Fast food and processed food is actually rising in some countries, including Kenya, Bolivia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Zambia.
Now, in the United States, we know the popularity of fast food is convenience. Basically, we pay for quick, convenient, tasty food with our health: high cholesterol, high sugar, lots of fat and grease…etc. But, in other countries, like those mentioned above, the reality is a bit different.
Based on a study by the Institute for Development Studies and Oxfam called “Precarious Lives: Food, Work and Care After the Global Food Crisis,” many countries have seen healthy food prices skyrocket, and therefore fast food consumption has greatly increased.
Between the years of 2007 and 2011, prices on basic foods like corn and rice have dramatically increased. Munchies reports this is what’s leading to diet and lifestyle changes for most families.
That’s not to say that families are unaware of the risks that processed foods can cause to their health. It used to be that foods such as chips and pizza were only consumed among rich families because those of lower income couldn’t afford these luxuries. That just goes to show how hard the high prices are hitting families in these countries.
The report examines the types of lifestyle changes made by food market prices, and concludes that families are taking on extra work, particularly among women, and in hazardous conditions in order to feed themselves. Aside from the diet changes, which will undoubtedly cause increased risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the hazards of new working conditions will also play a significant role in rising health problems.
According to the same study, our takeaway here is that we must search for a way to respond “so that bad food, dangerous and demeaning occupations, and strained care are no longer necessary elements of resilience in the face of global economic development.”
So, while fast food may be a convenient luxury to us, it is becoming a way of life for many families in other countries. Let’s figure out what we can all do to reverse this reality.