Numerous studies to date have demonstrated that fast food-style foods are extremely harmful to our health. Especially today, this type of food, which pushes millions of people to obesity, brings many health problems and worsens the health condition of the person. Many people who don’t want to have health problems stay away from fast food – do they?
A recent study published recently revealed that this is not actually the case. According to the study, the reason people shun fast food isn’t because it’s unhealthy, but because they don’t want to feel guilty instead. A total of 300 participants took part in the study, who regularly consumed fast food and did not consume it regularly.
Guilt was the factor that put people off fast food the most:
Participants in an online survey found that functional (convenience, taste, familiarity, etc.) and how much they value a range of fast food-related items, including emotional (enjoyment, etc.) values. The raw data obtained were analyzed using a number of statistical techniques and two main distinguishing factors were found that specifically identified the non-regular fast food consumers.
The first of these factors revealed that erratic fast food consumers do this in ‘accidental situations’ beyond their control, such as when they feel time pressure, travel, run out of food at home, or feel stressed. The second factor, on the other hand, revealed what kept these people away from fast food the most: the feeling of guilt.
According to the researchers, this result showed that the knowledge that fast food is unhealthy is insufficient to influence one’s consumption habits. According to them, quitting fast food required other reasons, such as guilt, as well as knowledge of ill health. This simple but impressive result that emerged within the scope of the research may also change the message of obesity prevention programs. The messages can no longer be about ill health, but about guilt.
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