The influence of Fast food on life-span in Japan Research Paper

The influence of Fast food on life-span in Japan - Research Paper Example The above issues are analyzed in current paper; effort has been made in order to present the various aspects of the relationship between the long life span of Japanese and their eating behavior especially regarding their trend to avoid fast food. At the next level, the potential use of the specific eating behavior on the life-span of other populations worldwide is evaluated, aiming to answer the following question: would the avoidance of fast food – as an eating behavior adopted by Japanese – could help people worldwide to increase their life span – as this trend has contributed in the long life-span of Japanese? In order to understand the potential relationship between the avoidance of fast food and the long life span as observed in Japan, it would be necessary to present the common effects of fast food of health – as highlighted in the literature focusing on the specific subject. Then the trends of Japanese regarding fast food will be identified and evaluated showing the potential relationship of the specific eating behavior and the long life span. In this way, it will be possible to understand the potential value of the avoidance of fast food for health, a practice that could be suggested to people with different social and cultural characteristics who are likely to eat fast food, especially as a result of their style of life. The term ‘fast food’ is used in order to indicate food of the following characteristics: ‘a) either the food which can be prepared and served quickly or b) the food designed for ready availability, use or consumption’ (Merriam Webster, 2011). Fast food has a series of advantages, which is the reason for the expansion of this type of food in countries worldwide; at a first level, the access to the particular type of food is easy – referring to the fact that the number of restaurants providing the specific type of food is extremely high. Moreover, the cost of fast food is low, a significant advantage of this type of food; in fact, the low cost of fast food – compared to other types of food – is one of its key reasons for its popularity among people of low income – who cannot afford other types of food. Another advantage of fast food is the limited time required for its preparation; as the term itself declares, fast food can be prep ared quite quickly helping consumers to save time for their various activities. Despite its advantages, fast food has been proved to have a series of negative effects. In fact, the research over the health problems related to fast food has proved that the specific type of food can have severe health implications, leading to various health problems either in the short or the long term (Health Food Guide 2011). The most usual negative effect of fast food is the obesity; other damages that the fast food causes on health are the following ones: ‘heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and even cancer’ (Health Food Guide 2011). Most commonly, the effects of fast food on health cannot be identified early; usually, it is after a severe problem of health, as a result of consuming fast food for a long period of time, that the dangers of the specific types of food are considered and evaluated. The specific issue can be identified in the article of Martindale (2011 ) where reference is made to the case of a ‘victim’ of fast food, a 56-year old woman who has suffered severe problems of health because of her eating practices – referring specifically to fast food. The particular woman has sued the most known fast food chains in her city – Wendy’s, McDonalds, Burger King and KFC – considering that the food served in these restaurants has been the cause for her health problems