Advertisements Be Banned?
What Retention Strategies Can Be Used by Fast Food Companies?
How Do Life Styles Affect the Consumption of Fast Food?
Should Fast Food Companies Be Held Responsibility for Children’s Obesity?
How Did McDonald’s Change Fast Food?
Should Fast Food Only Be Sold to People Eighteen and Older?
How Has the Recession Affected the Fast Food Sector?
Should Schools Serve Fast Food Like Mcdonald’s?
What Are Most Serious Negative Effects of Eating Fast Food?
Why Should Americans Eat Less Fast Food?
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A Research Guide
Research Paper Topics

120 Food Research Paper Topics

How to choose a topic for food research paper:, fast food research paper topics:.

The impact of fast food consumption on obesity rates in children
The influence of fast food advertising on consumer behavior
The correlation between fast food consumption and cardiovascular diseases
The role of fast food in the development of type 2 diabetes
The effects of fast food on mental health and well-being
The environmental impact of fast food packaging and waste
Fast food and its contribution to food deserts in urban areas
The economic implications of the fast food industry on local communities
Fast food and its association with food addiction and cravings
The nutritional value and quality of ingredients used in fast food
The influence of fast food on dietary patterns and nutritional deficiencies
The role of fast food in the globalization of food culture
The ethical concerns surrounding fast food production and animal welfare
The impact of fast food consumption on academic performance in students
Fast food and its relationship to food insecurity and poverty

Food Insecurity Research Paper Topics:

The impact of food insecurity on child development
Food insecurity and its relationship to mental health
Exploring the causes of food insecurity in urban areas
The role of food banks in addressing food insecurity
Food insecurity among college students: prevalence and consequences
The effects of food insecurity on maternal and infant health
Food insecurity and its implications for rural communities
The relationship between food insecurity and obesity
Food insecurity and its impact on academic performance in children
The role of government policies in addressing food insecurity
Food insecurity and its connection to chronic diseases
The effects of food insecurity on older adults’ health and well-being
Food insecurity and its influence on food choices and dietary quality
The role of community gardens in reducing food insecurity
Food insecurity and its impact on social inequalities and disparities

Organic Food Research Paper Topics:

The impact of organic farming on soil health and fertility
The nutritional differences between organic and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables
The effects of organic farming practices on water quality and conservation
The potential health benefits of consuming organic dairy products
The role of organic agriculture in reducing pesticide exposure and its associated health risks
The economic viability and market trends of organic food production
The impact of organic farming on biodiversity and ecosystem services
Consumer perceptions and attitudes towards organic food: A global perspective
The effectiveness of organic farming in mitigating climate change
The role of organic farming in promoting sustainable food systems
Organic versus conventional meat production: A comparison of animal welfare standards
The impact of organic food consumption on human health and disease prevention
The challenges and opportunities of organic food certification and labeling
The role of organic farming in reducing food waste and promoting food security
The potential environmental and health risks associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in organic food production

Food Technology Research Paper Topics:

The impact of food processing techniques on nutritional value
The role of food technology in reducing food waste
The development of sustainable packaging materials for food products
The use of nanotechnology in food processing and preservation
The application of artificial intelligence in food quality control
The potential of 3D printing in personalized nutrition
The impact of food technology on the sensory properties of food products
The role of food technology in improving food safety and reducing foodborne illnesses
The development of novel food ingredients using biotechnology
The use of blockchain technology in ensuring traceability and transparency in the food supply chain
The impact of food technology on the shelf life and stability of food products
The role of food technology in addressing food allergies and intolerances
The application of robotics in food processing and manufacturing
The development of functional foods for specific health conditions
The use of genetic engineering in enhancing crop productivity and nutritional content

Food Safety Research Paper Topics:

The impact of foodborne illnesses on public health
The role of government regulations in ensuring food safety
Food safety practices in the restaurant industry
The effectiveness of food safety training programs for food handlers
Food safety risks associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
The role of food packaging in maintaining food safety
Food safety concerns in the global food supply chain
The impact of climate change on food safety and security
Food safety risks associated with food delivery services
The role of consumer behavior in ensuring food safety
Food safety practices in home kitchens
The impact of food additives and preservatives on food safety
Food safety risks associated with food allergies and intolerances
The role of technology in enhancing food safety measures
Food safety challenges in developing countries

Food History Research Paper Topics:

The Evolution of Food Preservation Techniques
The Impact of the Columbian Exchange on Global Cuisine
The Role of Food in Ancient Egyptian Society
The Origins and Development of Chocolate as a Culinary Delight
The Influence of French Cuisine on Modern Gastronomy
The Cultural Significance of Spices in Medieval Europe
The History of Food and Nutrition in World War II
The Impact of Industrialization on Food Production and Consumption
The Role of Food in Ancient Greek and Roman Rituals and Festivals
The History of Street Food and its Socioeconomic Impact
The Origins and Evolution of Sushi in Japanese Cuisine
The Influence of Immigration on American Food Culture
The History of Food and Medicine: From Ancient Remedies to Modern Nutraceuticals
The Role of Food in Colonialism and Cultural Assimilation
The Evolution of Fast Food and its Impact on Global Health

Food Marketing Research Paper Topics:

The impact of social media on consumer behavior in the food industry
The effectiveness of celebrity endorsements in food marketing campaigns
The influence of packaging design on consumer perception and purchasing decisions
The role of sensory marketing in food product development and promotion
The effects of nutritional labeling on consumer choices and health outcomes
The use of virtual reality and augmented reality in food marketing strategies
The impact of food advertising on children’s food preferences and consumption patterns
The role of cultural factors in shaping food marketing strategies and consumer behavior
The effectiveness of personalized marketing approaches in the food industry
The influence of food branding and brand loyalty on consumer purchasing behavior
The role of sustainability and ethical considerations in food marketing practices
The effects of food pricing strategies on consumer choices and market competition
The impact of online food delivery platforms on consumer behavior and market dynamics
The role of food labeling claims and certifications in consumer trust and decision-making
The effects of food marketing on public health and policy implications

Food Chemistry Research Paper Topics:

Analysis of food additives and their effects on human health
Investigating the role of antioxidants in preventing food spoilage
The chemistry behind flavor development in fermented foods
Analyzing the chemical composition of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food
Understanding the chemical reactions involved in food browning and Maillard reaction
Investigating the chemistry of food preservation methods, such as canning and freezing
Analyzing the chemical changes in food during cooking and their impact on nutritional value
The role of enzymes in food processing and their effects on food quality
Investigating the chemistry of food allergies and intolerances
Analyzing the chemical composition and health benefits of functional foods
Understanding the chemistry of food packaging materials and their impact on food safety
Investigating the chemical changes in food during storage and their effects on shelf life
Analyzing the chemical composition and nutritional value of organic versus conventionally grown foods
Investigating the chemistry of food contaminants, such as heavy metals and pesticides

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101 Fast Food Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Fast food is a popular topic for essays, as it offers a wide range of issues to discuss. From the health impacts of fast food to the environmental consequences of its production, there are countless angles to explore. If you're looking for inspiration for your next essay on fast food, here are 101 topic ideas and examples to get you started:

