This archive report was first published on 20 October 2019.
The Dark Side of Fast Food: A Global Health Crisis ¶
As a global traveler, I've often noticed that the opening of an American fast-food chain in a new market is seen as a sign of 'development' and 'progress'. But is this really the case?
Let's take a closer look at the fast-food industry, which has become a global phenomenon. From Burger King to McDonald's, these chains have spread their wings across the globe, serving up junk food that's high in saturated fat, sugar, salt, and calories.
But what's really going on behind the scenes? A study by the Center for Food Safety, Consumer Reports, and other reputable food safety advocacy organizations found that 22 of the top 25 burger chains, including Burger King and McDonald's, received a failing 'F' grade. Only two chains, Shake Shack and BurgerFi, received an 'A' grade, while Wendy's received a 'D-'. This is an indictment not only of Burger King but virtually the entire fast-food industry.
So, why is the reduction and elimination of food produced using antibiotics necessary to human medicine important? The answer lies in the fact that about 70% of all antibiotics used in human medicine are also used in the raising and production of livestock, dairy, and poultry. This means that we're ingesting important antibiotics every time we eat eggs, beef, and chicken, or drink milk.
Health experts, including the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, believe that the overuse of these antibiotics is contributing to drug-resistant 'super-bugs'. These are bacteria that antibiotics are powerless to treat. Imagine that - a plague isn't far off in our future.
But it's not just the antibiotics that are the problem. Fast food has been directly linked to colorectal cancer, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression, a leading cause of suicide. Most fast foods are high in saturated fat, sugar, salt, and calories, making them a recipe for an early death.
So, what can we do? If Burger King and other chains won't clean their act, then Kenyans need to unhook their children from their fast foods. Don't ingest poison, or feed it to your child, and then wonder why you, or they, are prematurely dying.
— Makau Mutua is a distinguished professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and chairman of KHRC. @makaumutua
