Should fast food outlets be banned?

NOVEMBER 2018 TOPIC: Fast foods are health hazards. Should fast food outlets be banned?

Junk food is a term for food items containing a large number of calories from sugar or fat with very little fibre and protein. Excess fast food consumption leads to obesity; studies show an increase in obesity in the age group 9-18. Many countries have adopted or are considering various legislated actions to curb junk food consumption but no country has banned fast food completely. It is time that people become aware of the harmful effects of junk food and balance its consumption with intake of food rich in fibre and other nutrients.
Shruti Bharti (13)
Note Dame School, Badarpur

Banning fast food outlets is not the only solution. We must educate people about the health risks associated with consumption of fast food for which a comprehensive mass awareness programme should be launched. Further, it must be made mandatory for every fast food outlet to maintain high safety standards and keep alternative healthy food options on the menu. Occasional intake of fast food may be useful for people running short of time or while travelling. The fast food industry also provides employment to many people. Therefore, a complete ban on the industry may not be in the overall interest.
Devanshi Pant (13)
St Francis De Sales Sr Sec School, Janakpuri

All are aware of how unhealthy fast food is. However, people make a conscious choice to eat it knowing it’s bad for them, so it’s ultimately their responsibility to take care of their own health. People are definitely responsible for the choices they make. Yes, fast food is unhealthy for us. But in moderation, fast food can sometimes be quite enjoyable. Just because some people can’t control themselves, it does not mean that those who can should be denied this treat.
Srishti Rajput (16)
Notre Dame, New Delhi

Fast food outlets shouldn’t be banned. People, especially middle class day jobbers and students do not have enough time to prepare food at home so it helps them save time. People are responsible for the choices they make. Also, there are other solutions that can be implemented without removing such a staple industry from the society. Limiting the number of fast food outlets allowed per region, restricting by means of raising taxes, anything but banning them can be helpful.
Sukanya Basu Mallik
Techno India

Fast food is highly unhealthy and can transform healthy human beings into obese, lazy people. Is this what we want the Earth to become for future generations? I should think not. Eating too much junk food can cause our lives to be shortened. This is why I believe that junk food should be banned.
Anushree Shukla (14)
Jeevan Marg Sophia Sec. School, Deoria

It’s not a secret that fast food is bad for us. I do, however, think that people believe that there’s nothing wrong with eating fast food in moderation. It really comes down to ignorance being blissful. I love the analogy that our bodies are like vehicles. You want the best fuel for your car, but do you always provide good and the right fuel for your body? The fast food industry gives that option to people, giving you regular when your gas guzzler requires premium.
Mahak Singh (12)
St Anthony’s Jr College, Agra

No doubt that fast food causes many health hazards but banning fast food is not a solution. Fast food outlets are a source of earning for people. Also, at times, cooking healthy food is not possible. People should instead be made aware of the health hazards arising from fast foods. Fast foods are definitely mouth-watering but the taste lasts only for a few minutes. We cannot put the upcoming years of our life in danger because of a few minutes’ taste.
Vishakha S. Keswani (20)
Kanoria College, Jaipur

Today’s generation takes junk food as a boon but it is highly unhealthy and can transform a healthy person into an obese and lazy person. Eating too much junk food can shorten our life. This is why I believe junk food outlets should be banned.
Jahanvi Singh (15)
Jeevan Marg Sophia Secondary School, Deoria

Fast food is so convenient and cheap; it’s hard to resist at times. Yes, fast food outlets should be banned. Fast food consumption may lead to obesity. The poor diet obtained from fast food often leads to high blood pressure. Children who regularly consume fast food often suffer even more than adults because their conditions only worsen with age. They also have a higher risk for developing asthma, hypertension and high cholesterol.
Adya Singh (14)
St Anthony’s Jr College, Agra

There is no second thought about the fact that fast foods are health hazards that can have adverse consequences on the health of the people, especially the youth. But banning fast food outlets is no remedy for keeping today’s kids fit and healthy. It totally depends on us in what amount we consume junk food. Excessive consumption is definitely hazardous but we should certainly not ban the outlets as those who eat junk food within limit have a fundamental right over its consumption.
Kaashvi Sidhwani (15)
S.F.S. Janakpuri, New Delhi

I do understand that having an excessive amount of junk food can cause serious health hazards like obesity. Pushing health limits can be disastrous. But then what are alternatives for? India is a land of traditional food and delicacies; outlets of traditional cuisines should be opened. It will encourage youth to consume healthy and tasty Indian recipes.
Roopal Gupta (21)
Sophia Girls’ College, Ajmer

Fast food is of course harmful to health. But banning of fast food outlets is not a good option. Many people earn a living from fast food shops. Instead limiting our consumption of fast food is much better. It will keep us healthy and will not affect the livelihood of the people running the shops.
Vineet Anand Gandhi (15)
Agragami Convent School, Wardha

Fast foods are health hazards. They are often prepared in unhygienic conditions. The food is not fresh and can have a high quantity of sugar, salt and saturated fats too and is responsible for increasing obesity in youth. These outlets should obviously be banned for selling unhygienic and unbalanced food.
Plaksha Bhardwaj (12)
St Anthony’s Jr College, Agra

Fast foods provide a guilty-free pleasure to people. However, they have a deteriorating effect on our health. But banning of these fast foods is not the solution. People should control their consumption of these foods. The outlets are a source of income for vendors, and banning them would be a blow to their earnings. As a measure, warning labels can be put up.
Sneha Agarwal (21)
School of Engineering and Technology, Mody University

Junk food attracts people of all age groups but most of the fast food we consume has an adverse effect on our health. The consumption of deep fried and oily stuff leads to heart-related diseases. Thus, the excessive consumption of junk food must be strictly avoided. Fast food outlets should not be banned but consumers must make sure that they devour less junk food and more nutritious meals to ensure a healthy life.
Kavya Mittal (14)
St Anthony’s Jr. College, Agra

Fast foods are full of bad fats with very little nutritional value. Fast food outlets should be banned because they do a lot of malpractices going on in order to attract customers. For example, they cook food in poor quality oil which is very harmful to the human body, and often fast foods are packed in plastic polythene which harms the environment too.
Ashish Kumar (16)
Notre Dame School, New Delhi

Not only fast food outlets, but even fast food should be banned! We have so many cases of obesity and yet we don’t make an effort to abolish fast food. Fast foods are not wholesome for our health.
Avani Dangi (10)
St Anthony’s Jr College, Agra

Obesity and related diseases are playing havoc in today’s world. It has reached epidemic proportions, with about 5% of the total Indian population affected by morbid obesity. One of the main reasons of this is the impact of fast foods. Yet I am not in favour of fast food outlets being banned. Firstly, fast food chains provide readymade food for busy people who do not get time to prepare it. Secondly, this would also affect the economy of the country adversely. Many would become unemployed. I think people should become more aware of this issue and if this does not happen, banning them would be of no effect.
Rohit Srivastava (14)
Jeevan Marg Sophia Secondary School

Today’s youth are addicted to fast food because it’s readily available and quite cheap. The result — they are becoming lazy and obese due to excessive junk food consumption. This also causes an increase in cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and diabetes. So, fast food outlets should be banned because they are harming the health of many.
Ekta Kanojia (13)
St Francis De Sales School, New Delhi