FAST FOOD AND NUTRITION

FAST FOOD AND NUTRITION:

ARE THEY MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE?

A WEB-QUEST!

Since the advent of the drive-up fast-food restaurant in the 1950's, fast-food has become an increasingly popular form of eating in the United States. Young and old alike have come to enjoy burgers and fries, milkshakes, chicken nuggets, and other fast-food-fare. It has even become popular to place fast-food chain outlets within high schools and colleges to make it even easier for students to eat their favorite fast-food while at school. With obesity a growing concern in the United States, it is really time that we evaluate the nutritional content of these products!

THE TASK

Your assignment is to find information about the nutritional content of typical fast food products. You will be examining not only the food, but the fast-food restaurants and the fast-food industry as a whole. In the end, your group will present a PowerPoint presentation to the class to report your findings.

THE PROCESS

Divide yourselves into groups of three. Each member of your team will be assigned a specific task. One person will function in the role of "The Nutritionist." This person will examine the fast-food products for nutritional value, and using the resource list, find general nutrition information that can be applied to this project. Another team member will play the role of "business manager." This person will examine the labor practices, and other significant business trends in the fast-food industry. Specific establishments may be used as examples, but be sure to cover the industry as a whole as well. The third team member will be "The Historian", and will report on nutritional changes in the United States over time, as well as any significant historical events in the fast-food industry, or in our society in general that may have an impact on the industry. (For example, fast-food restaurants got their start in the 1950's when it began to be commonplace for every family to own an automobile.)

The Following Resources should be a value during your investigation:

Food and Nutritional Information Center

Government Nutrition Information

American Dietetic Association

Food and Drug Administration

U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Nutrition History

American History

EVALUATION

Each team member will report their findings to their group. The group will then prepare a 7-10 minute oral presentation for the class using PowerPoint. Your grades will be issued based on the following criteria:

70 Points--Content. All three assigned roles should be present and covered in the content of the presentation.

20 Points--Appearance. The presentation should be visually appealing, and the presentation should flow easily from one subject area to the next.

10 Points--Presentation. The presenter/presenters should speak loudly, and clearly so that all class members may hear their presentation. They should not simply read their notes, or read the Powerpoint slides. Other visual aids may be used to add to the presentation if appropriate.

CONCLUSIONS

Now it is time for you to draw conclusions about your research. Before undertaking this assignment students most likely did not think about the fast-food industry beyond the price of super-sizing their fries. Now that you have examined the history, the companies, and the nutritional aspects of the industry, what conclusions can you draw about fast-food and its place in our American landscape?

Last Updated March 2005 by Trisha Armstrong