PenDragon - the official magazine of Lyford Cay International School PenDragon Vol 2, Spring 2016 | Page 18

FAST FOOD NATION?
Investigating Patterns of Obesity in The Bahamas
By Ashly Loibman, Grade 12 Student
This paper provides a condensed summary of the research conducted by Grade
12 student Ashly Loibman for her extended essay. The extended essay is one
of the key components of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Ashly decided to examine the topic of obesity through a geographic lens to
examine if there was a relationship between fast food restaurants and obesity
in The Bahamas. Ashly will be attending Colgate University this fall to pursue a
degree in Environmental Science.
Obesity has become more than a
condition that affects “those people”
in “that country.” It has become a
global problem. Between 1980-2014,
global obesity rates more than doubled.
Obesity is linked to early mortality and
poor health. Obese persons have an
increased risk of illnesses such as
hypertension and heart disease. Obesity
is not only a public health concern, but is
also a social and financial issue.
The Bahamas has alarmingly high
obesity rates. While obesity is not a new
phenomenon in the country, statistics
indicate that the rate continues to
rise. The main cause of obesity is the
consumption of more calories than the
amount used. Modern lifestyles, in which
energy-dense foods (high in calories and,
often, fat) are combined with decreased
physical activity, are particularly prone
to obesity. Examples of energy-dense
foods are traditional fast food items
such as cheeseburgers, french fries
and donuts. Fast food restaurants can
be found in almost every country and
arrived in The Bahamas in the 1950s.
Since then, the number of fast food
outlets has increased not only in New
Providence, the most populated island
of The Bahamas, but also in other Family
Islands. Multimillion-dollar franchises
like McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Kentucky
Fried Chicken (KFC) are regular sights on
the island.
The Bahamas features both a high
number of fast food chains and high
obesity rates. This prompts the question:
“To what extent is there a relationship
DATA INDICATED THAT OBESITY AND PREVALENCE
OF FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS ARE NOT POSITIVELY
CORRELATED. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS NO
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF FAST FOOD
RESTAURANTS AND OBESITY RATES.
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