I believe the grim statistics mainly apply to people who frequent fast food establishments. In my area there are many diners that have very reasonably priced lunch specials. Senior citizens get a 10% discount on a certain day. Depending upon your choice of food, the meals can be healthful and nutritionally sound. The large portions need not be consumed in one sitting. My parents meet another couple every Thursday for lunch. They take home enough for one, sometimes two meals in addition to what they eat in the restaurant! It's actually a good buy for them since neither is up to spending hours in the kitchen. BTW, they are both on the slender side, no obesity or overweight!
For a time, my sister fell into a habit of hitting the drive thru at fast food places on her way home from work. She spent too much money, gained 50lbs. in a year, and was pre-diabetic. The latter scared her into proper eating. She lost the weight and her blood sugar returned to normal.
Personally, I will not eat anything from McDonalds. They stuff they call food literally doesn't rot! It just sinks in and hardens! One of my nephews did a science project about it, so the still unspoiled MickyD's was on display beside the homemade and other foods, all of which were covered in multi-colored, reeking, hairy mold!
As for hospital food, I've had disgusting, unhealthful meals at one hospital, so bad I paid a nurse to purchase fresh fruit and bagged salads for me...and excellent, nutritious food at another hospital. I'm sure they vary tremendously. The hospital with the good food happened to be Montefiore Medical Center, very Jєωιѕн! St. Charles Hospital was the one with the bad food! I'm sure St. Charles himself did not bestow his blessing on the kitchen!