Effects Of Fast Food On People

Fast food is a simple, flavorful and cost effective go-to meal option. However, it isn't the healthiest. Fast foods tend to be low in key nutrients, such as iron and fiber, and they compensate with less healthy ingredients such as saturated fat and sodium. As a result, eating too much fast food could increase your risk of negative health effects.

Childhood Weight Gain

A 2004 study in "Pediatrics" found through surveys that kids and teens who ate fast food consumed less fiber and more carbohydrates, calories and added sugars per gram of solid food than kids and teens who didn't eat fast food. About 30 percent of the kids and teens in the survey ate fast food at any given point during the survey. Over all, these kids and teens ate about 187 more calories per day than those who didn't eat any fast food. This could lead to about 6 lbs. of weight gain in a year and may increase children's and teens' risk of obesity.

Adult Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance

Young adults who eat fast food more than two times a week gain about 10 lbs. more by middle age when compared with young adults who eat fast food less than once per week, according to a 2005 study in "The Lancet." The same study found that young adults who regularly ate fast food were also twice as likely to develop insulin resistance after 15 years. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Heart Disease

Fast foods such as French fries, fried chicken, pies, breaded fish burgers and breaded chicken nuggets are often rich in trans fats. Trans fats, which form when vegetable oil is imbued with hydrogen, are semisolid fats that increase your bad cholesterol and reduce your good cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. This is particularly dangerous because high levels of bad cholesterol are associated with heart disease. Trans fats are so linked to heart disease that researchers in a 2005 "New England Journal of Medicine" study said that reducing trans fats in junk foods could prevent 72,000 to 228,000 heart attacks per year.

Healthy Fast Food Tips

You can continue to enjoy some fast food in moderation as long as you focus on making healthier selections when you do eat it. For instance, order regular or child-sized portions rather than combos and supersized value meals and pair your sandwich with a side salad, baked potato or fresh fruit. Also opt for broiled or grilled chicken and whole grain bread, when available, and stick to low-calorie condiments such as salsa, ketchup, mustard and low-fat mayo. Be aware of liquid calories, too. Cut out the high-calorie regular soda or sweet tea and choose water or low-fat milk instead.