“The medical literature on the causes of food poisoning is full of euphemisms and dry scientific terms: coliform levels, aerobic plaque counts, sorbitol, MacConkey agar, etc. Behind them lies a simple explanation for why eating a hamburger can now make you seriously ill: There's shit in the meat. »― Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the American Meal, according to the documentary Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock, one in four Americans visits a fast food restaurant every day. America is considered the fattest country in the world as 60 percent – ​​or 100 billion Americans – are overweight or obese. With the number of obese people regularly eating unhealthy fast food meals, it is clear that fast food is linked to obesity. Fast food companies, such as McDonald's, contribute to the global obesity trend because they serve unhealthy foods and attract customers with effective, but misleading, advertising. Almost all fast food chains contribute to the obesity epidemic. Although McDonald's refuses to admit that fast food is directly linked to obesity, it acknowledges that "any processing our food undergoes makes it more dangerous than unprocessed food" (Spurlock). According to the National Institutes of Health (2004), the high amounts of fat, sugar, salt, and artificial additives in processed foods can have negative long-term health effects. People who regularly eat fast food overload their bodies with unhealthy additives because a single meal eaten at a fast food restaurant often contains enough calories to satisfy a person's daily calorie needs. A study from the Academy of Pediatrics (2007) also shows that people tend to consume less milk, fiber, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables after eating fast food. Due to high consumption of fats and salts, combined with low fiber and vitamin intake, people are more likely to gain weight and harm their health by regularly eating fast food. Despite the health risks, most fast food companies refuse to reduce the amount of fattening ingredients in their products. Burger King, Britain's second largest fast food chain, recently rejected the government's suggestion to reduce the levels of salt, fat and sugar in its recipes. Instead, he will strive to make his meals "tastier", regardless of the negative health effects (Leake). Like Burger King, K...... middle of paper ......s Health. December 2004. April 24, 2007. “Europe's children are getting fatter. » Hc2d.co.uk: Virtually comprehensive healthcare news. April 24, 2007. April 30, 2007. “Fast Food Linked to Childhood Obesity.” » CBSnews.com. January 5, 2003. April 17, 2007. “Fast Food and obesity: is there a link? » February 2004. Health and health care in schools. 4 (12). April 17, 2007. “House passes cheeseburger bill.” » FoxNews.com. March 11, 2004. April 24, 2007. "KFC blasted over use of unhealthy trans fats to fry chicken." » June 20, 2006. Daily news center. April 30, 2007. McDonald's. Food, nutrition and fitness. 2006. April 17, 2007. Leake, Jonathan. "Burger King withdraws from health food drive." Times Online (UK). October 9, 2005. April 30, 2007. Simon, Michele. “McDonald's labeling scheme: I don't like it. » November 2005. April 24, 2007. .Super Size Me, dir., 2004.