Too much of any dietary nutrient can cause health problems, but fast foods tend to oversupply the "risky" ones: fat, sodium, cholesterol and sugar. Too much of these compounds produces bad effects on your metabolism, such as calorie, blood pressure and blood sugar imbalances. Ordering unhealthy foods at the drive-thru on a regular basis may lead to serious chronic diseases of your cardiovascular and endocrine systems. These health problems may generate potentially life-threatening complications. In order to avoid nutrition-related disorders, the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest reducing fatty, salty and sugary foods and eating more fruits, veggies and whole grains.
Weight Gain
Fatty foods such as fast-food cheeseburgers and fried menu items carry heavy calorie loads -- with perhaps 1000 calories or more in a meal, as per the USDA Nutrient Database. If you don't burn as many calories as you consume, you'll gain weight. The Office of the Surgeon General reports that weighing just 10 to 20 lbs. above healthy limits for your body type raises your risk of dying from related health problems. If you become obese or achieve a body mass index of 30 or greater, the bad effects may include respiratory and reproductive problems, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Cardiovascular Problems
You don't have to become overweight to experience health problems from too much salt and cholesterol in fast-food meals. A regular double-patty cheeseburger contains 66 percent of sodium and 20 percent of cholesterol daily allowances, as averaged by the FDA. If you add extra meat or fried sides, those figures will increase. Excessive sodium and cholesterol levels have bad effects on the blood vessels, elevating blood pressure and gradually reducing the interior space with plaque buildup, known as atherosclerosis. This can cause blocked arteries, angina, heart attack, stroke and death.
Type 2 Diabetes
Whether or not obesity or heart disease increase your risk, regularly consuming high-sugar fast foods and beverages can lead to type 2 diabetes. The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend eating as little added sugar as possible. To compare, a chocolate chip cookie has about 4 g of total sugar, a 16-oz. regular cola has 44 g and a 16-oz. chocolate milkshake has 62 g. Even an 8-oz. orange juice contains 17 g of sugar, while water or a diet soda of any size has 0 g.
If you develop diabetes, you'll need daily medication to manage this blood sugar condition for life. The American Diabetes Association warns that diabetics must closely monitor their diet, feet and skin to prevent bad effects such as kidney disease, nerve damage and skin infections. Diabetics also have higher risks for potentially fatal strokes.
References
- USDA: Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs
- Office of the Surgeon General: Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences
- FDA: XIV. Appendix F: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Atherosclerosis
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Complications
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