Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Junk Food

Good Essays
954 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Junk Food
This website is a fraud
Negative Effects Of Junk Food Health Essay
Though your children may ask for junk food because they like the taste or because their friends are eating it, you undoubtedly already know that junk food can have negative effects on them. Junk food is typically is low in nutrients and high in calories from added sugars, starches or fats.
Processed and junk food lovers beware! There are many negative repercussions to persistent junk food eating habits, not just the obvious and inevitable weight gain. Below is a short list of how junk food negatively impacts our bodies. Think about it the next time you are reaching for your second helping of
Negative Effects Of Junk Food Health Essay http://www.uniassignment.com/essay-samples/health/negative-effects-o...
1 of 3 29-07-2014 20:17 cheesy nachos that accompanies the double stacked hamburger sandwich and large soda.
Weight Gain
A negative effect of junk food on children is rapid weight gain, often leading to excessive weight and sometimes obesity. This is because it often tastes good, is not very filling and is high calorie. Candy, soft drinks, French fries and other fried foods, pizza, burgers, baked goods and ice cream are examples of high-sugar or high-fat foods which provide hundreds of calories per day for the typical American youth ages 2 to 18, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
Type 2 Diabetes
Junk food puts kids at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Type 2 diabetes occurs when you are not able to properly regulate your blood sugar level.
Your risk increases when you are obese and when your diet is high in high-glycemic carbohydrates, such as sugars and refined starches in sweets, white bread and potatoes. Type 2 diabetes increases your risk for kidney failure.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Junk food can lead to nutritional deficiencies when your children eat it instead of healthy foods with essential nutrients. Healthy meals and snacks should provide essential nutrients, such as B vitamins; magnesium and iron from fortified, whole-grain cereals and grains; calcium from milk or yogurt; healthy fats from nuts and dietary fiber; and vitamin A and vitamin C from fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead, children may miss out on these nutrients when settling for such things as breakfast sandwiches, potato chips, candy and soft drinks.
Cardiovascular Disease
Junk food is often high in saturated fat, which raises LDL cholesterol and may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Junk foods with saturated fat include pizza, ice cream, processed meats and full-fat cheese. High blood pressure is another risk factor for heart disease, and a high-sodium diet leads to high blood pressure. Children may be at risk for high blood pressure when eating salty junk food such as potato chips, French fries, pretzel
Obesity
Junk food enthusiasts are prone to put on weight, especially when they eat this kind of food very often.
The fat and processed flour only make people fatter and unhealthier, as does the oil and grease that are used for fries, chips, donuts and other deep-fried foods. Statistics even show people who eat junk food tend to accompany it with sodas and alcohol, which are either laden with sugar or empty calories and both increase a person’s tendency to put on weight.
Lethargy
Processed food tends to bring down people’s energy levels and make them lethargic because they are filled with carbohydrates that spike blood sugar levels. Soon after junk food is consumed, people feel themselves lulled into a stupor because sugar levels would have risen and fallen dramatically. This makes
Negative Effects Of Junk Food Health Essay http://www.uniassignment.com/essay-samples/health/negative-effects-o...
2 of 3 29-07-2014 20:17 people feel sleepy and less inclined to be active and alert. Reflexes and senses become duller by the day and people start to lead a more sedentary life.
Diseases
Junk food causes diseases like diabetes and heart ailments. People are more likely to get diabetes, especially if they are sedentary, do not exercise, and have a family history of this disease. The fat from junk food raises cholesterol levels and can clog arteries, which may cause heart attacks and bring on strokes which could debilitate, or worse, even a person. When someone is overweight, they tend to be prone to so many other diseases because of their shape and size.
Poor nutrition:
When people eat too much junk food, they neglect to eat the nutritious kind like fruits and vegetables and other wholesome food. This means that the body does not get the necessary nutrition it needs and people end up with a weak immune system. Eating too much junk food will leave people prone to illnesses like colds and fevers, which although not serious, tend to have a nagging effect on life. They prevent people from being as active and organized as they would like to be.
Constipation and other ills
Processed foods have no fiber content and that is why people feel constipated when they go on a junk food binge. Sodas and colas also contain phosphorous and other chemicals which ruin are extremely acidic to your body, and strip your teeth of the enamel, eat away at your bones, and make the entire skeletal structure weak. Over time, it will leave the body prone to frequent sprains and fractures.
Junk food is bad for people of all ages, but mostly for teenagers and young children because it ends up effectively ruining their health for good. Parents and other responsible adults should be extra aware to ensure that they set a good example and feed their children balanced and healthy diets.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    * Little consumption of fat and sugary foods or drinks (biscuits, sweets, soda, fried food, oil etc…)the use of unsaturated fat is preferable to that of saturated fat which have been associated with diabetes, high cholesterol and heart diseases…

    • 2000 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tad 1.1

    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Foods from a fifth food group that includes fatty and sugary foods like biscuits, cakes, fizzy drinks, chocolate, sweets, crisps and pastries, that add little nutritional value, should be limited according to Meggitt ‘A healthy diet should also be based on a variety of foods, with the emphasis on reducing intake of foods that are higher in fat…

