Eating too many nutritionally unbalanced foods can cause numerous health problems. Fast foods are major contributors to unhealthy eating habits, fueled by marketing that encourages overeating. Double- and triple-meat sandwiches, snack "meals" and ever larger sizes of soda pop push consumers to buy more and eat more. The success of fast-food promotions has contributed to an increase in the incidence of short-term ills and serious diseases.
Nutritional Deficiency
Foods that contain large amounts of one or two nutrients have less of the variety of vitamins and minerals that you need every day. Many fast foods have undesirable ratios of fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar, along with high calories. This means you get less dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, C and E --- nutrients that the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans find in insufficient quantities in most American diets. Your body depends on these and other nutrients for daily metabolism.
Weight Gain
High calories especially attend fast foods with lots of added fat and sugar. At some restaurants, the majority of menu items contain 400 calories or more. These include servings of tacos, fried shrimp, french fries, hamburgers, fried chicken, milk shakes, breakfast biscuit sandwiches and submarine sandwiches, according to the USDA Nutrient Database.
Adding sugary soda pop increases your calorie intake, with fast-food meals typically totaling more than 1,000 calories. This type of eating pattern can cause weight gain and, if you don't lose the weight, result in obesity, or a body mass index of 30 or higher.
Heart Disease
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for heart disease, reports the Office of the Surgeon General. Elevated intake of sodium, from frequent consumption of processed sandwich meats and other salty foods, can raise your blood pressure. Excess fat and cholesterol, found in fast foods such as breakfast sandwiches and breaded and fried items, can cause hardening of the arteries. Both of these conditions can lead to fatal heart attacks and other serious cardiovascular events.
Diabetes
Contrary to popular belief, it's not the sugar in soda pop and fried pies that makes eating fast foods a risk factor for diabetes. Unchecked portion sizes and resulting weight gain are greater concerns. The Office of the Surgeon General points out that gaining just 11 to 18 lb. that you don't take off can double your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, an incurable disease that can have life-threatening complications.
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