It could be as simple as rice being a relatively non-toxic grain. Or it could be that fast food is competing with traditional street food, which is less harmful than artificial Western concoctions.

When I worked and spent time in NYC, everyone was walking everywhere and the street food was what it had been for decades. More and more, I think it's not just what food we eat.

How much of it is that manufactured foods are some unknown percentage of UPF? That's eating food that has NEVER been food.