Everyday we are aware of what food we are consuming. It is our choice to choose the healthier path, or just a path that will get our stomach's full. As adults we know what is best for our health, and we must pass it on to younger generations, as they grow up in a world full of fast food.
The fast food industry for years has had its goal to promote the deliciousness that comes with its food. Constant commercials, adds, redecorations of the restaurants, playgrounds, it all had a purpose. What easier targets could it aim for than a child who is just beginning to discover new foods, and who will be easily attracted by the colorful playground right beside the restaurant. When it comes to the publicity of the fast food business, it might be unfair that it is targeting children, but trying understand the way it must function, its a pretty good goal. At the end the hard part is on the parent. Many older generations are use to the at home meals and traditional family time, where the food is taken care of at home, made from scratch and all controlled by the person making it. Having so many fast food restaurants makes it harder for the parents to pass on the traditional eating habits onto their children. One thing that parents could do is limiting fast food being consumed by their children. Cooking meals at home and for example rewarding the children on a Friday night by getting some pizza, or cheese burgers. In that case, the children will be able to enjoy both type of meals without only knowing about fast food. It is important to have control over your child's health, and most of it depends on the foods they consume. The benefits will decrease the sugar and fat level in the system, preventing the chance of child obesity in the future. A parent can teach their child anything, inform them about he consequences of bad eating, and how it will affect the along the way. Unfortunately, many parent who are barely home, constantly working don't have the option to cook a meals at home, then comes the problem.
Being on the run from morning till night, a parent is not able to give away time and focus on a home cook meal. Mostly it ends up with grabbing some food on the go, usually coming from a fast food restaurant. It a way of getting rid of the problem. The food can be ordered easily, only few minutes wait and there it is, much faster that having to cook a whole meal. The way some parents ignore their child's health can really backfire in the long rum. Not having the time to even care for what they child's eating, teaches the child not to care about their health. Eventually the child will end up eating whatever there will be, not caring about how fat or healthy it is. It is important to educate children about different foods, and helping them taste healthier foods, so that they don't get eaten up by all the colorful convincing fast food commercials on TV. But what happens when the parent isn't around, and they child is not controlled. For example, a daily school lunch?
Although school lunch rooms have been filling up with more healthier, nutritious foods, it is obvious that still you can see, fries, cheeseburgers, pizza and soda in the menu. Even if a child is restricted on eating fast food at home, when they see their classmates eating what's on the menu , they wont be able to say no. They will end up doing what others are. Since public schools don't really have the money to be picky on what's given on the menu, anything can go. The only solution can be,a parent making lunch for their children or if a parent is not able to at least cutting down they fast food when they child is at home. As much as we try to let our kids know what's good for them and what's not, they will eventually make their own choice. I guess the full understanding of staying healthy will come with the age. And when we grow into adulthood , we explore more things, try more foods and then decide what we like and what will help us stay on the track.
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