The rise of fast food culture in America
The impact of fast food on childhood obesity
The economics of the fast food industry
The environmental impact of fast food packaging
The ethics of fast food marketing to children
Fast food and food deserts in low-income communities
The health risks of consuming fast food regularly
The history of fast food chains like McDonald's and Burger King
The relationship between fast food and mental health
The globalization of fast food chains
Fast food and its effects on the planet's climate
The role of fast food in shaping cultural norms around food
The future of fast food and the rise of plant-based options
Fast food and its impact on agricultural practices
The social justice implications of fast food labor practices
Fast food and its ties to food addiction
The role of fast food in shaping urban landscapes
Fast food and its impact on food waste
The connection between fast food and chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease
Fast food and its role in shaping dietary trends
The influence of fast food on food policy and regulation
The relationship between fast food and income inequality
Fast food and its impact on food insecurity
The cultural appropriation of traditional foods by fast food chains
The role of fast food in shaping consumer preferences
Fast food and its influence on food advertising
The impact of fast food on animal welfare
The connection between fast food and factory farming
Fast food and its role in the obesity epidemic
The marketing tactics used by fast food chains to target children
The impact of fast food on the gut microbiome
Fast food and its impact on mental health disorders like depression and anxiety
The relationship between fast food and sleep disorders
Fast food and its ties to food insecurity in developing countries
The role of fast food in shaping dietary patterns in low-income communities
Fast food and its impact on soil erosion and deforestation
The connection between fast food and water pollution
Fast food and its ties to antibiotic resistance
The influence of fast food on food waste and recycling practices
Fast food and its impact on marine ecosystems
The relationship between fast food and foodborne illnesses
The connection between fast food and the rise of superbugs
Fast food and its role in shaping consumer demand for convenience
The impact of fast food on the mental health of food service workers
Fast food and its ties to income inequality and social mobility
The role of fast food in shaping dietary trends among millennials
The connection between fast food and social media influencers
Fast food and its influence on body image and eating disorders
The relationship between fast food and food safety regulations
Fast food and its impact on child labor practices in developing countries
The connection between fast food and agricultural subsidies
The influence of fast food on food waste and food loss
Fast food and its ties to deforestation and habitat destruction
The impact of fast food on water scarcity and water pollution
The relationship between fast food and air pollution
Fast food and its role in shaping consumer demand for convenience and immediacy
The connection between fast food and the rise of food delivery services
The influence of fast food on food prices and inflation
Fast food and its impact on food quality and nutritional value
The role of fast food in shaping dietary patterns and food preferences
The relationship between fast food and food insecurity in urban areas
Fast food and its ties to social inequality and discrimination
The impact of fast food on mental health and well-being
The connection between fast food and the rise of food allergies
The influence of fast food on food waste and food packaging
Fast food and its role in shaping consumer demand for convenience and speed
The relationship between fast food and food safety regulations and inspections
The connection between fast food and the rise of foodborne illnesses and outbreaks
The influence of fast food on food advertising and marketing
Fast food and its impact on food access and affordability
The role of fast food in shaping dietary patterns and food choices
The relationship between fast food and the rise

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97 Fast Food Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on fast food, ✍️ fast food essay topics for college, 🎓 most interesting fast food research titles, 💡 simple fast food essay ideas, ❓ fast food research questions.

Causes and Effects of Fast Food: Essay Example
The Negative Effects of Fast Food: Essay Example
Target Audience of Fast Food Restaurants’ Web Sites
McDonalds Fast Food Company Organizational Change
“Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser
Wendy’s Fast Food Franchise in the Chinese Market
McDonald’s: How Strategic Choices Shape Fast Food Supremacy
McDonald’s Company: The Flawed Fast Food Tax McDonalds is one of the world’s leading fast food restaurants serving more than 57 million customers daily with branches all over the major cities.
“Fast Food Nation” the Book by Eric Schlosser In his book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser argues that fast food has greatly influenced American society and culture.
Fast Food Chain Locations, Non-Chain Restaurants and Bars As discussed in prior sections of the report, the competition for Moma Monaz can be distinguished into three categories: fast food chain locations, non-chain restaurants, and bars.
Fast Food Popularity in America: Cause and Effect The popularity of fast food affects Americans in many ways, but the threats of obesity, chronic diseases, and unstable immunity remain critical effects.
Fast Food Nation: Annotated Bibliography Zepeda’s Bad Choices in Our Food System book explores how the food system, including relevant policies in the US, influences consumer food choices.
How the Fast Food Industry Has Changed the Environment and the Health of American Society? More and more Americans eat fast food and since it is relatively inexpensive, tastes good and can be ordered and consumed quickly, fast food has become the national diet.
Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation” In the past 40 years, the world of fast food has penetrated even the remote areas of the American society. It was an industry, which had been started by a few hamburgers
Firefly Burger Fast Food Marketing Plan The project aims to examine the internal and external environments that affect the success of Firefly restaurant and the need for changing its marketing strategy.
Fast Food Harmful Effects on Children This paper states that the exposure of children to fast food early on has an adverse effect on them, resulting in the need to prevent the sale of fast food in schools.
The American Diet Influenced by Fast Food Ads McDonald’s is the largest provider of food services worldwide. It is one of the most well-known and reputable companies in the world, with a multi-level marketing campaign.
Fast Food Addiction: Comparison of Articles Both presented articles argue the harmfulness of fast food, but the scientific article provides evidence of the existence of healthy fast food.
McDonald’s: Fast Food Company’s Marketing Analysis McDonald’s will continue to develop as a fast-food retailer as long as it capitalizes on its strengths and takes advantage of the opportunities given by its operating environment.
“Fast Food Nation”: The Development of the Food Industry in the USA In chapters 5-10, “Fast Food Nation” addresses a range of important issues that surround the development of the food industry in the United States of America.
Fast Food Restaurants in the US Convenient locations play a critical role in the success of fast-food kiosks. These points include the busy commercial strips, shopping malls, and high-traffic areas.
Fast Food and Health Relations Fast food is a way of life for those who look for a quick and cheap alternative to homemade food. What diseases fast food may cause.
Eating Fast Food and Obesity Correlation Analysis The proposed study will attempt to answer the question of what is the relationship between eating fast food and obesity, using correlation analysis.
Neighborhood Deprivation and Exposure to Fast Food in a Large Rural Area A review of an article “Focusing on fast food restaurants alone underestimates the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and exposure to fast food in a large rural area”.
Is Fast Food Really Harmful and Can It Be Healthy? The aim of the paper is to evaluate the factors, associated with fast food alternatives and challenges, which may arise while implementing healthy fast food.
White Thinking Hat Fast Food: Overview According to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office guide “Fast Food Facts”, fast food is popular because it is convenient, predictable, and fast.
The Fast Food Restaurants History in the United States Fast foods are often associated with recent times but when one reads Nicholas Howe’s “Fast Food America” it is easy to see that fast food joins have existed since the early 1990s.
Fast Food Nation: Business Analysis Unless a company specifically lists the source of its natural ingredients on the label, the consumer is left without a clue.
Fast Food as a Cause of Obesity in the US and World In the contemporary rapidly developing world people are always on the move. They want to save time whenever it is possible.
Fast Food Consumption and Obesity Severity: Key Findings The scholars attempt to determine the influence of various behavioral factors on the degree of obesity. This is the main research question that the authors strive to examine.
Nutrition: Causes and Effects of Fast Food In modern world productions of fast food and access to take-out combined with little exercise have raised very many health concerns.
America’s Obsession With Fast Food and Its Effects on the Population
Childhood Obesity and Unhappiness: The Influence of Soft Drinks and Fast Food Consumption
Fast Food Restaurants in Guyana Do More Harm Than Good
Big Fast Food Chains: What Are They Trying to Hide From You?
Political, Social, and Legal Factors That Affect McDonald’s Fast Food Outlet and Haveli Restaurant
Fast Food Eating Places Should Sell Healthier Foodstuff or Become Banished Composition
Are Fast Food and Junk Food Companies Ethically Responsible for Customers?
Product Positioning and Competition: The Role of Location in the Fast Food Industry
Fast Food – The Early Years: Geography and the Growth of a Chain Store in the UK
Epidemic Upon America’s Youth: Installing Fast Food Outlets in High Schools
Calorie Overestimation Bias and Fast Food Products
The Fast Food Industry Has Developed Into Something Bigger
Fast Food Advertising and Marketing Directed at Children and Adolescents in the US
Growing Preference for Fast Food and Changing Cuisine Habits Propel Global Condiment Sauces Market
Fast Food Restaurants and Food Processing Companies Are the Ghost Murderer of Society
How Eco Activists Take Action Towards the Fast Food Industries
Fast Food Wars Between Burger Giants McDonald’s and Burger King
Reasons for the Flourishing of the Fast Food Industry in India
Fat Content Modulates Rapid Detection of Food: Fast Food and the Japanese Diet
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Working at a Fast Food Franchise
The Political Involvement in the Fast Food Industry and Its Impact on the World’s Population
American Culture’s Infatuation With Fast Food
Human Resource Strategies for Effective Business: The Fast Food Industry
Fast Food Advertising Deceives Americans to Obesity
Are Fast Food Restaurants to Blame for Obesity?
The Reasons Why Home Cooking Is Better and Healthier Than Fast Food
Fast Food Nation: Scary Truth About the Fast Food Industry
Service Innovation Commercialization Factors in the Fast Food Industry
Brand Prestige and the Mediating Role of Word of Mouth in the Fast Food Industry
Fast Food and Its Effects on Life Expectancy and Mortality Rates
Factors That Influence Consumer Buying Behavior for Fast Food at McDonald’s
Should Fast Food Be Sold Only to People Eighteen and Older?
Fast Food Restaurants Marketing Strategies Effects on Childhood and Adolescent Obesity
George Ritzer’s Book “The McDonaldization of Society”: A View of the Domination of the Fast Food Restaurants
Key Success Factors That Make the Fast Food Business Model Work
Fast Food: The Unhealthy Combination of Inexpensive and Convenient Food
How Fast Food Is Changing American Food Culture
Fast Food Versus Healthy Living: Mcdonald’s Ongoing Battle
Framing Regulation of Fast Food Advertising in the Australian Print Media
Food Advertisements and the Role of Fast Food Chains and Food Manufacturers in the Country’s Weight Problem
How the Fast Food Industry Has Changed From the 1950s to the Present
Are Fast Food Restaurants the Leading Cause of Obesity?
Has Fast Food Become Healthier?
What Are the Key Success Factors That Make the Fast Food Business Model Work?
How Does Consumer Preference Shift Away From Fast Food?
Why Isn’t Fast Food Cheaper Than Healthy Food?
Does Fast Food Have a Possible Connection With Obesity?
What Marketing Strategies Does McDonald’s Use to Compete With Burger King in the Fast Food Industry?
How Does Fast Food Affect Our Lives?
Why Can America Not Just Eliminate Fast Food Restaurants?
Can Fitness Overcome Fast Food?
What Retention Strategies Can Be Used by Fast Food Companies?
How Are Fast Food Advertising and Childhood Obesity Related?
Why Is the Fast Food Industry Popular With Our Society?
Should Fast Food Advertisements Be Banned?
Whether Fast Food Should Be Supported?
How Has Healthy Living Culture Brought About Changes in the Fast Food Industry?
What Are the Most Serious Negative Effects of Eating Fast Food?
How Does Lifestyle Affect the Consumption of Fast Food?
Should Schools Offer Fast Food?
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Slow Food and Fast Food?
How Did McDonald’s Change Fast Food?
Should Fast Food Chains Be to Blame for Childhood Obesity?
What Are the Causes of the Popularity of Fast Food Restaurants?
How Has the Recession Affected the Fast Food Sector?
Why Should Americans Eat Less Fast Food?

