So, I understand that fastfood and processed foods are becoming far more popular in India. They represent 10% of what people now eat in the cities. Experts believe this will only increase, and will eventually impact the prevalence of many local cuisines. Various food traditions will be lost, especially in smaller towns. It is even worse when considering that these fastfood restaurants and processed foods have been linked to an increase in obesity. Many of the health problems in the US are the result of poor diet. Can anyone comment on this trend? I know that most Indians still prefer the homecooked meals, and you can see this food delivered throughout the cities every day.
I cannot tell you about India but I am sure that this trend is global. I have been to several countries in Europe and I can vouch that there and in my country, Serbia, fast food restaurants have increased in selling. I owned a fast food restaurant and I closed because there were too many opened and I didn't have enough money or good location and my fast food was a healthy one so it was like an experiment. Obviously people like to eat poison. Anyway, if Serbia is having this problem I think that India is even worse because of the influence American culture and English culture overall has on them. Considering a fact that that influence in Serbia is minimal and still we have this food problems. This is just my guessing from my experience.
India's population will only increase. So, it makes it fertile grounds for fast food companies to build on. We're living in a time where cooking is becoming less common in urban settings and these fast food chains are capitalizing on it. I see the trend only increasing in not just India, but on a global scale.
India is growing rapidly so it's going to make sense that companies will target countries such as this with new products, and that's a trend that will grow into the future. While India will always be a very unique country with sites that you'll never be able to see anywhere else, just like any other country in the world it's changing and becoming more commercial.
I definitely think it's a global trend. Whilst not having yet been to India, I've seen it first hand in other Asian countries I've traveled to. McDonalds and KFC and things like that are just as commonplace as they are here in the States, and I guess that was a surprise to me. I do think in some places there is the idea that international fast food is unique or interesting and I guess that impacts people's consumption. Plus I think these days a lot of the time people are rushing from one place to the next, and fast food ends up being something they rely on rather than an occasional treat.
It's also interesting to note that in some places, take the UK for example where fast food as been available for many years, even though they're still popular, there's been a shift back to the more traditional style cafe's and restaurants aswell.
To me, it's all about the poverty issue. The poorer you are, the more likely you will eat cheap fast food. Here in America, eating cheap fast food on a daily basis results in obviously high obesity rates that gives way to added health problems. Not to say that it will become that bad, but who knows? Hopefully tradition will override corporate ideas.
I don't think it's just in India. Lots of third world countries often view fast food as "fancy meals" and that it is a luxury that can be bragged to others. Being able to eat there give people a sense of pride, and I think what's sad is that it really is an unhealthy habit, and that people should simply go for the healthier - and cheaper - homecooked meals.
Well, this is happening all over. With the fast paced lives that most people are now living, they have to adapt and one way of adjusting to such a lifestyle is by depending on fast food restaurants. Although, I still prefer my mom's home cooked meals, I admit that my diet mostly consists of fast food meals.
I wish that was the same as here in the UK. The cheap fast food isn't all that cheap anymore, but the worrying thing is that's because people are getting poorer rather than the cost going up! Seriously though, while processed foods and take a ways are no doubt a major cause for obesity, it's education that needs to be looked at, rather than the food itself. Eating these kind of meals once a week for example is fine as part of a balanced diet, if your having a big Mac meal every day then you know yourself that it's unhealthy...or you should do!
Yes, especially since the population is growing a little bit. It's okay to consume it once in a while but a lot of people are doing it 1-3 times a day and with the soda refills that is raising obesity levels to an all-time high. You have to be careful with home-cooked meals too though. Lot's of people don't even realize how fatty some foods are and just because they were bought up to think it's healthy doesn't mean it actually is. Make sure you check this online if you are really considering cutting back.
This is definitely a product of globalization. Companies are on the lookout to expanding their businesses overseas. Countries with high population such as India are often considered a profitable market. I also believe that this trend of fast food growing in countries outside the US also is a response to the rise in tourism. A lot of Caucasians and tourists in general are also traveling and in a way these fast food places can be their go-to places if they miss a bit of home. Personally, fast foods are truly good news to me as I'm unfortunate to have a taste bud that takes SO LONG to adapt to local cuisine. So, it's a bit of a relief that there is at least one familiar place that I can go to in case I have had enough of local food. The availability of fast food gives me an option in case I really can't develop a taste for the local food.
I think it's not just the processed foods and fast foods themselves that are the problem but that our current generation is losing interest or appreciation in real home cooked meal or traditional food. The love for spending time and effort it makes to make a sumptuous meal must be passed on to our children to make them understand that good food is not just for the body but for the soul as well. A family that still makes good nutritious food together is strong in bonds and together, keeping the culture alive. Why do you think Indian food is revered in the culinary world?
Home cooked foods are becoming a thing of the past, and with peoples lives becoming busier and busier, I think that's only set to continue. It's rare for families to all sit down to eat together, and when your only cooking for one or two, it's all to easy to just rely on frozen meals or take-a-ways.