    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With the growing concern for obesity in the kids coming up today the government is calling for dramatic changes in school meals, including limiting french fries, sodium and calories and offering students more fruits and vegetables. About a third of children and adolescents — 25 million kids – are obese or overweight. Extra pounds put children at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other health problems (Hellmich, 2012).…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Obesity attracts many other diseases to the human body. In the United State, there are many children including an adult who has become obese. As reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “17 percent of girls’ age12 to 19 years are now suffering from childhood obesity.” The level of obesity is still rising. According to an analysis by the World Health Organization, “In the USA, the male rates of being overweight or obese is higher than those of any other major country.” Most children are being exposed to junk food all their lives. They consume on junk food everywhere they go such as at home, at school, or at the restaurant. For example, many parents are so busy working, and they do not have the time to prepare healthy food for their children; therefore, the parents purchase junk food in grand quantity from the store, so their children can easily make something to eat while they are work. Because these children were exposed to junk food when they were kids, they do the same thing when they have their own family. That is one of the reasons why the level of obesity has increased. Many people are not being instructed about the effects of junk food. Most of them know that is okay to eat junk food. People need to avoid eating junk food because it can have a negative impact on the body. For example, obesity increase blood pressure level, and this hypertension leads to stroke. There is a great difference between people who set…

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Healthier School Lunches

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Junk food is a major cause of childhood obesity. Writer Bob notes that today, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963 (Bob, 1). The bad food offered in public schools contributes to this unacceptable problem. A single 12-ounce can of soda has as much as 13 teaspoons of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. Many of these sodas are available to kids in school at low prices as well as many other completely unhealthy foods like chips and cookies Due to the lack of fresh and flavorful food, many students will choose to buy the cheap junk food offered instead. If we could stock vending machines and cafeterias with healthier foods, it would definitely make a dent in the childhood obesity rate.…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Attention Getter: How many of you know that when young children get addicted to junk food that they can get obesity from eating a lot of junk food. Childhood obesity is rising throughout the world.…

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Persuasive Speech Outline

    • 994 Words
    • 4 Pages

    1. Obesity and Type 2 diabetes- A fast food item sometimes has as much calories that can cover the amount of calories you need for a day.…

    • 994 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    4. According to livestrong.com,” Many people are also unaware of the risks of eating junk food. Along with diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer, you also risk sleep apnea, bad skin, hair, nails and teeth, osteoporosis, poor sex drive, menstrual…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    2. Fatty Foods – While dietary fat is not nearly as dangerous as sugar (as the marketing for ‘low fat’ food implies), the risk level depends upon the balance of your diet. And there are many fatty foods, including hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, breaded foods, and more. A Western cultural tradition of eating many animal based fats without a proper balance of plants contributes to a variety of health issues both mentally and physically.…

    • 1491 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Childhood Obesity

    • 2289 Words
    • 7 Pages

    One of the many reasons that children are obese is because of their diet. Diets high in sugar, calories, and carbohydrates can lead to obesity when not burned off with exercise. Children like to indulge in unhealthy food because it's easy for the parents to buy after a long day, or because of what the media is advertising(Healthyeating). Yes, it is easier to pick up a happy meal for dinner from Mcdonalds, but is a cheeseburger, small fries, and milk really worth the 650 calories(sparkpeople) with little nutritional value? Fast food chains like Mcdonalds and Burger King advertise their kids meals with toys to reach out to the younger generations(Theinternetchief). Drinks high in sugar also quickly add to the daily calorie intake. One medium sized 21oz coke is 182 calories,(sparkpeople) when the choice of water was available for no calories and a great hydration choice.…

    • 2289 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Obesity in the U.S.

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages

    eating a lot of fats such as , sugar cakes, chips and unhealthy food. Non-healthy eating is very…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, is the most severe type of diabetes, and typically more likely to develop in children and teenagers, under the age of 20. Type 1 diabetes occurs because the body cannot make insulin at all, since the beta cells, or insulin-producing cells, are destroyed by the immune system. With type 1, the body is not capable to produce insulin; consequently, insulin injections are necessary to control blood glucose. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and occurs when the body cannot produce or use insulin properly. Unlike type 1, type 2 diabetes is more likely to develop in adults of 45 years and older. When a person suffers from type 2 diabetes, the insulin that the body makes, is not enough for the glucose to enter the body’s cells to be used as energy. Lastly, gestational diabetes occurs hormonal changes cause high levels of blood sugar, during pregnancy. After pregnancy, the high blood sugar levels, usually return to normal; however, there is a higher risk to develop type 2 later on, if not careful. It is also possible to develop prediabetes, which means that the blood glucose is higher than normal, but it’s still not considered to be…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The problem that this article focuses on is childhood obesity. Childhood obesity in the United States is highest it has ever been with practically one-third of all children and adolescents considered overweight or obese (Datar, A, & Nicosia, N 2012). Therefore most of the focus has been on the schools in hopes to find this as the cause of the epidemic. There has been debates on the nutritional value of schools competitive foods and believe them to be the largest source of junk food.…

    • 1388 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Obesity Epidemic Analysis

    • 1182 Words
    • 5 Pages

    ingredients found in fast food, and the resulting meals routinely fails to meet basic nutritional…

    • 1182 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Domains of culture

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages

    for obesity, diabetes and heart disease, just to name a few of the conditions that commonly befall…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics