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Top Reasons Why People Love Unhealthy Foods
Though the harmful effects are known the world gives in to eating unhealthy. You might well relate to this or have known people who would easily relate. Figure out the facts behind this state of mind. Read ON!
Try to recall the food intake you had for the family for last 24 hours. You had bacon and cheese for breakfast, a greasy hamburger for lunch, and an 8-inch Hawaiian pizza for dinner. Now that's what you call unhealthy choices. Though I know that the kids would love it, as a parent, you know that there is something wrong.
Because everything seems so busy and quick nowadays, people tend to lean on foods that are served and ready to be eaten within a minute or two, even if it means sacrificing one's own health.
But, the major lingering question is, "Why do people prefer unhealthy choices?"
ShopSmart magazine conducted a poll to more than 1,000 respondents and got the following top 5 results:
1. 57% of the respondents practice unhealthy habits because they think eating healthful foods is too expensive. However, experts claim that this thought is just a misconception. Researcher-Economists from Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service state that junk foods are more expensive than fruits and vegetables. In fact, your hamburgers, pizzas, fries, and all your other meals came from meat are the most expensive ones.
2. Second, social settings are too tempting, as suggested by 47% of the participants.
Media play a significant role in influencing people with their choices in life. According to a site about raising children, unhealthy behavior such as engagement to vices and eating junk foods are imitated by the viewers especially children. Commercial ads of fast food chains, fatty dishes, and food seasonings have been prevalent all throughout the media.
3. "Life is too short; I want to enjoy what I eat", said by the happy-go-lucky 39%.
4. 33% of the participants claimed that they don't dwell on healthy options because they find it hard, in the first place, to look for healthy options available for them when they decide to eat out. Statistics showed that fast food chains have more than 50 million customers a day in which more than 54 gallons of carbonated drinks are served each year, and 65 McBurgers are served every second. Imagine those Trans fats flowing in your body? Very unhealthy, indeed.
29% doesn’t have time to prepare healthy meals. Unfortunately, this is evident everywhere. People are too busy; they want everything to be fast. And because they are accustomed on fast paced mode, their time for meal preparation decreases thereby settling more on instant foods.
Other results:
- 25% said that their families prefer less healthy meals.
- 20% claimed that it's difficult for them to change unhealthy habits.
- 18% stated that healthy foods don’t satisfy their appetites.
- 13% were not sure which foods are healthy.
On another note, accompanied by busy schedules are stress. Because stress is inevitable, people become highly vulnerable on engaging to quick meals without taking into account their effects on health. Individuals with elevated stress levels require more energy supplies, thus stimulates hunger. Because they need more energy than when they are calm, they buy foods that are high in fats and sugar, also known as, junk foods.
Also, stress heightens anxiety. People seek food for comfort too. That's why there are such things called as comfort foods - foods that calm a person down like chocolates, pizza, ice cream, etc.
Once the cravings for this kind of food is satisfied, their level of anxiety decreases to its normal level. And this search for bliss through food becomes a habit, thereby becomes an unhealthy practice.
The first step towards behavioral modification is knowing the reason why you engage in certain unhealthy habits. Ask yourself, "Why do I prefer preparing unhealthy choices?".
No matter how many healthy recipes you read, if you won't solve the root of the problem, you'll always end up picking the wrong choices.
References:
Because everything seems so busy and quick nowadays, people tend to lean on foods that are served and ready to be eaten within a minute or two, even if it means sacrificing one's own health.
But, the major lingering question is, "Why do people prefer unhealthy choices?"
ShopSmart magazine conducted a poll to more than 1,000 respondents and got the following top 5 results:1. 57% of the respondents practice unhealthy habits because they think eating healthful foods is too expensive. However, experts claim that this thought is just a misconception. Researcher-Economists from Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service state that junk foods are more expensive than fruits and vegetables. In fact, your hamburgers, pizzas, fries, and all your other meals came from meat are the most expensive ones.
2. Second, social settings are too tempting, as suggested by 47% of the participants.
Media play a significant role in influencing people with their choices in life. According to a site about raising children, unhealthy behavior such as engagement to vices and eating junk foods are imitated by the viewers especially children. Commercial ads of fast food chains, fatty dishes, and food seasonings have been prevalent all throughout the media.
3. "Life is too short; I want to enjoy what I eat", said by the happy-go-lucky 39%.
4. 33% of the participants claimed that they don't dwell on healthy options because they find it hard, in the first place, to look for healthy options available for them when they decide to eat out. Statistics showed that fast food chains have more than 50 million customers a day in which more than 54 gallons of carbonated drinks are served each year, and 65 McBurgers are served every second. Imagine those Trans fats flowing in your body? Very unhealthy, indeed.29% doesn’t have time to prepare healthy meals. Unfortunately, this is evident everywhere. People are too busy; they want everything to be fast. And because they are accustomed on fast paced mode, their time for meal preparation decreases thereby settling more on instant foods.
Other results:
- 25% said that their families prefer less healthy meals.
- 20% claimed that it's difficult for them to change unhealthy habits.
- 18% stated that healthy foods don’t satisfy their appetites.
- 13% were not sure which foods are healthy.
On another note, accompanied by busy schedules are stress. Because stress is inevitable, people become highly vulnerable on engaging to quick meals without taking into account their effects on health. Individuals with elevated stress levels require more energy supplies, thus stimulates hunger. Because they need more energy than when they are calm, they buy foods that are high in fats and sugar, also known as, junk foods.
Also, stress heightens anxiety. People seek food for comfort too. That's why there are such things called as comfort foods - foods that calm a person down like chocolates, pizza, ice cream, etc. Once the cravings for this kind of food is satisfied, their level of anxiety decreases to its normal level. And this search for bliss through food becomes a habit, thereby becomes an unhealthy practice.
The first step towards behavioral modification is knowing the reason why you engage in certain unhealthy habits. Ask yourself, "Why do I prefer preparing unhealthy choices?".
No matter how many healthy recipes you read, if you won't solve the root of the problem, you'll always end up picking the wrong choices.
References:
- https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/yummy-mummy-club/how-to-eat-healthy_b_2116885.html
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/392358-reasons-why-people-eat-junk-food-over-healthy-food/
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Any facts, figures or references stated here are made by the author & don't reflect the endorsement of iU at all times unless otherwise drafted by official staff at iU. This article was first published here on 27th September 2017.
