Volume 10, Issue 7, July – 2025 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No: 2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul858

Fast Food Addiction and Its Impact among the

Villlagers at Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu
1
Dr. P. John Victor
1
(M. COM., M. Phil., MBA., Ph.D., PGDCA.)
1
Vice Principle and Assistant Professor
1
DR. R.K.Shanmugam College of Arts & Science, Indil, Kallakurichi – 606213, Tamil Nadu

Publication Date: 2025/07/24

Abstract: Fast food refers to meals that are prepared and served quickly, often requiring minimal preparation time. It is
widely available through various sources such as restaurants, roadside stalls, and small eateries. Fast food has gained
popularity due to its convenience, taste, and easy accessibility. However, not all fast foods are healthy, as they may contain
high levels of saturated fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and preservatives. Previous studies have shown a significant rise in
fast food consumption among rural populations. In light of this trend, the researcher conducted a study involving a sample
of 550 individuals from villages in the Kallakurichi District to assess fast food addiction and its impact on the local
population.

Keywords: Fast Food – Fast Food Addiction – Influence – Fast Food Impact – Behaviour – Health Issues – Awareness –
Recommendation.

How to Cite: Dr. P. John Victor (2025). Fast Food Addiction and Its Impact among the Villlagers at Kallakurichi District, Tamil
Nadu. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 10(7), 1872-1876.
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul858

I. INTRODUCTION roadside shops. Fast food is a type like fried chicken, burger,
noodles and pizza which can be taken away to eat as the
The concept of fast food originated in the West, customers wish.
designed to serve a large number of people in a short amount
of time. It has proven to be a highly successful and rapidly  Fast Food Addiction
growing industry. Typically, Western fast food consists of Food addiction is characterized by a dependency on the
pre-cooked or pre-prepared meals that can be quickly pleasurable sensations derived from eating certain types of
assembled and served. Well-known international fast food food. This reliance can lead individuals to eat even in the
chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and KFC have become absence of hunger, creating a self-perpetuating and harmful
symbols of this culture, often offering food that is high in salt, cycle. As the addict continues to seek out foods that provide
fat, and calories, making them less healthy options. temporary emotional gratification, they often consume far
more than what is necessary for proper nutrition.
In contrast, Indian fast food presents a different picture.
Although the Western fast food model has gained a presence Over time, this pattern of overindulgence can result in a
in India — even appearing in upscale restaurants and range of physical, emotional, and social consequences.
nightclubs — India has long had its own version of fast food Common outcomes include digestive problems, heart disease,
deeply rooted in its culinary traditions. Indian fast food is obesity, low self-esteem, depression, and social withdrawal.
widely available in vegetarian restaurants and on the streets, Despite facing these negative effects, individuals struggling
where dishes are often freshly prepared and reflect regional with food addiction may repeatedly return to these eating
tastes. While the idea of quick, affordable meals might have behaviors in pursuit of the same fleeting feelings of pleasure.
originated in the West, the Indian version of fast food is
uniquely its own and has been an integral part of Indian  Table – 1 : Impact Of Fast Food
culture for generations. Fast food consumption can lead to two types of impacts:

 Fast Food  Short-Term Impact:

The fast food is a kind of food that is cooked and served In the short term, fast food may lead to immediate
very quickly in special restaurants, hotels and decorated effects such as indigestion, fatigue, bloating, and a spike in

IJISRT25JUL858 www.ijisrt.com 1872

Volume 10, Issue 7, July – 2025 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No: 2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul858

blood sugar levels. It may also provide temporary satisfaction  Heart Disease:
and convenience, which encourages frequent consumption. Long-term consumption of foods high in saturated fats,
trans fats, and cholesterol increases the risk of heart
 Long-Term Impact: conditions, including hypertension and coronary artery
Over time, regular consumption of fast food can disease.
contribute to serious health issues such as obesity, heart
disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. It may  Obesity:
also lead to emotional and social problems, including low Fast food is energy-dense and nutrient-poor,
self-esteem, depression, and social isolation. contributing significantly to unhealthy weight gain and
obesity, particularly in children and adolescents.
 Short-Term Impacts of Fast Food Consumption:
 Education:
 Spike in Blood Sugar: Poor nutrition from frequent fast food intake can lead to
Fast food is often high in refined carbohydrates and reduced concentration, lower academic performance, and
sugars, leading to sudden spikes in blood glucose levels, fatigue in students.
which can cause energy crashes and mood swings.
 Mental Health Impact:
 Increased Blood Pressure: Diets rich in processed foods have been linked to a
High sodium content in fast food can lead to an higher risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health
immediate rise in blood pressure, especially in individuals disorders due to poor nutrient balance and gut-brain
sensitive to salt. interaction.

