\nLate for work with no time to pack a lunch, on a long car trip with limited meal options, living in a neighborhood without a nearby grocery store \u2013 there are many reasons why people eat fast food, even knowing it’s not the most nutritious choice.\n<\/p>\n
\n“There are people who actually are going to fast food places, because they may not have the money. They may have to consume fast food for their nourishment, and that is OK,” said Natasha Evans, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Thomas Jefferson University. “We have to realize that for some people, it’s not a choice.”\n<\/p>\n
MORE:\u00a0An ‘alarming’ amount of young people use cannabis to fall asleep, study shows<\/a><\/p>\n \nDietitians are not the “food police,” Evans said, adding that “there’s no shame in convenience eating.”\n<\/p>\n \nAs with many things in life, when it comes to fast food, it’s about achieving balance, Evans said.<\/p>\n \n“There are no good and bad foods,” she said. “It’s about the frequency and the choices that you’re making.”\n<\/p>\n \nEvans is not denying that fast food poses health risks.<\/p>\n Many items on fast-food menus are high in calories, saturated fats, carbohydrates, added sugars and salt \u2013 and low in fiber, nutrients and minerals. Eating a regular diet of these foods puts people at an elevated risk for long-term health issues, such as weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, as well as shorter-term problems, such as bloating and digestive issues, Evans said.\n<\/p>\n \nResearch<\/a> has found people living in “food swamps” \u2014 areas with a high concentration of fast food restaurants and convenience stores selling junk food \u2014 have higher rates of obesity. Studies<\/a>\u00a0also have found people who eat fast food twice a week or more are at double the risk of obesity, compared to people who consume it less than once a week.\n<\/p>\n About\u00a042% of adults<\/a>\u00a0and about\u00a020% of children<\/a>\u00a0in the United States have obesity, and about\u00a036% of people<\/a>\u00a0eat fast food on any given day.<\/p>\n