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StudyCorgi. (2022, June 5). 97 Fast Food Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/fast-food-essay-topics/

"97 Fast Food Essay Topics." StudyCorgi , 5 June 2022, studycorgi.com/ideas/fast-food-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) '97 Fast Food Essay Topics'. 5 June.

1. StudyCorgi . "97 Fast Food Essay Topics." June 5, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/fast-food-essay-topics/.

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StudyCorgi . "97 Fast Food Essay Topics." June 5, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/fast-food-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "97 Fast Food Essay Topics." June 5, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/fast-food-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Fast Food were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 22, 2024 .

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75 Fast Food Research Topics & Essay Examples

📝 fast food research papers examples, 🍔 best fast food essay titles, ❓ fast food research questions.

Fast Food and Culture Fast food is used to refer to the food that is prepared and served within a short period of time which is sold in a restaurant or store.
Obesity Problem in American Schools American schools are in a unique position to help improve youth dietary behaviors and prevent cases of obesity.
The Effects of Media on Child Obesity This paper will demonstrate that the media has contributed to the prevalence of childhood obesity in the country by highlighting the effects that the media has on child obesity.
Fast Food Addiction Essay – the Case of UAE This fast food addiction essay explores the causes of obesity in UAE. The United Arab Emirates in one of the world’s most obese countries, and one of the key reasons is junk food consumption.
Hispanic Adolescents' Obesity and Fast Food Consumption The current study sought to establish the relationship between Hispanic adolescents and fast food consumption.
Fast Food and Financial Impatience The roots of fast food come from North America, where people often eat out and have a much more hectic lifestyle.
Poverty Cycle and Children in the United States Discussing the issue of the present day chronic cycle of poverty, it would be relevant to mention that children might be regarded as the most unprotected social group that suffers form the above mentioned problem.
The Fast Food Industry: Negative Impacts Review The fast food industry is one of the largest businesses in the world. Fast food has been recognized to be a large area of assets concerning food.
Impacts of Fast Foods on the Economy and People Schlosser is right about the addictive nature of eating fast foods by Americans who are already addicted to this diet.
Preparations of a Food and Nutrition Policy This paper discusses regulating food advertising to children, obesity as a strong health concern, children’s obesity statistics, television ads and child obesity.
McDonald's Entry into Africa McDonald’s already has limited business in South Africa as well as some few countries in the northern parts of the continent.
Fast Food’ Effects on Children This is a research paper on the effects of fast food on the society, but specifically, more emphasis is put on the younger generation, the children.
Argument for and Against the Fast Food Industry in USA Fast food has quickly gained preference in modern society becoming a major source of nutrition in many countries among different demographics and cultures across the world
Fast Food Companies Should Not Advertise Children Exposing juveniles to processed food has a negative impact on their dietary preferences. Fast food mostly has high fat and artificial sweetener content
Raising Minimum Wage for Fast Food Workers
Fast Food and Its Effect on the Body
America’s Obsession With Fast Food and Its Effects on the Population
Positive and Negative Aspects of Fast Food Restaurants
Fast Food Employees and Minimum Wage
Student Preferences Regarding Fast Food
The Risks and Negative Effects From Fast Food
The Reasons for the Popularity of Fast Food in America
Fast Food as the Main Cause of Diabetes and Obesity
The Relationship Between Fast Food and Obesity
Fast Food Advertising to Children and Childhood Obesity
Causes of the Rapid Rise of Fast Food Restaurants
Positive Improvements From Fast Food Industry
The Role Fast Food Restaurants Play in Rising Obesity Rates
Fast Food Consumption and Its Impact on Today’s Generation
The Effect of Fast Food Accessibility and Availability on Childhood Obesity
Fast Food and Its Effects on Health
The Dangers and Risks of Eating Fast Food
The Positive and Negative Experiences of Working in the Fast Food Industry
Business Plan for Fast Food Restaurants
Behavior Towards Fast Food McDonalds’ in Malaysia
The Causes for the Popularity of Fast Food Restaurants
The Demand for Food Away From Home: Full-Service or Fast Food
Fast Food Consumption Proposition
Practical Steps to Enjoy Fast Foods Without Getting Obese
Fast Food Consumer Goods’ Marketing
Marketing Strategies for Fast Food Restaurants
Fast Food Consumption Among College Students
Marketing Plan for the Fast Food Industry
Causes for the Popularity of Fast Food Restaurants
Ethical Issues With Fast Food Companies
Strategy and Global Fast Food Industry Business
Business Ethics and the Fast Food Industry
Providing Low-Quality Food for Customers of the Fast Food Industry
Marketing Strategies for Fast Food Outlets
The Reasons Why People Consume Fast Food
Fast Food and Why It Should Be Banned
The Controversies Surrounding the Issue of Raising the Wages of Fast Food Workers
The Apparent and Hidden Dangers of Fast Food
Do Fast Food Items Have Any Nutritional Value?
How to Deal With Fast Food Obesity in Kids?
Should Fast Foods Be Sold in Hospitals?
Should Packed Fast Foods Have Health Warnings and Guidelines?
Should Fast Foods Be Taxed More, and Why?
Why Are Fast Foods So Prevalent in American Society?
Should Fast-Food Advertising Be Banned?
Why People Should Reduce Their Intake of Fast Foods, and How to Do It Safely?
Should Fast Foods Being Considered Unhealthy for Human Intake?
Some Funny Reasons You Should Stop Consuming Fast Foods
How to Eat Fast Foods and Still Maintain Your Health Look and Body?
Are Fast Food Restaurants the Leading Cause of Obesity?
What Are Most Serious Negative Effects of Eating Fast Food?
Why Are Americans Obsessed With Fast Food?
How Do Fast Foods Affect the Health of Children?
Are Homemade Foods Healthier Than Fast Foods, and Why?
How Does Fast Food Affect Food Service Wages in the Us?
What Are the Economic and Social Advantages of the Fast Food Industry?
Does Fast Food Influence the Economic Situation of the State? How?
Why Do People Continue Consuming Fast Food Even if They Know That It’s Unhealthy?
What Is More Dangerous for Health – Smoking or Fast Food?

