The Woods

Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: News

By Chanel Reeder
Editor in Chief

For any particular college student, a to-do list for the day might look something like this. Class, work, drive to town for supplies, back to school for homework. Unfortunately, at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, dinner is served at 5 p.m., and with a schedule like that, it might be hard to make it back to school in time for dinner. In that case, the student is likely to stop at a fast food restaurant while in town before coming back to school to study for the night.

This example shows that with society operating at such a fast pace, fast food seems like a regular part of life. In order to keep up with the pace of the day-to-day, meals become an afterthought and cooking at home or in the dorms seems like such a daunting task. However, in 2002, director Morgan Spurlock took a look at what a fast food diet does to one's health. In Super Size Me, a documentary, Spurlock spends 30 days eating only from a McDonald's menu. It became apparent that during this time, fast food was having negative effects on both his health and weight.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, Americans consume too many calories, saturated and trans fats, salt, cholesterol and added sugars. The guidelines suggest that Americans should adjust their daily intake to include more potassium and vitamin E rich foods. They advise individuals to choose more fruits and vegetables while decreasing intake of foods that are low in nutrients but have a high energy level. Examples of these high energy level foods include fried foods.

What exactly qualifies as fast food? According to a study done by the International Journal of Obesity, "fast food has been defined as food purchased in self-service or carry-out eating places without wait service."

However, not many SMWC students frequent fast food as one may think. In a survey performed by the Research and Methods class at SMWC, only 8.9 percent of the participants said that their meals are most frequently eaten at fast food. A majority of 55.4 percent of the students frequented campus meals for their food.

However, these results may not be for the reasons that one might think. "I hardly ever get fast food," said junior Cassandra Malec. "I maybe get fast food three times a month ." Malec likes to make her own food because she doesn't like school food and it's cheaper than fast food.

Sophomore Britt Simmerman had a similar viewpoint. "I make my own food, but I do it to save time." Said Simmerman. She said that she visits fast food restaurants about seven times a month.

Julia Lopez-Kaley says that she hardly ever goes to fast food and if so, it's only once a week. She noted that her choice to eat on campus is mostly because of money and convenience as well, but also the negative effects of fast food has an influence on her decision.

While fast food is pegged as being the quick and cheap option, in reality this is often not the case. To the nearest McDonald's from SMWC, it is a one way distance of 5.52 miles and takes approximately 12 minutes in travel time. Fast food isn't cheap either. An average combo at fast food restaurants such as McDonald's or Wendy's is approximately $4 to $6 dollars.

Sophomore Jennifer Cassidy says that she usually eats fast food only on the weekends. "When I eat fast food, it's maybe once or twice a week, but that's if I am in town," she said. "I'll get fast food if I go out and would miss the meal at school."

The subjects in the study done by the International Journal of Obesity were women and it examined the frequency of fast food use and dietary intake. The conclusion was that the frequency of fast food restaurant use is associated with higher energy and fat intake and greater body weight, which could be an important risk factor for weight gain in the population.

Even though fast food restaurants have made an attempt to broaden their menu selections, the typical fast food meal still consists of a hamburger and French fries. Simmerman says that she does think about the health facto when she goes to fast food, "but sometimes it's the only option."

There are ways to circumvent the system, however. Many fast food restaurants allow customers to substitute other side options for French fries. Next time consider choosing a side salad instead of French fries. Also, choose water or a diet soda instead of a regular soda. This will help cut back on the calorie and sugar intake in the meal. Be informed before going to fast food. Fast food restaurants have their nutrition information posted on their websites, as well as in the restaurant and sometimes on take home pamphlets. Take a look at the options and take a moment to add your meal up.

Cassidy says that she does this before going to fast food. "I always try to get the healthier choice or go somewhere that is healthier," she said. "I have the nutrition guide for Subway so I know what I am going to get before I go."


Here's a simple breakdown of several typical meals from several typical fast food restaurants. Which one is your favorite?

McDonald's: A medium Big Mac combo meal with a Big Mac, medium fries and a medium Coca-Cola Classic. This meal has a total of 1,130 calories, 48 grams of fat, 93 grams of carbohydrates and 58 grams of sugar.

Wendy's: A medium Crispy Chicken sandwich combo meal with a crispy chicken sandwich, medium fries and a medium Coca-Cola Classic. This meal has a total of 960 calories, 35 grams of fat, 146 grams of carbohydrates, and 60 grams of sugar.

Rally's: A medium Rallyburger combo with a Rallyburger, medium fries and a medium Coca-Cola Classic. This meal has a total of 1,075 calories, 49 grams of fat, 72 grams of carbohydrates and 47 grams of sugar.

Subway: A six inch Turkey Breast sandwich on wheat bread with cheese and fat free honey mustard, baked lays and water. This meal has a total of 510 calories, 24 grams of fat, 78 grams of carbohydrates and 14 grams of sugar.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools