Risks of Fast Foods

Fast foods have an often deserved reputation for being unhealthy. While it's possible to eat a healthy meal at a fast food restaurant, you have to read nutritional labels carefully. Fast foods are often breaded, fried or otherwise doused in trans fats, the worst kind of fat from a nutritional standpoint. Anyone who eats at a fast food restaurant more than twice a week should be aware of the health risks inherent in eating frequently at fast-food restaurants.

Weight Gain

Eating fast food can make you fat, not only because the meals contain large amounts of sugar and fat, but also because the portion sizes are over sized. One meal can contain all the calories you need for the entire day, the National Institutes of Health warns. The CARDIA study, run by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, that followed young adults for 15 years found that those who ate at fast food restaurants more than twice a week, compared to those who ate fast food less than once a week, weighed ten pounds more. Proximity to fast food restaurants also increases obesity rates in 9th graders by 5.2 percent, the University of California, Berkeley, reports, if there's a fast food restaurant within 1/10 of a mile of their schools. To avoid weight gain when eating at fast food restaurants, refuse to "supersize." Ask for children's portions and remember that you don't have to eat it all, even if you bought it. Skip the sodas, which have morphed in size from 6.5 oz. in the 1950s to an average of 20 oz. today, the Westchester County Health Department recommends. Salads with added toppings and dressing can actually pack a bigger wallop than a burger, so read nutritional information posted in restaurants carefully.

Heart Disease

A diet heavy in trans fats can raise the risk of atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque, made from cholesterol, cellular debris and calcium on artery walls. Although trans fat occurs naturally in small amounts in meat and dairy products, 80 percent of trans fat in the American diet come from artificially produced trans fats, the University of Maryland Medical Center states. Many fast foods, including burgers, fried chicken, French fries, biscuits and fried desserts contain trans fat. Doughnuts, cakes, cookies and instant lattes also contain large amounts of trans fat. Trans fats raise cholesterol levels overall, but also lower "good" cholesterol levels. More fast food restaurants have reduced trans fat use, so patronize them when possible. A combination of overweight and high sodium intake increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. Fast food often contains high amounts of sodium.

Diabetes

Being overweight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition, fast food is high in carbohydrates and has a high glycemic index, linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health states. Increases in fast food consumption also resulted in a two-fold increase in insulin resistance, which also contributes to diabetes, according to the CARDIA study.