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Published: 27 October 2020

Food and Health

Trends in the healthiness of U.S. fast food meals, 2008–2017

Eleanore Alexander ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8998-4186 1 ,
Lainie Rutkow 1 ,
Kimberly A. Gudzune 2 , 3 ,
Joanna E. Cohen 4 , 5 &
Emma E. McGinty 1

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 75 , pages 775–781 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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6 Citations

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Cardiovascular diseases
Risk factors

This study aimed to examine trends in the healthiness of U.S. fast food restaurant meals from 2008 to 2017, using the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check meal certification criteria.

Data were obtained from MenuStat, an online database of the leading 100 U.S. restaurant chains menu items, for the years 2008 and 2012 through 2017. All possible meal combinations (entrées + sides) were created at the 20 fast food restaurants that reported entrée and side calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein, and fiber. Chi-square tests compared the percent of meals meeting each American Heart Association (AHA) nutrient criterion; and the number of AHA criteria met for each year, by menu focus type.

Compared with 2008, significantly fewer fast food meals met the AHA calorie criterion in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and significantly fewer met the AHA total fat criterion in 2015 and 2016. Significantly more meals met the AHA trans fat criterion from 2012 to 2017, compared to 2008. There were no significant changes over time in the percent of meals meeting AHA criteria for saturated fat, cholesterol, or sodium.

Conclusions

Efforts to improve the healthiness of fast food meals should focus on reducing calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for the MenuStat data.

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Department of Health Policy & Management, Department of Health & Public Policy, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, USA

Eleanore Alexander, Lainie Rutkow & Emma E. McGinty

Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

Kimberly A. Gudzune

Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, 2024 E Monument St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

Joanna E. Cohen

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

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All authors contributed to the design of the study. EA led secondary data analysis and manuscript writing. EEM, LR, KG, and JEC contributed revisions to the manuscript and approved the final manuscript for submission.

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Correspondence to Eleanore Alexander .

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Alexander, E., Rutkow, L., Gudzune, K.A. et al. Trends in the healthiness of U.S. fast food meals, 2008–2017. Eur J Clin Nutr 75 , 775–781 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00788-z

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Received : 30 December 2019

Revised : 08 September 2020

Accepted : 13 October 2020

Published : 27 October 2020

Issue Date : May 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00788-z

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Is fast food bad for you? All you need to know about its nutrition and impacts

Fast food is often nutritionally poor and high in calories. Evidence demonstrates that overeating commercial fast food products can negatively impact health in both the short- and long-term.

Many fast food establishments now list the number of calories each item contains. However, this is only part of the consideration of whether it is healthy or not.

Fast food is typically poor in terms of nutrition . According to a 2015 review , fast food tends to contain various substances that are generally unhealthy. It is high in sugar, salt, saturated or trans fats, and many processed preservatives and ingredients. It also lacks some beneficial nutrients.

However, not all fast food has negative impacts, and a person can make an informed choice by researching the nutritional content of particular fast food items. People can find this information on the websites of most major restaurants.

That said, even the more healthy fast food items are generally high in sugar, salt, saturated fats, and trans fats. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion notes that the typical person in the United States consumes too much of these food components.

Short-term impacts

Close up of a burger, a common fast food

Fast food is typically high in sugar, salt, and saturated or trans fats. The body’s reaction to these nutrients results in a range of short-term impacts when a person eats fast food.

Spike in blood sugar

Fast food breaks down quickly, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar because of the refined carbohydrates and added sugar. In turn, this causes an abnormally large insulin surge, resulting in a drop in blood sugar. This can cause people to feel tired. Insulin promotes further hunger within a short time after the meal.

Blood pressure

A small 2016 study found that consuming high levels of salt could immediately impact the proper functioning of a person’s blood vessels. Excess sodium intake also has links to fluid retention .

Increased inflammation

A single serving of fast food could increase inflammation throughout the body. A 2015 study found that one fast food meal high in saturated fat increased airway inflammation in individuals with asthma. This inflammation acts as a trigger for asthma attacks.

Affects nutrient intake

Fast food does not typically contain fresh fruit and vegetables. If an individual eats fast food frequently, they may find it challenging to reach their recommended daily intake of at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables. They may also have difficulties reaching their ideal fiber intake, which according to the Food and Drug Administration is 28 grams per day.

Binge eating

Fast food is highly palatable, meaning the body breaks it down quickly in the mouth, and it does not need much chewing. Therefore, it activates the reward centers in the brain rapidly.

This combination trains the palate to prefer these highly processed, highly stimulating foods and reduces someone’s desire for whole, fresh foods.

Research from 2018 and other previous studies have suggested a link between fast food consumption and the incidence of food addiction for these low-nutrient items.

A small 2017 study of 15 adults found that a single day of high-fat overeating damaged insulin sensitivity. This can then trigger a cycle of binge eating or binge eating disorders .

Long-term impacts

There is plenty of well-researched evidence showing that regularly eating fast food can harm a person’s health.

A 2015 study identified the sometimes irreparable effects of eating fast food. Such risks include obesity , insulin resistance , type 2 diabetes , and various cardiovascular conditions .

This is because most fast food is high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, trans fats, processed ingredients, and calories. It is also generally low in antioxidants , fiber , and many other nutrients.

Digestive system

Many fast food meals are extremely low in fiber. Doctors associate low-fiber diets with a higher risk of digestive conditions such as constipation and diverticular disease, as well as reductions in healthy gut bacteria.

Immunity and inflammation

A 2019 review examined the effects of a Western diet on a person’s immune system. This diet consists of high amounts of sugar, salt, and saturated fat from only a few sources.

The authors noted that a Western diet could lead to higher inflammation, lower control of infection, higher cancer rates, and a higher risk of allergic and autoinflammatory disease.

Memory and learning

A 2020 paper suggests a link between unbalanced diets high in saturated fat and simple carbohydrates , typical of fast food, and a lower capacity for memory and learning. This sort of diet may also raise the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease .

In a 2018 review , the authors established a link between fast food consumption and an increase in asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema .

Heart disease

The FDA suggests that a diet high in salt often increases a person’s blood pressure , making a person more prone to heart attacks , stroke , kidney disease, or heart disease .

The FDA also notes that a diet high in trans fats raises the amount of low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol and lowers the amount of high-density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol. This means that a person is more likely to develop heart disease.

The United States Department of Agriculture points out that typical fast food contains a very high number of calories. If a person eats more calories than they burn each day, they gain weight, which may lead to obesity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , obesity increases a person’s risk of developing a range of serious health conditions.

Another consequence of younger people regularly eating fast food is their unintentional lack of understanding of basic meal preparation, cooking, and healthy eating.