 Increased Inflammation:  Statement of the Research Problems

Ingredients high in trans fats and sugar can trigger There were 550 respondents chosen for the research
inflammation in the body, potentially affecting immunity and from the villages Kallakurichi District. Out of the total
overall health. numbers, 500 are consuming fast food and 50 are not
consuming fast food. From the list of fast food consumption,
 Poor Nutrient Intake: 400 respondents have affected with health issues and
Frequent consumption of fast food can displace more remaining 100 are not. It seems, the rural people are addicted
nutrient-dense meals, leading to deficiencies in essential to fast food and affected by health issues. At the end, the
vitamins and minerals. researchers had identified that the fast food addiction leads to
health issues. So the researcher had undertaken this research
 Binge Eating: to examine the fast food addiction and its impact among the
The highly palatable nature of fast food can encourage villagers.
overeating or binge eating, driven more by craving than actual
hunger.  Objectives

 Long-Term Impacts of Fast Food Consumption:  To critically examine the patterns of fast food
consumption among rural populations.
 Digestive System:  To assess the extent to which fast food culture has
Regular intake of greasy and processed foods can lead proliferated in village settings.
to chronic digestive issues such as constipation, acid reflux,  To investigate the health-related consequences associated
and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). with fast food intake in rural areas.
 To evaluate rural communities’ awareness of the potential
 Immunity and Inflammation: health risks linked to fast food consumption.
A diet high in unhealthy fats and sugars can weaken the  To analyze the broader socio-economic and health
immune system and cause chronic inflammation, increasing impacts of fast food consumption in rural regions
the risk of various illnesses.
II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 Memory and Learning:
Studies suggest that diets high in trans fats and sugar can This study was conducted by the researcher in
negatively affect brain function, impairing memory, learning, Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu. The sample size of this
and cognitive performance. research was 550 by applying simple random sampling
method. The researcher used the questionnaire to collect the
 Allergies: primary data from the public and also collected necessary
Preservatives, additives, and artificial coloring in fast data from the text books, magazines, websites and previous
foods may trigger or worsen allergic reactions and research work that were used as the secondary data. The
sensitivities, especially in children. researcher also applied the simple percentage method to
analyse the data.

IJISRT25JUL858 www.ijisrt.com 1873

Volume 10, Issue 7, July – 2025 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No: 2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul858

III. REVIEW OF LITERATURE individuals’ decisions to either consume or avoid fast food.
Furthermore, it offers a summary of evidence-based
According to Khurshid Anwar Warsi and Syeedun recommendations aimed at reducing fast food consumption,
Nisa (2005), various socio-economic shifts have contributed drawn from existing research.
to changes in dietary habits. The rise in dual-income
households, an increase in single-parent families, and the According to Heather McNeill (2017), students across
prevalence of long commutes to work and school have various grade levels often lead busy and fast-paced lives,
significantly impacted daily routines. These factors, coupled which contributes to their frequent reliance on fast food. The
with limited lunch breaks and time constraints, often reduce widespread availability and accessibility of fast food outlets
the opportunity for individuals to shop thoughtfully for make it a convenient and time-efficient option for students
groceries or prepare home-cooked meals. Consequently, fast seeking quick meals amidst their demanding schedules.
food has become a convenient and necessary choice for many
during the weekdays. A study conducted by N. R. R. Masthi & A. Jahan the
Department of Community Medicine, Kempegowda
Ashakiran (S.) and Deepthi R. (2012), argue that Institute of Medical Sciences, Bengaluru (2020) reported
globalization has significantly contributed to the widespread that junk food addiction was observed in over one-tenth of the
penetration of junk food into developing nations. Junk food subjects, with the majority exhibiting mild addiction.
has become a common part of daily life in both developed and Diarrhea was identified as the most common acute health
developing countries, accompanied by a notable rise in issue, while overweight and obesity were the predominant
obesity and related health issues. The authors emphasize that chronic health problems among the participants. The study
moderation is crucial—junk food should be consumed found that obesity, lifestyle habits, and the use of electronic
occasionally and in small quantities. They maintain that it is gadgets independently influenced the prevalence of junk food
not impossible to shift dietary preferences away from junk addiction. Additionally, more than one-quarter of the subjects
food and toward healthier alternatives, suggesting that public adhered to fad diets. The authors emphasized the need for
awareness and conscious choices can help combat this larger-scale studies employing the novel junk food addiction
growing nutritional concern. scale, encompassing a broader geographic region and diverse
social groups, to better understand evolving dietary patterns
According to Yuchu Song (2016), the prevalence of across generations and to generalize the findings.
overweight and obesity has remained consistently high and
has continued to increase over recent decades. Among the IV. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
various contributing factors, the excessive consumption of
fast food is identified as a significant driver of this epidemic. Data analysis and interpretation refers to the process of
The literature review conducted by Song highlights the organizing, examining, and drawing meaningful conclusions
negative health consequences associated with fast food from collected data. It helps transform raw numbers or
consumption and presents data on the average intake among observations into insights that support decisions and solve
the general population. Building on this foundation, the study problems.
seeks to investigate the underlying factors that influence

