The fast-food boom: Are we eating ourselves sick?

As fast-food chains multiply across the country, offering quick comfort, Kenyans are increasingly choosing processed snacks over home-cooked meals.

Think back to the days when you couldn’t be bothered to cook. The idea of chopping vegetables or stirring a pot seemed overwhelming. Instead, you reached for your phone, ordered fries from your go-to local, or picked up a burger from the corner joint. Quick, easy, and delicious.

At work, it's the bite between meetings. At home, it’s the family grabbing a quick meal after a long day. Convenient, right?

But have you ever paused to ask: What’s the true cost of this convenience?

With rising health concerns like obesity and diabetes, experts are sounding the alarm.

The 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey revealed that 17 per cent of women and four per cent of men struggle with obesity. 

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) attributes these figures to the increased availability of cheap, ultra-processed foods, spurred by the rise of fast-food chains and food delivery apps.

While many believe only certain groups—like children or those already overweight—are at risk, the reality is that fast food poses health threats to everyone.

Nutritionist Chadwick Digo warns that no one is immune to the effects of excessive fast-food consumption.

“Everyone is vulnerable, whether it’s a one-year-old child or an adult in their 60s,” he says.

Digo explains that most fast foods are high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, all of which are harmful to the body.

“Excessive salt intake, for instance, increases the risk of high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes,” he notes.

Sugar, on the other hand, fuels weight gain, which heightens the risk of obesity, heart disease, acne, liver complications, and tooth decay. Fat contributes to obesity and heart disease.

But, Digo stresses that not all fast foods are inherently bad; it’s the way they are prepared that makes them harmful.

“During processing, sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats are often added. Foods that could be boiled or eaten as they are deep-fried instead. As consumers, we tend to overindulge, unknowingly harming ourselves in the long run,” he says.

The nutritionist clarifies that fast food originally referred to meals that are cooked quickly or served easily—boiling, for example, is a healthy, fast option.

Yet, to make food more appealing, many have turned to deep-frying and excessive seasoning, unaware that frequent consumption of such modifications can lead to severe long-term health consequences.

Is there a way out?

Digo suggests that avoiding fast food depends on behavior change.

Small, consistent changes can help reduce reliance on fast food. Simple actions like meal planning, carrying home-cooked snacks, and opting for healthier alternatives can break the cycle.

Breaking free doesn’t require drastic changes, it’s about making better choices, one meal at a time.

Ultimately, the choice is ours.