FAST FOOD.

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Fast food, a type of mass-produced food that is prepared and served very quickly, was
first popularized in the 1950s in the United States, and may be relatively less nutritionally
valuable compared to other foods and dishes. While any meal with low preparation time can
be considered fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with
preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for takeout/take-away. Fast food restaurants are traditionally distinguished by their ability to serve
food via a drive-through.
Since its arrival in the mainstream, fast food has affected the lives of every person
who has consumed it. Fast food has helped us add a few pounds, it has helped us save money,
it has even changed the way we drive to work or where we live. Fast food has affected our
lives in more ways than we can even imagine. It has had an affect on our economy, both in
America and oversees and even our environment. The book Fast Food Nation, written by Eric
Schlosser has highlighted the consequences fast food restaurants have presented. The book
shows us through much research and many statistics, that fast food has brought us more than
just cheap burgers and greasy fries. Fast Food Nation shows us directly how fast food
restaurants effects have expanded to nearly every facet of life.
Nowadays, many people, mostly young people, prefer to eat fast food such as
hamburgers, fried chicken, shawarma, or pizza. It's fast, easy to prepare, easy to eat, and
cheap. It's for everyone. It's for the poor and the non-poor. It's for students, managers, actors,
for factory workers, for criminals, for priests and others. Today it seems like fast food was
always around and it is not possible to imagine a world without fast food. Even countries like
Japan, which has a traditional diet of rice, fish, vegetables and soy products, accepted fast
food into their worlds. Malaysians were first introduced to fast foods when A&W established
its first restaurant in 1963. Since then, consumers' acceptance of fast foods has been on the
upward trend. This is manifested by the proliferation of fast food outlets in Petaling Jaya and
Kuala Lumpur, such as McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Grandy's, Pizza Hut
and Shakey's Pizza.

1.2 Problem Statement

Food additive and preservative in fast food make the fast food unhealthy to humans
health.

Many advocates for better health in America, and the world, believe that fast food is
addictive due to the immense amount of sugar, fat, and salt packed into each greasy serving.
Although standard in restaurant and home cooking, these ingredients often come highly
processed in fast food in the form of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated and partially
hydrogenated oils. Both high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils contribute to
weight gain and leads to increased bad cholesterol.
Depending on where you are getting fast food, the calorie count in a regular to supersize meal is going to be way too high, and the sugar, salt, and fat levels more than likely
exceeds what your body needs to sustain. These three ingredients are known as trigger
substances meaning when all three are combined into a food, they keep you coming back for
more until your body becomes addicted to a food, such as, fast food. This addiction spikes
when other flavor enhancers are added into the mix.
Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is a flavoring agent. It is a form of concentrated salt
added to foods to enhance the flavor that is present in a variety of fast food and convenience
food items There has been much debate over the years about this food additive, and even
though MSG is generally recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration, there
has been numerous reports of skin rashes, itching, hives, vomiting, asthma, heart
irregularities, depression, seizures, headache, migraines, chest pain, nausea, and weakness
these reactions may occur because MSG in fast food is highly processed.
Due to the fact that MSG is super cheap, the food industry can use low quality foods
and add MSG as a flavor enhancer to mask the cheapness. This flavoring agent may also
interfere with appetite suppression and cause you to feel hungry even after youve eaten a
large amount of food, which may explain why you can finish all five la carte items from
that Chinese take-out in a single night! This constant hungry feeling is a good reason to avoid
MSG all together. To be sure you are not ingesting MSG, make your own meals at home from
scratch and add your favorite natural spices like fresh or dried herbs and spices, sea salt,
garlic, and ginger.

1.3 Objectives
i.
ii.

To determine impact of fast food for human body.

To study the awareness among people about fast food that harm peoples health.

1.4 Significance of the study

This study makes an effort in researching the effects of fast food for human body.
This study is beneficial to people, where there are negative and positive impacts on the
effects of fast food. However, if uncontrolled, it causes negative impact to the human body
such as skin rashes, itching, hives, vomiting, asthma, heart irregularities, depression, seizures,
headache, migraines, chest pain, nausea, and weakness
Moreover, benefits to the peoples, where they can create awareness about
disadvantages more than advantages in this research study. So it can reduce the risk of
diseases from taking the fast food in life.
Furthermore, it can provide benefits to the people, in terms of in reducing from take
fast food in uncontrolled because people can get many disadvantages more than advantages
of it. The parties concerned should take measures to reduce the people to take fast food
excessively and control the quantity of fast food sales in the country. This is to reduce the risk
to the people from facing various health problems caused by excessive consumption of fast
food.
1.5 Limitation of the study
1.5.1 This survey will cover the Parit Raja area.
1.5.2 The questionnaires of this research will be distributed within two weeks.
1.5.3 35 respondents who live in UTHM campus area will be chosen randomly to answer
the questionnaires.
1.5.4 The research that will be held, in one location.So that the numbers of respondent is
less.
1.5.5 There are difference opinion among them this is because of difference age.