Over time, this perpetuates dependence on fast food, and people may not learn how to prepare healthy, balanced food in the home. Consuming healthy meals can support a person’s long-term health throughout their lifespan.

Mental health impact

Eating lots of fast food could also impact an individual’s mental health and make them more prone to depression and anxiety .

A 2021 study compared data from 322 males and 322 females age 30 or older. They found an association between healthy food such as leafy greens, nuts, and fish and positive mood, while the opposite was true of fast food. In addition, women reported significantly more negative associations with fast food than men.

Fast food tends to be high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, calories, and processed preservatives and ingredients. A wealth of well-conducted research has proven the negative health effects of consuming too much of these food components.

In the short term, fast food impacts blood sugar and blood pressure, increases inflammation, and may mean an individual does not eat enough necessary nutrients. In the long term, a diet rich in fast food could lead to issues with digestion, immunity, inflammation, heart health, obesity, and more.

Not all fast food is bad, however. Certain menu items might be lower in these substances than others, while some fast food outlets might focus on providing more healthy options.

To preserve health, a person should try to identify fast food items that contain less salt, fat, sugar, and total carbohydrates, and generally try to limit the amount of fast food they consume.

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Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Nutrition / Diet
Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness

How we reviewed this article:

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Published: 15 February 2022

Determining intention, fast food consumption and their related factors among university students by using a behavior change theory

Alireza Didarloo 1 ,
Surur Khalili 2 ,
Ahmad Ali Aghapour 2 ,
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Seyed Mortaza Mousavi 4 , 5

BMC Public Health volume 22 , Article number: 314 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Metrics details

Today, with the advancement of science, technology and industry, people’s lifestyles such as the pattern of people’s food, have changed from traditional foods to fast foods. The aim of this survey was to examine and identify factors influencing intent to use fast foods and behavior of fast food intake among students based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB).

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 229 university students. The study sample was selected and entered to the study using stratified random sampling method. Data were collected using a four-part questionnaire including Participants’ characteristics, knowledge, the TPB variables, and fast food consumption behavior. The study data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 16.0) using descriptive statistics (frequencies, Means, and Standard Deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test, Chi-square, correlation coefficient and multiple regressions).

The monthly frequency of fast food consumption among students was reported 2.7 times. The TPB explained 35, 23% variance of intent to use fast food and behavior of fast food intake, respectively. Among the TPB variables, knowledge ( r = .340, p < 0.001) and subjective norm ( r = .318, p < 0.001) were known as important predictors of intention to consume fast foods - In addition, based on regression analyses, intention ( r = .215, p < 0.05), perceived behavioral control ( r = .205, p < 0.05), and knowledge ( r = .127, p < 0.05) were related to fast food consumption, and these relationships were statistically significant.

Conclusions

The current study showed that the TPB is a good theory in predicting intent to use fast food and the actual behavior. It is supposed that health educators use from the present study results in designing appropriate interventions to improve nutritional status of students.

Peer Review reports

Over the past few decades, non-communicable diseases such as eczema, asthma, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, etc. have increased in developed countries [ 1 , 2 ]. Also, these diseases are more prevalent with increasing urbanization in developing countries [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. The occurrence of many non-communicable diseases is related to diet [ 6 ]. Food habits are rooted from cultural, environmental, economic, social and religious factors. An effective factor in the development of chronic diseases is lifestyle, dietary patterns and habits. Inappropriate food habits and unhealthy environments have increased the incidence of non-communicable diseases in the world [ 7 , 8 ].

Many developing countries with a tendency towards Western dietary culture go away from traditional and local diets [ 6 ]. Healthy foods with nutrients have been replaced by new foods called fast foods [ 9 ]. Fast food is the food prepared and consumed outside and often in fast food restaurants [ 10 ]. Fast food is often highly processed and prepared in an industrial fashion, i.e., with standard ingredients and methodical and standardized cooking and production methods [ 10 ]. In fast food, vitamins, minerals, fiber and amino acids are low or absent but energy is high [ 9 ]. Fast food consumption has increased dramatically in the last 30 years in European and American countries [ 11 ].

Previous studies reported patterns of inappropriate and harmful food consumption in Iranian children and adolescents [ 12 , 13 ]. Most fast food customers are adolescents and youth, as these products are quickly and easily produced and relatively inexpensive [ 14 ]. One Iranian study shows that 51% of children eat inappropriate snacks and drinks over a week [ 15 ]. It is also reported that adults today consume fast food more than previous generations [ 16 ]. Faqih and Anousheh reported that 20% of adolescents and 10% of adults consumed sandwiches 3 or more times a week [ 17 ].

According to two studies, children and adolescents who consume fast food have received more energy, saturated fat, sodium, carbohydrates and more sugar than their peers, but they have less fiber, vitamin A and C, and less fruit and vegetables [ 18 , 19 ]. Also, because of the use of oils to fry these foods at high temperatures, these types of foods may contain toxic and inappropriate substances that threaten the health of consumers [ 20 ].

In a study in the United States on young people between 13 and 17 years old, it was found that there is a significant relationship between weight gain and obesity with pre-prepared foods [ 21 ]. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2007–2008), 17% of children aged 2 to 19 years and 34% of those aged 20 years and older were obese [ 22 ]. Many Health problems were caused by human health behavior(e.g. exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and obtaining necessary inoculations, etc.) and studying behavior change theories/models provides a good insight into the causes and ways of preventing these problems [ 23 ]. One of these theories is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which is a developed form of the Theory of reasoned action (TRA), and describes a healthy behavior that is not fully under the control of a person [ 24 ]. This theory can successfully predict eating habits and behaviors, and recently this theory has received considerable attention from researchers in identifying norms and beliefs related to the use of fast food [ 25 ].

Based on the TPB, intention to conduct a behavior with following three concepts is controlled: 1. Attitudes (positive and negative evaluation of a behavior), 2. Subjective norms (social pressure received from peers, family, health care providers for doing or not doing a given health behavior), 3. Perceived behavior control (This refers to a person’s perception of the ease or difficulty of performing the behavior of interest.) [ 26 , 27 , 28 ].

The TPB has been tested on different behaviors such as healthy food choice [ 24 ], physical activity [ 29 ], and fast food consumption [ 30 ]. For instance, the study conducted by Seo et al. showed that fast food consumption behavior was significantly associated with behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control. In addition, their findings highlighted that behavioral intention was significantly related to subjective norm and perceived behavioral control [ 28 ].

Given that our study population has cultural diversity and nutritional behaviors different from the societies of other countries and According to the mentioned materials, the researchers decided to test the study with the aim of investigating and explaining the intention and behavior of fast food consumption and their related factors based on the TPB among Urmia University of Medical Sciences students. The results of this study will increase the awareness and knowledge about fast food and, in addition, its results can be used in research, hospitals and healthcare settings.

This cross-sectional study was performed on students of Urmia University of Medical Sciences located in northwest Iran in academic year of 2018–2019. The inclusion criteria for the study are females and males who studied at Urmia University of Medical Sciences, and students’ voluntary participation in the study and obtaining written consent from the students and University principals for the students’ participation in the study. The lack of willingness to continue participating in the study and not signing the informed consent form were considered as exclusion criteria.

According to the results of the study of Yar Mohammadi and et al. [ 31 ], with a 95% confidence interval and an error of 0.05, using the formula for estimating the proportion in society, taking into account the 10% drop rate, sample size was estimated 330students. A randomized stratified sampling method was used to select the study samples. The study sample was randomly selected from each of the strata based on the share of the total sample.

