Effects Of Unhealthy Desserts

In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted state-specific obesity prevalence data for the year 2009. In the United States, 26.7 percent of adults are obese, as indicated by a body-mass index greater than 30. According to the American Heart Association, more than 2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease every day. The National Institutes of Health report that 25.8 million people have diabetes in the United States. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity are tightly interwoven diseases that are the result of poor eating habits. Unhealthy desserts play a role in the development of these diseases.

Trans Fat

Most commercially made cookies, cakes and pastries have partially hydrogenated oil in them. Partially hydrogenated oil is a trans fat and has been implicated in heart disease. When hydrogen is added to vegetable oil, a process called hydrogenation occurs and trans fat is formed. This type of oil or fat is used to increase shelf life and flavor stability. These dessert choices are also usually high in saturated fat. Saturated fat and trans fat raise the bad cholesterol and increase total cholesterol overall. High cholesterol levels are associated with cardiovascular disease. Avoiding these types of desserts can help lower cholesterol.

High Calories

Unhealthy dessert choices are also high in calories. For instance, a Friendly's Ice Cream Reese's Pieces sundae has 1,330 calories, 71 g of total fat and 112 g of sugar. MayoClinic.com notes that American diets often consist of 35 percent solid fats and sugars, which contribute to high cholesterol and obesity. The average daily intake of calories should be between 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day. The ice cream sundae from Friendly's represents more than 50 percent of the day's calories with no redeeming nutritional value.

Poor Nutrition

MayoClinic.com recommends eating nutrient-dense foods instead of foods that are high in sugar and fat content. Lower calorie, nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products are recommended. High fat, high sugar desserts do not provide the necessary vitamins and minerals that the body needs. Unhealthy desserts lack antioxidants and do not provide long lasting energy resources for the body.

Insulin Resistance

The body produces insulin in response to ingested sugar. Sugar is converted to glucose. Insulin carries glucose to the cells and is responsible for incorporating it into the cells, which use it for energy. When cells can't use the glucose, the sugar is then stored as fat. Eventually, cells become insulin resistant and diabetes results. Consistent ingestion of unhealthy desserts can lead to chronic hyperglycemia which does not respond to insulin, which results in type 2 diabetes.