1.6 Definition of terms

1.6.1 Addiction
The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.
1.6.2 MSG
Monosodium glutamate

1.6.3 Students
A person who is studying at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia.
1.7 Procedure and Methodology
1.7.1

Questionnaires
Generally, a questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series

of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from
respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses,
this is not always the case.
Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they
are cheap, do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone
surveys, and often have standardized answers that make it simple to compile data.
However, such standardized answers may frustrate users. Questionnaires are also
sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be able to read the questions and
respond to them. Thus, for some demographic groups conducting a survey by
questionnaire may not be concrete.
As a type of survey, questionnaires also have many of the same problems
relating to question construction and wording that exist in other types of opinion polls.

Data Analysis

Question 1
Figure 1 : Age
25

20

15

10

age
18

21

22

23

27

The bar graph show that the age of participant who participated in the survey. 35 participants
were took part in this survey. The age range of the participants were 18 to 27 years old.
From the survey the result show that the age of 22 is the highest compare to other age.
Followed by age 23 which was second highest. While small number of participants with age
18, 21 and 25 that took part in this survey.

Question 2
Gender :

12

23

Male

Female

The pie chart show that the gender of participant who participated in the survey. 35
participants were took part in this survey. The gender range of the participants were 23
female and 12 male.
From the survey, the result show that the female gender is highest which is 23
compare to the other gender which is 12 for male.
Conclusion, the highest for the participate who participated in the survey is female
and the lowest is male gender .

Question 3
How frequent you go to fast food restaurant in a week ?

Figure 3: The frequent participant go to fast food restaurant in a week.

2
4

29

1-2 times

3-4 times

5-6 times

7 and above

The pie graph show that the frequent participant go to fast food restaurant in a week. 35
participants were took part in this survey.
From the survey the result show that the highest participant go to fast food restaurant
1-2 times per week are 29. After that, 4 participant from 35 go to restaurant 3-4 times per
week. Followed by 2 participant go to restaurant 5-6 times and no one go to that restaurant
once per day or above.
Conclusion, the all participant in this survey go to fast food restaurant at least once
per week.

Question 4
At what age you start consuming fast food ?

7 years old and below

8-15 years old

16-23 years old

24 years old and above

Question 5
Do you believe fast food is unhealthy for humans health ?

Figure 5: The participants believe that fast food is unhealthy for humans health
or not.
25

20

15

10

0
Yes

Column1

The bar graph show that the question for all 35 participant that believe fast food is unhealthy
for humans health. The participant only can choose yes or no answer for this questionnaire.
From the survey the result show that the highest participant believed that fast food are
unhealthy was 21 and another participant believe that good health from fast food.
Conclusion, the highest participant in this survey believe that fast food was unhealthy
and another did not known fast food are unhealthy.
Question 6
If you have suffer disease listed below, on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being chronic,
rate the stage of the diseases.

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Obesity

Diabetes

Not suffer

Migraine

Early stage

Moderate

Gout
Final stage

High blood pressure

Chronic

Question 7
Please answer the following question based on your fast food experience.
1=strongly agree
disagree

2=disagree 3=undecided

4=agree

14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

5=strongly

Gant Chart

References
http://www.jkimsu.com/jkimsu-vol1no2/jkimsu-vol1no2-RA-1-7-15.pdf
http://www.naturalnews.com/049495_McDonalds_Chipotle_fast_food.html#
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/fast-food-health-arteries-beauty_n_2198725.html

APPENDIX

Questionnaires on Consumer of fast food

Statistic reported that fast food have negative impact on human health. It stated
that the additive and preservative in fast food make it unhealthy. This surveys
objectives to get people response about the fast food and the impact to human
health.

1. Age :
.
2. Gender :
Male / Female
3. How frequent you go to fast food restaurant in a week?
I.
1-2 times
II.
3-4 times
III.
5-6 times
IV.
7 and above
4. At what age you start consuming fast food?

I.
II.
III.
IV.

7 years old and below

8 15 years old
16 - 23 years old
24 years old and above

5. Do you believe fast food is unhealthy for humans health?

Yes / No
6. If you have suffer diseases listed below, on a scale of 1 5, with 5 being
chronic, rate the stage of the diseases.

Obesity

3.
Moderate

1. Not suffer 2. Early

stage

4. Final
stage

5. Chronic

Diabetes
Migraine
Gout
High-blood pressure

7. Please answer the following questions based on your fast food experience.
1=strongly disagree 2=disagree 3= undecided 4= agree 5=
strongly agree
1
I feel that fast
food can be
detrimental to
my health.
I mainly eat
fast food
because it is
convenient.
In generally, I
believe that all
fast foot
unhealthy.
I feel guilty
after I eat fast
food.

Thank you.