Table 1 Gender & Age

Categories Particulars No. of Respondents % of Respondents
Gender Male 400 72.73
Female 150 27.27
Total 550 100
Age 3-17 200 36.36
18-30 300 54.55
31-45 50 09.09
Total 550 100
Sources: Primary Data

 Interpretation respondents are female. Likewise, 36.36% of the

The above table shows about the gender and the age respondents are in the age group of 3-17, 54.55% of the
group of the respondents of the respondent. Accordingly respondents are in the age group of 18-30 and 9.09% of the
72.73% of the respondents are male and 27.27% of the respondents are in the age group of 31-45.

Table 2 Fast Food Available In Villages, Consumption of Fast Food and Consume Period
Categories Particulars No. of Respondents % of Respondents
Fast Food Available In Yes 495 90
Villages No 55 10
Total 550 100
Consume Fast Food Yes 500 90.91

IJISRT25JUL858 www.ijisrt.com 1874

Volume 10, Issue 7, July – 2025 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No: 2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul858

No 50 9.09
Total 550 100
Consume Period Everyday 100 20
Weekly Once 200 40
Monthly Once 150 30
Occasionally 50 10
Total 500 100
Sources: Primary Data

 Interpretation consuming respondents.

The above table shows about the availability of Fast
Food in the Villages, Consumption of Fast Food by the Out of the total respondents, 20% of respondents
respondents. According to the above classification, Fast Food consume fast food everyday, 40% of the respondents
is available in the Villages of 90% respondents and the fast consume Fast Food Weekly once, 30% of the respondents
food is not available in the Villages of 10% Respondents. Out consume Fast Food Monthly once and 10% of the
of the total respondents, 90.91% of the respondents are respondents consume Fast Food Occasionally.
consuming fast food and 9.09% of the respondents are not

Table 3 Influences To Consume Fast Food and Favourite Fast Food

Categories Particulars No. of Respondents % of Respondents
Influences to Consume Fast Food Friends 250 50
Social Media 150 30
Advertisement 100 20
Total 500 100
Favourite Fast Food Pizza 20 4
Burger 40 8
Sandwich 65 13
Noodles 115 23
Chips 30 6
Fried meat 85 17
Popcorn 30 6
Biscuit 20 4
Ice cream 95 19
Total 500 100
Sources Primary Data

 Interpretation When it comes to favorite fast foods, 4% of respondents

The table above illustrates the factors influencing prefer pizza, 8% favor burgers, 13% opt for sandwiches, and
respondents' fast food consumption and their preferred fast 23% enjoy noodles. Six percent of respondents prefer chips,
food choices. Among the respondents, 50% are influenced by while 17% enjoy fried meat. Popcorn is the favorite of 6% of
their friends to eat fast food, 30% are swayed by social media, respondents, biscuits are favored by 4%, and 19% of
and 20% are influenced by advertisements. respondents choose ice cream as their top fast food.

