Avoid Five Fatty Fast-Food Flops This Summer, Physicians Warn

WASHINGTON—The Physicians Committee, a nonprofit of 17,000 doctors, has reviewed recently released summer fast-food items and is urging consumers to avoid the five least healthy menu items or, the “Five Fatty Fast-Food Flops” of 2022. They are:

“Putting new twists on old high-fat, high-cholesterol, and high-sodium foods as part of a ‘new’summer menu has become an annual marketing ploy for fast-food outlets,” says Karen Smith, RDN, CDCES, of the Physicians Committee. “Summer 2022 is no different, and consumers deserve to know the truth about these items’ poor nutritional content.”

“The Shake Shack Bourbon Bacon Double Cheddar Burger, for example, has a heart-stopping 205 milligrams of cholesterol and 63 grams of total fat, more than a third of which is saturated fat,” she adds. “That is essentially double the amount of saturated fat the American Heart Association suggests adults consumer each day.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 42% of U.S. adults are now obese. A study published in the journal Circulation  found that people who eat fast food once a week increase their risk of dying from heart disease by 20%. Two to three fast-food meals a week increase the risk of premature death by 50%. Four or more fast-food meals a week increase the risk of dying from heart disease by nearly 80%.

Despite this health crisis, fast-food restaurants continue to introduce foods that are exceedingly unhealthful. Among several items added for summer 2022, the Physicians Committee suggests that consumers avoid the “Five Fatty Fast-Food Flops,” designated as such because of the exorbitant amounts of cholesterol, fat, calories, and sodium per item.

Studies show that a plant-based diet can help people prevent and even reverse diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, among other conditions. To that end, consumption of meat and dairy products has been declining for years, and consumers are embracing meat alternatives. 

“There are plenty of healthful menu options available, including at some quick-serve restaurants, like the Veggie Delite at Subway and a bean, rice, and veggie bowl at Chipotle,” Smith says.