Introduction

The food evolution in the world has leads to the inovation of fast food. Additive and
preservative which been produce chemically were added in the food to make it can be stored
in a long period. Fast food additive and preservative in fast food make the fast food unhealthy
to humans health. The objective of this study is to determine impact of fast food on human
body and how far the awareness of the people about fast food additives and preservatives that
can harm humans body. A survey have been conducted by spreading the questionnaires

forms to 35 participants to get data and information. All data and information collected were
from participant feedback and just applicable in this study only.
From Figure 1,The bar graph show that the age of participant who participated in the
survey. 35 participants were took part in this survey. The age range of the participants were
18 to 27 years old.From the survey the result show that the age of 22 is the highest compare
to other age. Followed by age 23 which was second highest. While small number of
participants with age 18, 21 and 25 that took part in this survey.
From the figure 2, The pie chart show that the gender of participant who participated
in the survey. 35 participants were took part in this survey. The gender range of the
participants were 23 female and 12 male.From the survey, the result show that the female
gender is highest which is 23 compare to the other gender which is 12 for male.In conclusion,
the highest for the participate who participated in the survey is female and the lowest is male
gender .

From the figure 3, The pie graph show that the frequent participant go to fast food
restaurant in a week. 35 participants were took part in this survey.From the survey the result
show that the highest participant go to fast food restaurant 1-2 times per week are 29. After
that, 4 participant from 35 go to restaurant 3-4 times per week. Followed by 2 participant go
to restaurant 5-6 times and no one go to that restaurant once per day or above. In conclusion,
the all participant in this survey go to fast food restaurant at least once per week.
From the figure 4, The pie chart show that the age participate start consuming the fast
food . 35 participants were took part in this survey. From the survey, the highest age of
participate who start to take the fast food is at 8 to 15 years old. Next, the second highest is 7
years old and below . The lowest age for the participate who take the fast food is at 24 years
old and above. In conclusion, the highest for the participate who participated in the survey is
at average age of 7 to 15 years old and the lowest is 16 to 23 years old .
From the figure 5, the bar graph show that the question for all 35 participant that
believe fast food is unhealthy for humans health. The participant only can choose yes or no
answer for this questionnaire.From the survey the result show that the highest participant
believed that fast food are unhealthy was 21 and another participant believe that good health
from fast food.In conclusion, the highest participant in this survey believe that fast food was
unhealthy and another did not known fast food are unhealthy.
From the figure 6, The bar graph show that the stage of disease that can be found as a
result of consumption of fast food. 35 participants were took part in this survey. From the
survey, the highest rate of all disease is at not suffer stage. At obesity disease, there was no
chronic and final stage while the second highest rate is at early stage. The lowest is at
moderate stage.At diabetes disease, theres only not suffer stage which is the highest rate in
that disease. At migraine disease, the second highest rate is at moderate stage follow by early
stage and the lowest rate is at chronic stage. At gout disease also only not suffer stage which
is is the highest rate in that disease same with the diabetes.Lastly, at high blood pressure
disease the rate of early stage and chronic is at the same level while the lowest rate is at final

stage.From the survey the result show that the most dangerous disease is migraine and high
blood pressure from consumption of fast food.
From the figure 7, The bar graph show that the participant experience consume fast
food. There are four classes of experience in this survey that are I feel that fast food can be
detrimental to my health, I mainly eat fast food because it is convenient, in generally, I
believe that all fast foot unhealthy and I feel guilty after I eat fast food. For the first question
which is I feel that fast food can be detrimental to my health, the highest rate is at
undecided while the second highest is disagree followed by strongly disagree. The second
lowest rate is at strongly agree followed by agree.The highest rate for second question is at
undecided and disagree. The second lowest rate for question is strongly disagree while the
lowest rate is at agree. The highest rate for the third question is at disagree while the second
highest rate is at undecided followed by strongly disagree. The second lowest rate is at agree
followed by strongly agree. Lastly, for the last question highest rate is at strongly agree. The
second highest rate is undecided followed by disagree and agree. The lowest rate is at
strongly disagree. From the graph we can see that many participants did not agree with the
questions raised about the experience of fast food.

Conclusion
Based on the finding of the study, it can be concluded that most of people especially
among the teenagers or student are like to take the fast food as their meal. Most of them
believe that the fast food not bring a critical impact to their body healthy. They still have low
awareness about the bad impact of additive and preservative in the fast food that scientifically
prove that not good for human body. Other than that, the number of female which is bigger
than male also affect the result because it seem that difference gender have different opinion
fast food.
In conclusion, most people like to take the fast food without thinking about their health. So,
Malaysian has low awareness about the danger of consuming fast food. The objective of the
survey is successfully achieved.
Recommendation
It is recommended that :
1. Awareness campaign about the bad impact of additive and preservative in the fast food
must be continuously advertise through electronic and social media.
2. The government can announce a day in every week called Organic Day and only eat
organic and healthy food in that day.
3. Government can run research and innovation to produce organic preservative and additive
to replace the chemical additive and preservative.