Fast Foods, how does it affect your health?

     

        People nowadays love to eat in fast food chains like McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Greenwich, and other famous stores. You don’t want to wait for a long time before you can eat right? Especially if you’re hungry and don’t have the time to cook. Well that’s the most common situation but do you really know what you’re eating? Well maybe you might be quite shock.

Disadvantages of fast food

        Even though most Americans know fast food isn't a healthy choice, fast food consumption continues to escalate in the United States. Dr. Mark Pereira, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, states that despite fast food restaurants offering healthier options, their menus still contain a lot of fat, sugar and calories with little nutrients and fiber. Over time, eating too much fast food leads to weight gain and chronic medical conditions. In addition to choosing healthier options at the drive-thru window, determine how often you eat fast food and consider cutting back to stay healthy.

     Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. Fast food can also be defined as any food that contributes little or no nutrient value to the diet, but instead provides excess calories and fat. It can be a good way to save time, but it is not the proper way for nutrition. Some of these foods that are of little nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar, and calories. Common foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried fast food, and carbonated beverages. Fast food may include chips, hot pies, pasties, sandwiches, burgers, croissants, kebabs, pizzas, chicken, soups, and salads. It also includes drinks, for instance, milkshakes, and soft drinks.

When you feel like eating something and think of food, the things come to mind first are the taste, odor or color. Those who have to look after their weight will think of the portion size, many others think of energy, fats, sugars, vitamins or minerals. But do you know that the food we eat may cause side effects and a list of disadvantages. We are not talking about spoiled or poor quality food. Freshly harvested or just cooked food may also cause side effects, some are serious, some are just disturbing, and some may put you into embarrassing situation. Over time, this can lead to an increased risk for illness and disease. Fast food is harmful to health. It is a cause of various diseases. Here we discus some most common disease and other side effects caused by fast food.

Increases Your Waist Size

            A study published in “Obesity Surgery” in May 2012 examined the behaviors of 270 obese patients and compared them to the patients’ body mass index. The results indicated that fast food consumption had the largest impact on obesity levels. A study published in January 2004 in “The Lancet” showed that over a 15-year period, young adults who ate fast food more than twice a week gained an additional 10 pounds compared to those eating it less than once a week. One meal from a fast food restaurant typically contains the amount of calories you need for the entire day.

            Fast food costs relatively little and tastes good, but the negative effects on physical health last much longer than these immediate concerns. With the high-calorie meals come more fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar -- and therefore fewer vitamins, minerals and other nutrients -- than in healthier foods. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that these eating habits create nutritional deficiencies along with weight gain. The health problems that stem from overweight and obesity alone can severely limit lifestyles and shorten life spans.