Questionnaire

The data gathering tool in this study was a self-reported questionnaire (Additional file 1 ), which was designed according to the existing measures in scientific literature [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. The study instrument was translated from English to Persian using a standard forward-backward translation technique [ 35 ]. The original instrument was translated by a bilingual specialist. The Persian version was then retranslated into English by two independent bilingual professionals to assess retention of the original meaning in the source language. Subsequently, translators worked separately in the translation process and then prepared the final version of the Persian translation. Content validity of The Persian version of questionnaire was evaluated by a panel of experts such as 3 nutrition specialists, 3 health education specialists, and 2 instrument designers. After receiving their comments, crucial revisions were conducted in the study tool. Finally, validity of the study instrument was confirmed. The present questionnaire including four following sections:

General characteristics

The first part contains personal information such as age, gender, weight, height, field of study, student education, father’s education, mother’s education, father job, mother’s job, ethnicity, marital status, participating in nutrition educational classes, students’ monthly income, family’s monthly income, housing status, information resource for healthy nutrition.

Constructs of the TPB

The second part contains questions about the constructs of the theory of planned behavior (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention). In general, attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control of students were measured using indirect items. The internal reliability of all subscales of the TPB variables was good, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.852.

Attitude toward fast food use

The attitude of the people was evaluated using 28 indirect items (14 items of behavioral beliefs, 14 items of expectations evaluation) based on five-point the Likert scale (from strongly agree to strongly disagree) or (from very important to not at all important), and the score of each item varied from 1 to 5. The minimum and maximum score for the attitude subscale was 14 and 350, respectively. The internal reliability of attitude subscale was good, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.778.

Subjective norm

Subjective norms of students were measured by 10 indirect items (5 items of normative beliefs, 5 items of motivation to comply) based on five-point the Likert scale (from strongly agree to strongly disagree) or (from very important to not at all important), and the score of each item varied from 1 to 5. The minimum and maximum score for the subjective norm subscale was 5 and 125, respectively. The internal reliability of subjective norm subscale was good, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.726.

Perceived behavioral control

Perceived behavioral control were measured by 18 indirect items (9 items of control beliefs, 9 items of perceive power) based on five-point the Likert scale (from strongly agree to strongly disagree) or (from extremely difficult to extremely easy), and the score of each item varied from 1 to 5. The minimum and maximum score for the perceived behavioral control subscale was 9 and 225, respectively. The internal reliability of subscale of perceived behavioral control was good, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.815.

Behavioral intention

Behavioral intention was evaluated by 8 items based on five-point the Likert scale (from strongly agree to strongly disagree), and the score of each item varied from 1 to 5. The minimum and maximum score for the Behavioral intention subscale was 8 and 40, respectively. The internal reliability of behavioral intention subscale was good, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.821.

Knowledge of participants

And the third and fourth parts are items related to food knowledge and fast food behavior. Students’ knowledge of fast food was evaluated by 14 items, and the score of each item varied from 0 to 2. The minimum and maximum score for the knowledge subscale was 0 and 28, respectively. The internal reliability of students’ knowledge was good, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.783.

Fast food use

Students’ fast food consumption was assessed by frequency of use in a past month. The term “Fast food” was defined as hamburgers, doughnuts, hot dog, snack, pizza, fried chicken and fried potatoes. The frequency of fast food use was analyzed for each food category.

Statistical analyses

All statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS 16.0 software. Descriptive statistics methods such as frequencies, means and standard deviations were used along with independent t and χ2 tests. Pearson correlation test was used to investigate the relationship between TPB variables with intent to use fast food and the real use of fast food. Multiple regressions were used for further analysis.

Descriptives

A total of 330 students were selected and recruited to the study, but some subjects (31 samples) were excluded from the study due to incomplete questionnaires (21cases), and no return of questionnaires (10 cases). Statistical analyses were performed on 229 students. Of these, 28.4% of the students were males and 71.6% were females. The results of the study showed that the average age for all the students was 22.10 ± 3.30 (the average age for male and female sexes were 22.66 ± 4.47 and 21.84 ± 2.50, respectively). The two sexes differed in terms of BMI, so that the mean of BMI was higher in boy students than in girls, and this difference was statistically significant. Almost more than 72% of the students had normal weight, and 28% of subjects were in other weights. Approximately 20.51, 54.50, 79.77% of the students reported the professional doctoral degree, Azeri ethnicity and single.

In addition, findings revealed that 64.90% of the participants lived in the dormitory, and 35.10% of them lived in personal or rental housing. The most common level of education for father (37.10%) and mother (44.10%) of students was diploma. Nearly, 46.50% of students gained food information (especially fast food) from health care providers, while 53.50% of them received their food information from other sources. Most students had zero monthly income, but 61.61% of the students reported their family’s monthly income more than 50 million Rials and 38.39% of their family had income lower than the mentioned amount. Table 1 provides detailed information on students’ characteristics.

Main analysis

Table 2 presents the mean score of knowledge and variables of the study-related theoretical framework. As the mean score of subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention in male students compared to female students was high, but those were not significant statistically( p > 0.05).

Some variables of the TPB were significantly correlated with each other ( P < 0.01, Table 3 ). In particular, fast food consumption behavior was highly ( r = 0.382) correlated with behavioral intention. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the relative importance of the variables of the TPB to behavioral intention and fast food consumption behavior (Tables 4 and 5 ). In these analyzes, when the attitude toward behavior, subjective norms, and perceived control was regressed to behavioral intention, the model was very significant ( P = 0.000) and explained 0.347 of variance of behavioral intention. While attitude and perceived behavioral control were not significant, the subjective norms and students’ knowledge were significantly related to the intention to eat fast food. It seems that subjective norms and students’ knowledge to be the most important predictors of behavioral intent. Table 4 shows more information about predictors of behavioral intention.

The second model, using fast food consumption as a dependent variable, was also very significant ( P = 0.000), and explained nearly a quarter of the variance (0.231) of fast food consumption. Both behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control were significantly associated with fast food consumption, of which behavioral intention appeared to be more important. Table 5 presents more information about predictors of fast food consumption.

This investigation was conducted on a sample of university students to assess the status of their fast-food consumption. It also examined the factors affecting behavioral intent and fast food consumption by applying the TPB. The results of the present study showed that students consumed fast food at an average of 2.7 times a month. Fast food in male students was often reported more than female students. A study on fast food consumption among students at Daejeon School reported monthly frequencies of fast food types: 2.7 for burgers, 2.1 for French fries, 1.8 for chicken [ 24 ]. Results of Kim study and other similar researches [ 31 , 36 ] approximately were in line with findings of the present study.

Given that most men do not have the time and skill to make traditional foods, and because of a lot of work, they prefer to turn to fast-foods, and so they are more likely to use fast foods. Meanwhile, the results of some studies indicate that most women are not very happy from high weight and are more likely to reduce their weight [ 37 ]. Therefore women do not have a positive attitude toward obesogenic foods compared to men [ 38 ], which can be a reason for consuming less fast food among women. Instead, the results of a study done by Seo et al. In Korea indicated that fast food consumption among high school students was 4.05 times a month and this consumption was reported among boys more than girls [ 28 ]. The results of the Korean study were contrary to the results of the study, meaning that fast food in Korean samples was more than Iranian. The reason for this difference can be traced to factors such as sample size, cultural, social, and economic characteristics of the samples.

Performing and not performing the behavior by a person is a function of several factors based on the theory of planned behavior. One of these factors is the person’s intention and desire to do the behavior. Behavioral intention itself is also affected by factors such as attitude, students’ knowledge, social pressure, and perceived behavioral control. In the present study, based on linear regression analysis, students’ knowledge and social pressure were both related to their intention and consume fast foods. That is, students who had the necessary information about nutrition, especially fast foods, had a high intent to choose and consume foods.

Several studies have examined the relationship between knowledge of foods and their contents and attitudes toward fast foods and processed foods or relationship between attitudes toward food additives and food choice behavior [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ]. Aoki et al. [ 39 ] found that information about food and its contents positively or negatively affects attitudes and intentions towards food. They pointed out that food information was important for consumers in choosing food. Back and Lee [ 43 ] found that consumers had inadequate and incorrect information about foods, which could affect their attitudes or intent. These studies suggest that providing more information about foods and their compounds can help them to improve their attitude towards foods. Therefore, training on the performance, benefits and safety of foods, including positive and negative sides, should prevent misunderstandings about food supplements and reduce food safety concerns.

The findings of the present investigation showed that subjective norms of students were effective on intent to use fast foods. Friends had the most impact on the plan to eat fast foods, as expected. In addition, the normative beliefs of students were also more positive for friends than family and teachers. This conclusion suggests that most training programs should focus on their friends as a critical group that may affect intent to use fast foods.

Results of some previous studies were similar to findings of the current study. One study conducted by Mirkarimi et al. highlighted that subjective norms had the main role on students’ intent to use fast foods [ 44 ]. In the other words, they found that behavioral intention was affected by subjective norms. In addition, the study of Yarmohammadi and et al. showed that subjective norms predict intention and behavior [ 31 ].

In this study, TPB demonstrated to be a sound conceptual framework for explaining closely35% of the variance in students’ behavioral intention to consume fast-food. Among the TPB variables, subjective norm and knowledge of students were the most important predictors of intention to use fast foods. These findings are consistent with other results that identify that subjective norms have a significant effect on consuming fruits and vegetables [ 45 ]. In study of Lynn Fudge, Path analysis highlighted that TPB explained adolescent fast-food behavioral intention to consume fast food. The model identified subjective norms had the strongest relationship with adolescent behavioral intention to consume fast food [ 46 ].

The results of this study showed that the attitude toward fast food behavior did not predict intent and the behavior. However, some studies have reported contradictory findings with the study. For example, the findings of Stefanie and Chery’s study showed that attitude was a predictor for intent to use healthy nutrition [ 47 ]. Yarmohammadi and colleagues stated in their study that attitude was the most important predictor of behavioral intent [ 31 ]. In the study of determinants of fast food intake, Dunn et al. has identified attitude as a predictor of the intent of fast food consumption [ 32 ]. The results of studies by Seo et al., Ebadi et al., along with the findings of this study, showed that attitude toward fast food consumption is not significantly related to behavioral intention [ 28 , 48 ]. Based on the findings of the current study, fast-food consumption of students was also influenced by some the TPB variables. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that the constructs of the TPB explained fast food use behaviors with R-squared (R 2 ) of 0.23. In these analyses, intention, perceived behavioral control, and knowledge were known as effective factors on fast-food consumption. Among the TPB constructs, behavioral intention was the most important predictor of fast-food consumption. The intention plays a fundamental role in the theory of planned behavior. The intentions include motivational factors that influence behavior and show how much people want to behave and how hard they try to do the behavior [ 49 ]. In study Ebadi et al., regression analysis showed the intention as a predictor of fast food consumption behavior [ 48 ]. In studies of Stefanie et al. and Seo et al., has reported intention as correlate of the behavior [ 28 , 47 ]. All these studies confirmed and supported this part of our study findings. In addition, the results indicated that perceived behavioral control directly influenced the behavior of fast-food consumption. Some investigations confirmed this portion of our results. For instance, the results of Dunn et al. showed that perceived behavioral control (PBC) and intent predicted the behavior of fast food consumption [ 32 ]. Also, in the study of Seo et al., regression analysis showed that fast food consumption behavior was correlated with perceived behavioral control [ 28 ]. Yarmohammadi et al. found that in predicting behavior, perceived behavioral control along with intention could predict 6% of behavior [ 31 ]. Although this study provides valuable knowledge regarding the relationships between behavioral intent and TPB variables, this study, like other studies, has a number of limitations. First, a cross-sectional study was used to examine the relationship between the variables. Due to the fact that in cross-sectional studies, all data are collected in a period of time, as a result, these studies do not have the necessary ability to examine the cause-and-effect relationships between variables. Second, the results of this type of study can only be generalized to populations with similar characteristics and have no generalizability beyond that. Third, since the data of this study were collected using the self-report questionnaire, the respondents may have errors and bias in completing the questionnaire and this can affect the results of the study.

In sum, this study was conducted to identify factors influencing intention and behavior of fast-food consumption among students by using the theory of planned behavior. The findings revealed that changeability of students’ intention to use fast food and their real behavior is dependent on the TPB variables. As this theoretical framework explained 35, 23% of intent to consume fast-foods and fast-food consumption, respectively. Among the TPB constructs, knowledge and subjective norm were known as the most important predictors of intention to use fast foods. In addition, the results indicated that intention and perceived behavioral control were the most important factors influencing consumption of fast foods among participants. It is imperative that health educators and promoters use these results in designing suitable educational interventions to improve people’s nutritional behavior.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to confidentiality of data and subsequent research, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Theory of Planned Behavior

Theory of Reasoned Action

Statistical Package for Social Sciences

Body Mass Index

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Acknowledgements

The article authors hereby express their gratitude to Vice Chancellors for Research of Urmia University of Medical Sciences and Education Department for supporting this study.

This study is supported by Urmia University of Medical Science, grant number(No: 2017–2323) .

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Faculty of Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, the Province of Western Azarbaijan, Urmia, 5756115198, Iran

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Reproductive Health Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, the Province of Western Azarbaijan, Urmia, 5756115198, Iran

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Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, the Province of Western Azarbaijan, Urmia, 5756115198, Iran

Seyed Mortaza Mousavi

Department of Paramedical Science, School of Paramedical Sciences, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

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All authors contribute in conceive, design of this study. A.D, S.K, A.A,FTM and S.M contributed to the design and implementation of the research, to the analysis of the results and to the writing of the manuscript. All authors revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content and read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Seyed Mortaza Mousavi .

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Research has been presented in the ethics committee of Urmia University of Medical Sciences and has received the code of ethics (IR. UMSU.REC.1397.43). written informed consent was obtained from all participants in this study, and all provisions of the Helsinki Statement on Research Ethics were considered.

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Supplementary Information

Additional file 1..

The questionnire used in the study to collect the data. The first part of the questionnaire included General characteristics. The second part of the questionnaire consisted of the Constructs of TPB. The third part consisted of knowledge of participants. The fourth part consisted of Fast food use.

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Didarloo, A., Khalili, S., Aghapour, A.A. et al. Determining intention, fast food consumption and their related factors among university students by using a behavior change theory. BMC Public Health 22 , 314 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12696-x

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12696-x

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Iran J Med Sci
v.46(6); 2021 Nov

Fast Food and Fast Research: Life-threatening Phenomena

Mojtaba kafi.

1 Department of Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Seyed Ali Enjoo

2 Medical Ethics Department, School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Dear Editor

The surge in fast food consumption in recent years is considered a threat to human health. This change in the life habit has raised serious concerns among health policy-makers and medical nutrition researchers. Environmental stress, multitasking, low physical activity, and low academic achievement have been shown to influence the predilection for consuming fast food. 1 We have now faced with one similarly threatening phenomenon among university students and academics, which can be termed “fast research”.

Social pressures, as well as the fear of losing job opportunities, are the two main factors that propel university students to urgently seek a thesis supervisor, so that they can perform their research project in a short time, get published, and then secure a position. The occurrence of the social crisis associated with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused depression and anxiety spikes in many postgraduate students as reported by Chirikov and colleagues. 2 This, in turn, may result in conducting fast research programs by students and academics to enable them to publish their papers in a short time. One best example of fast research and publication is certainly the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Web of Science and Scopus indexed more than 23,600 articles on the COVID-19 pandemic published in the first half of 2020. This number included a plethora of research articles, reviews, notes, letters, and editorials related to COVID-19, covering every subject from virology to epidemiology. 3 A rush in, or lack of, the peer-review process, publishing COVID-19 papers in non-specialized journals, and detection of duplicate published images are all telltale signs of fast research. 3 , 4 More than half of the medical research has been reported as useless due to poor framing of the study questions, poor study design, scientific misconduct, and poor reporting of results. 5 Many of these problems are thought to be exacerbated in COVID-19 research. 4 , 6 Furthermore, it has been reported that most early publications on COVID-19 did not contain new information as compared to the H1N1 swine influenza pandemic that occurred in 2009. 7 This is another facet of the fast research and publication phenomena, which hampers the acquisition of valid applied knowledge, but might serve the researcher’s career interests. These issues and the trying conditions of the COVID-19 era can push the researchers and other people towards a point of no return, akin to the event horizon of a black hole. Fast research may lead university students and academics to underthinking and irresponsibility.

