Impact of Fast Food Restaurants on Teen Obesity
Impact of Fast Food Restaurants on Teen Obesity
Time constraints, parents who work outside the house, extracurricular activities, and social obligations are just a few of the reasons teens have developed a need for a quick meal or an "on the go" snack. Meals that once used to take hours to prepare now can be done in a fraction of the time. Teens are now eating from fast food restaurants more frequently, which is affecting their health and eating habits. Many of the television commercials seen by teenagers are junk food products. Fast food restaurants may be a major reason obesity rates are increasing among teenagers.
Whether it comes from a restaurant, school cafeteria, convenience store, vending machine, or kitchen cupboard, the increasing popularity of fast foods has significantly degraded teens’ eating habits. Increased consumption of fast foods has created a 250 percent increase in obese teens between 1980 and 2008, according to the National Institute of Health. Fast food meals are high in sugar, fat, processed grains, and low in fiber, making them 65-100 percent more calorically dense than other meals. This causes teens to underestimate the number of calories in fast food meals.
Families whose meals consist of fast foods are more likely to have unhealthy eating habits and poor access to healthy foods at home. Poor nutrition can lead to higher risk of obesity, according to University of Minnesota Medical School. Obese teens face a greater risk of disease, including certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and early death. Parents can help avoid these health issues by ensuring that their children get the proper nutrition and well balanced meals they need to stay healthy.
Now-a-days, even watching TV could be hazardous to your health. The average teen in the US sees 15 food ads a day. These commercials can influence teenagers, especially since these ads can affect how you eat without you knowing it. A study by researchers at Yale University found
Time constraints, parents who work outside the house, extracurricular activities, and social obligations are just a few of the reasons teens have developed a need for a quick meal or an "on the go" snack. Meals that once used to take hours to prepare now can be done in a fraction of the time. Teens are now eating from fast food restaurants more frequently, which is affecting their health and eating habits. Many of the television commercials seen by teenagers are junk food products. Fast food restaurants may be a major reason obesity rates are increasing among teenagers.
Whether it comes from a restaurant, school cafeteria, convenience store, vending machine, or kitchen cupboard, the increasing popularity of fast foods has significantly degraded teens’ eating habits. Increased consumption of fast foods has created a 250 percent increase in obese teens between 1980 and 2008, according to the National Institute of Health. Fast food meals are high in sugar, fat, processed grains, and low in fiber, making them 65-100 percent more calorically dense than other meals. This causes teens to underestimate the number of calories in fast food meals.
Families whose meals consist of fast foods are more likely to have unhealthy eating habits and poor access to healthy foods at home. Poor nutrition can lead to higher risk of obesity, according to University of Minnesota Medical School. Obese teens face a greater risk of disease, including certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and early death. Parents can help avoid these health issues by ensuring that their children get the proper nutrition and well balanced meals they need to stay healthy.
Now-a-days, even watching TV could be hazardous to your health. The average teen in the US sees 15 food ads a day. These commercials can influence teenagers, especially since these ads can affect how you eat without you knowing it. A study by researchers at Yale University found