Table 4 Addicted To Fast Food

Categories Particulars No. of Respondents % of Respondents
Yes 400 80
Addicted to Fast Food Some Times 100 20
Total 500 100
Yes 450 90
Affected With Health
No 50 10
Issues
Total 500 100
Obesity 125 27.78
Diabetes 150 33.33
Heart disease 25 05.56
Types of health Issues
Diarrhea 100 22.22
Depression, Eating Disorder, etc. 50 11.11
Total 450 100.00
Sources Primary Data

IJISRT25JUL858 www.ijisrt.com 1875

Volume 10, Issue 7, July – 2025 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No: 2456-2165 https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul858

 Interpretation fraudulent business and to take necessary actions

The above table shows about the Fast Food Addiction, especially on the street or Road Side Fast Food Sellers.
Health Issues and Types of health Issues by Fast Food. Out  The villagers are to be motivated to take regular
of the total respondents, 80% of the respondents are addicted (Traditional) food, home-made snacks like Cereals,
to fast food and 20% of the respondents are sometimes Millets, Fresh Vegetables, Green Leaves, sufficient
addicted to fast food. Water, etc.

Out of the total respondents, 90% of the respondents V. CONCLUSION

have affected with the health issues because of the fast food
and 10% of the respondents have not affected with the health The researcher of this study has identified that the
issues because of the fast food. respondents want to adapt to the new trends and
transformations of all activities in all aspects which includes
Out of the total respondents, 27.78% of the respondents the changes in the food habits. The food habits of the modern
are affected by obesity, 33.33% of the respondents are world have influenced among the villagers and it caused to
affected by diabetes, 5.56% of the respondents are affected move slowly towards the fast food culture. Various research
by heart disease, 22.22% of the respondents are affected by report related to the fast food speaks that the villagers instead
diarrhea and 11.11% of the respondents are affected by of cooking at home, prefer to consume fast food either from
Depression, Eating Disorder, like health issues. the shops or from the street/road sellers.

 Findings As this is the competitive world, the fast food market

caries business by targeting the rural & urban living society
 The Male gender is the majority (72,73%) among the and supplies two different qualities of fast food for rural
respondents people and urban people. As the rural society is not aware of
 The 18 to 30 age group represents the majority of fast food the different fast food culture, they believe and consume from
consumers, accounting for 54.5% of the respondents. the local market and slowly they are affected with the health
 Fast food is available in the Villages of 90% respondents issues like Sleepless, Vomit sensation, Stomach pain,
 90.91% of the respondents are consuming fast food Intestine Cancer etc.
 40% of the respondents consume Fast Food Weekly once
 50% of the respondents are Influenced by friends to Finally the researcher concluded that the food habits are
Consume Fast Food for the health only and not for the taste. It is a fact that the
 Noodles are the favorite fast food for 23% of the food is to be consumed for maintaining good health to live
respondents. long life and not to end our life within a short span of life. So,
the awareness on impact of fast is the emerging need to the
 Fried meat is the favourite fast food of the 17%
respondents society to prevent the fast food addicted people from falling
in ill.
 A significant 80% of the respondents are addicted to fast
food.
REFERENCES
 90% of the respondents have affected with the health
issues because of the fast food [1]. Khurshid Anwar Warsi and Syeedun Nisa, Food
 33.33% of the respondents are affected by diabetes and Retailing: Fast Food Industry, Social Science Research
 27.78% of the respondents are affected by obesity Network (SSRN), February 2005.
[2]. Ashakiran (S.) and Deepthi R. , Fast Foods and Their
 Suggestions Impact on Healt, Journal of Krishna Institute of Medical
Sciences University (JKIMSU), Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 7–15,
 The villagers are to be educated about the harm of the fast July–Dec 2012.
food and to be motivated to consume the traditional food [3]. Yuchu Song, Factors that Affect Fast Food
only. Consumption: A Review of the Literature, MBA
 Generally any food is to be consumed only for good health Student Scholarship Series (No.53) , Johnson & Wales
and not for taste and so the fast food habits or attitudes are University, Providence; 2016.
to be replaced with the traditional food. [4]. Heather McNeill, Many students enjoy fast food despite
 The awareness events in the regional language may be knowing it's unhealthy, The Eclipse (Kearsley High
given with the Case studies, Videos, Audio, Posters, etc. School student-run newspaper), March 22, 2017.
 When the fast food is consumed at night, the people may [5]. N. R. R. Masthi & A. Jahan, Junk food addiction across
feel or face the problems like Sleepless, Vomit sensation, generations in Urban Karnataka, India, Journal of
Stomach pain and Intestine Cancer etc. So the Fast food Communicable Diseases, Volume 52, Issue 1, pages 65–
may be avoided in day-today life or at-least in the night 71, 2020.
time.

 Depression and obesity are the major health issues faced

by the villagers. So, the Food Safety and Standard
Authority of India may inspect, investigate, find the

IJISRT25JUL858 www.ijisrt.com 1876