by H.B. Corse

Created on: June 08, 2009   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

As of yet there has not been a study that conclusively labels fast food as addictive, and yet millions of Americans get their dinner through a window every day. Why? The method by which fast food is served is addictive. It is fast and easy. As our country moves further and further ahead technologically our lives grow smaller, faster, and more convenient. The convenience of not having to plan, prepare and eat food around the hectic daily schedules of most American Homes is too much to pass up. So why not grab a burger, fries, and drink on the way to the game or the office or the movies? In moderation I would say go ahead, but therein lies the problem with fast food. Fast food establishments do not make money by their customers coming in moderation. They make their money by repeat customers.

Addiction can be simply defined as doing the same thing over and over not because it is good for you, but because it is easy, feels good, or gets you by. Fast food could be defined the same way. It is easy, it does feel good, and it gets you by when you need it. Take any one of these factors away, and there would be no addictive qualities to fast food. For example, on a day off (everybody gets lucky once in a while) pick up a fast food burger from the restaurant of your choice and take it home. Now, make a burger of your own and set them side by side. Which one are you going to eat? The homemade burger of course. Why? Because the homemade burger is better, and you have the time to enjoy it. Next, remember a time when you were on your way to something, running late, and you had to wait four minutes for the fries to cook. Did you or did you not consider screaming at the person handing the sack through the window over that same pitiful burger you wouldn't eat if you had the choice?

So why is giving in and hitting the drive through a problem, really? It's a health problem. The fast food resturants run ad campaigns stating how you should have the grilled chicken meal with fries because it is so much better for you than the burger when in actuallity there is very little difference nutritionally. Of course they do keep salads on their menu if you are truly conscious of your health. I'm sure many nights the intention to forgo the burgers and fries for the healthy salad is there, but when the realization hits that most people cannot safely eat a salad and drive the salad takes the back seat. Which all in all is probably not such a bad thing since the salads that most fast food

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