Reasons people eat fast food

Eating fast food regularly is linked to obesity and chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, but many people still choose junk food sources over their healthy, nutritious whole food counterparts. Fast food is typically cheap, processed and prepackaged, making it easily available, but there are several psychological motivators that predispose people to choosing it as a meal or snack.

1) Choosing convenience

Busy schedules often diminish the amount of time people have to prepare healthy, nutritious meals, so they opt for faster, easier options. Whole foods such as vegetables and meat take time and kitchen equipment to cook properly, while fast food hamburgers are usually served within minutes of ordering. Over time, that convenience becomes a habit and eventually a perceived necessity to keep up with such a fast-paced society. Disrupting that routine requires an investment of time, and most people prefer to stick with the faster option. 

2) Developing addiction

People may also choose fast food simply because they have developed a mild physical dependence on it. Studies show that binge eating foods high in sugar or fat results in neurochemical changes in the brain similar to those that develop in drug addiction. According to a study published in “Physiology and Behavior” in October 2011, rats that habitually eat foods high in sugar and fat mentally crave more of those substances and experience withdrawal-like symptoms if they do not get access to it. After developing the habit, people may be neurochemically driven to choose fast food.

Reference: http://www.livestrong.com/article/392358-reasons-why-people-eat-junk-food-over-healthy-food/