Fast food and fast research are both easy to prepare and relatively inexpensive and are favored by people across age and gender divides. Even though they are sometimes stale, they can save people’s lives in an emergency; however, if resorted to frequently, both would deleteriously influence our life in the end.

Conflict of Interest

None declared.

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COMMENTS

70 Fast Food Research Paper Topics to Get Started
2 Fast food research paper topics on fast food restaurants. 3 Fast food research topics: obesity. 4 Fast food essay topics: situation in the US. 5 Topics on the harm of fast food. 6 Topics about the fast food industry. 7 Fast food thesis statement examples. In general, the subject of fast food is very interesting and controversial.
128 Brilliant Fast Food Essay Topics & Examples
128 Brilliant Fast Food Essay Topics & Examples. 15 min. The phenomenon of comfort food that takes a short time to prepare and tastes good has become extremely popular in the world, with chains such as McDonalds having an enormous global presence. However, the adverse health effects associated with the emergence of fast food have led to its ...
120 Food Research Paper Topics
Fast Food Research Paper Topics: The impact of fast food consumption on obesity rates in children. The influence of fast food advertising on consumer behavior. The correlation between fast food consumption and cardiovascular diseases. The role of fast food in the development of type 2 diabetes.
101 Fast Food Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
From the health impacts of fast food to the environmental consequences of its production, there are countless angles to explore. If you're looking for inspiration for your next essay on fast food, here are 101 topic ideas and examples to get you started: The rise of fast food culture in America. The impact of fast food on childhood obesity.
97 Fast Food Essay Topics & Research Titles at StudyCorgi
Fast Food Harmful Effects on Children. This paper states that the exposure of children to fast food early on has an adverse effect on them, resulting in the need to prevent the sale of fast food in schools. The American Diet Influenced by Fast Food Ads. McDonald's is the largest provider of food services worldwide.
Does excessive fast-food consumption impair our health?
The question of causality plagues many studies that examine fast food, even Odegaard et al.'s exceptionally careful studies using 25 y of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study or the UK Biobank database to examine the same issue cross-sectionally ().In the CARDIA cohort, instead of using each year and conducting longitudinal analyses of the effects, the authors ...
Why do and why Don't people consume fast Food?: An application of the
1. Introduction. Fast food, defined by Pereira et al. (2005) as "convenience food purchased in self-service or carry-out eating places (p. 36)", has long been a part of the American diet. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 36.6% of adults consumed fast food on a given day during 2013-2016, and the percentage was especially higher among younger adults in ...
Fast Food Consumption and its Impact on Health
Consumption of fast foods t wo times or more per. week has been associa ted with 31% highe r. prevalen ce of moderate abdominal obesity in men. and 25% higher preval ence in women 70. Obesity is ...
Americans' Perceptions about Fast Food and How They Associate with Its
We aimed to systematically examine Americans' perceptions of fast food (FF) and how these perceptions might affect fast food consumption (FFC) and obesity risk. We searched PubMed and Google for studies published in English until February 17, 2017 that reported on Americans' perceptions (defined as their beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge) regarding FF as well as those on their associations ...
75 Fast Food Research Topics & Essay Examples
This fast food addiction essay explores the causes of obesity in UAE. The United Arab Emirates in one of the world's most obese countries, and one of the key reasons is junk food consumption. Hispanic Adolescents' Obesity and Fast Food Consumption. The current study sought to establish the relationship between Hispanic adolescents and fast ...
The Hidden Dangers of Fast and Processed Food
Because of the limited access to supermarkets, they eat more unhealthy fast and processed foods and end up having 7 times the risk of early-life stroke (before age 45), putting people in nursing homes in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. 4 - 7. The vulnerable poor in these areas also have double the risk of heart attack, double the risk of diabetes, and ...
PDF Where and Why are Youth Eating Fast Food?
Question 3: In a typical week how many meals do you eat at fast food restaurants? Approximately 50% of our sample eats 1-3 meals per week at fast food restaurants. 31% eat 4-6 meals per week at a fast food restaurant. Question 4: Some of our state officials would like to regulate the sugary/high fat foods that are placed in vending machines, a ...
The association of fast food consumption with poor dietary outcomes and
The prevalence of obesity among US children increased significantly during the past 3 decades, with ∼1 in 3 overweight or obese by 2009-2010 ().Concurrent with these trends, children's fast food intake has increased markedly since the 1970s ().The percentage of children's total energy intake consumed from fast food restaurants increased from 2% in 1977-1978 to 13% in 2003-2006 (6, 7).
A College Fast-Food Environment and Student Food and Beverage Choices
To address the primary research question, to determine which demographic, economic, and behavioral factors are associated with the healthfulness of fast-food choices among students participating in the meal plan, we used multiple linear regression models with heteroscedastic variances inversely proportional to the number of food items purchased ...
Trends in the healthiness of U.S. fast food meals, 2008-2017
Table 2 shows the percent of meals meeting AHA criteria on nutrients to limit in the 20 fast-food restaurants analyzed in 2008, and 2012 to 2017. There was a significant decrease in the percent of ...
Fast food effects: Short-term, long-term, physical, mental, and more
Fast food tends to be high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, calories, and processed preservatives and ingredients. A wealth of well-conducted research has proven the negative health ...
14 questions with answers in FAST FOODS
asked a question related to Fast Foods; Increasing Human Longevity. Question. 2 answers. Nov 26, 2023; ... Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Food and ...
Fast food News, Research and Analysis
Fast food doesn't improve food security in urban Ghana: it's too costly. James Boafo, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Fast food brands target high- and middle-income ...
Americans' Perceptions about Fast Food and How They Associate with Its
Introduction. Consumption of fast food (FF, food being mass-produced and served quickly) is common in the United States and many other industrialized countries, and it has been increasing steadily in some developing countries as well owing to factors such as its convenience, low cost, consistent taste, easy access through a variety of restaurant chains, and the FF industry's marketing effort ...
Determining intention, fast food consumption and their related factors
Background Today, with the advancement of science, technology and industry, people's lifestyles such as the pattern of people's food, have changed from traditional foods to fast foods. The aim of this survey was to examine and identify factors influencing intent to use fast foods and behavior of fast food intake among students based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Methods A cross ...
Fast-food, everyday life and health: a qualitative study of 'chicken
Excess consumption of fast food has been linked with a variety of health problems including obesity and type 2 diabetes (Jeffery et al., 2006; Pereira et al., 2005; Stender et al., 2007). Fast food is energy dense and nutrient poor compared to food prepared at home (Guthrie, 2002) and portion sizes have been increasing over the past 50 years ...
Fast food consumption in adults living in Canada: alternative
Global industries and technological advancements have contributed to the proliferation of fast food (FF) establishments and ultraprocessed food, associated with poorer diet quality and health outcomes. To investigate FF as an indicator, we compared alternative methods to capture self-reported FF consumption and examined associated socio-demographic factors. We conducted a secondary analysis of ...
Environmental Resilience and Sustainable Agri-food System Management
Keywords: environmental resilience, climate change, agri-food system, sustainable supply chain, resource management . Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements.. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or ...
Fast Food and Fast Research: Life-threatening Phenomena
Dear Editor. The surge in fast food consumption in recent years is considered a threat to human health. This change in the life habit has raised serious concerns among health policy-makers and medical nutrition researchers. Environmental stress, multitasking, low physical activity, and low academic achievement have been shown to influence the ...

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128 Brilliant Fast Food Essay Topics & Examples

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Trends in the healthiness of U.S. fast food meals, 2008–2017

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