FAST FOOD AND ITS EFFECTS

Fast food is a term applied to highly processed food with little nutritional value. It is usually microwaved or deep fried. Fried food can have negative effects on heart health. Many fast foods contain preservatives and high levels of salt. The criticisms against the fast food industry are many. "Super-sized"portions are extremely high in Calories and fat, salt, sugar and preservatives. Trans fats which are very unhealthy are sometimes used in the preparation of fast foods. There is little emphasis on fresh fruit or vegetables, and due to the fact that most fast-foods are fried, a great deal of the nutritional value from the vitamins is lost due to the frying process. Fast food has been attributed to obesity in young people and because it is readily accessible and relatively inexpensive, it is an easy choice for fast-paced people on the go.

Fast food is unhealthy for multiple reasons. The one that comes to mind first for most people is the fat content. Fast food tends to have a very high amount of saturated fats. This is problematic because saturated fats raise cholesterol levels and can increase them to an unhealthy number. The saturated fats in fast food can also cause a hardening or narrowing of the arteries (which can cause a clot), heart disease and stroke.
A lot of the time when fast food is purchased a drink, milkshake, or smoothie may be purchased as well. These items are very high in unhealthy sugars and have a large amount of calories alone. Too much sugar can increase the risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
With calories comes weight gain. Fast food is typically served in much larger portion sizes than is needed. This causes people to consume an excess amount of calories which can lead to weight gain, obesity, and eventually heart disease being the main problem. 

Fast food is also unhealthy due to its lack of nutritional value as well as the additives and preservatives that are within the food. The ingredients are highly-processed to ensure a longer shelf-life, to keep the ingredients consistent, and to ensure the food products will hold or have enhanced flavor. The additives are essentially chemicals that can damage the cells in the body. It also makes it much harder to digest the food because of the chemicals which causes a much more difficult time for your digestive system. Over working your digestive system can have long-term detrimental effects as well.

Mental Effects of a Fast Food Diet

Most people are aware of the negative effects a fast food diet can have on the body, such as weight gain, but far fewer are likely aware of its effects on the brain. The brain, like the rest of the body, relies on the key nutrients from healthy foods to function properly. Regularly consuming fast food can lead to debilitating mental effects including depression.

Food

Food and Brain Function
According to the UK Mental Health Foundation, nutrition plays a critical role in the maintenance of good mental health. The brain requires a balance of essential fatty acids—including omega-6 and omega-3—to function properly. An imbalance in these crucial nutrients has been linked to a number of mental health issues. Experts have pointed out most Westerners consume too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3. Additionally, the trans fats found in fast food items displaces these omega fatty acids, thereby negatively affecting brain health.

Direct Effects
According to research featured by the Huffington Post, consuming high-fat junk food can actually have a direct impact on the brain, causing chemical changes responsible for conditions like anxiety and depression. Researchers at the University of Montreal who conducted a study on mice to determine the effects of junk food on the brain discovered withdrawal effects after the mice discontinued their consumption of a regular junk food diet. The withdrawal symptoms associated with cutting back on junk food led to an inability to handle stress and thereby perpetuated a cycle of turning back to junk food to deal with these feelings.


Harmful Effects of Fast Foods

When you feel like eating something and think of food, the things come to mind first are the taste, odor or color. Those who have to look after their weight will think of the portion size, many others think of energy, fats, sugars, vitamins or minerals. But do you know that the food we eat may cause side effects and a list of disadvantages. We are not talking about spoiled or poor quality food. Freshly harvested or just cooked food may also cause side effects, some are serious, some are just disturbing, and some may put you into embarrassing situation. Over time, this can lead to an increased risk for illness and disease. Fast food is harmful to health. It is a cause of various diseases. Here we discus some most common disease and other side effects caused by fast food.

Obesity
Obesity means having too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. Fast food is high in calories and sugar that contribute to increased-weight gain. Even small amount of fast food can increase your calorie intake considerably. Fast foods also replace healthy eating habits, People who consume fast foods are less likely to eat fruits, vegetables, milk etc. This change in eating habits can easily lead to obesity.


Heart Disease
People who eat fast-food four or more times a week, up their risk of dying from heart disease by 80 percent. Fast foods create a much higher risk of heart disease because of the high level of saturated or trans fats found in much of the food. Those fats can clog the arteries and, over time, contribute to high cholesterol levels.

 Type 2 Diabetes
Fast food has become a way of life for many busy persons seeking a fast and inexpensive alternative to cooking at home. Although they may develop type 2 diabetes, this type of diabetes is often caused by poor lifestyle choices, such as being overweight and not being physically active. There is a side effect to consuming frequent amounts of fast food ‘obesity’ which can lead to the development of diabetes. 
  

Peptic Ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. For almost 100 years, doctors believed that stress, spicy foods, and alcohol caused most ulcers. Fast Foods which may causes Ulcer are Pizzas, Chips, Salted snakes etc.

Lack of Family Gathering
fast food does not provide family members opportunity to set and eat at one place. Every one can buy and eat walking in the way, driving a vehicle and during his work in office. The satisfaction which combine meal provide is lacking in Fast Food. 

Irregular Timing of Eating
A healthy person need to eat at a proper time which fast food doesn’t have. Fast food can be consumed at any time or some time twice or thrice a day, while home cooked food is served at proper time which provides opportunity to take rest after eating.

Waste of Money
Fast food consumes too much money as compared to home prepared food. Low income people can hardly afford continuous use of fast food. It spends a lot of budget and is also cause of loss of healthy body.

Loss of Appetite
Normal food contains appetizer which are not properly present in fast food. Continues use of fast food may cause loss appetite, abnormal digestion and sometime food poisoning. Fast food does not satisfy all needs of stomach.

Lack of Essential Nutrients
A well-balanced food contains all essential elements which are necessary for human development. Whereas fast food does not have all these elements, this type of food contains some elements in high quantity while others are absent. So, fast food does not fulfill all needs of body and sometime causes disorder.

Effects of Fast Food on the Body

Food is fuel for your body and has a direct impact on how you feel as well as on your overall health. Fast food refers to food that can be served quickly. In many cases, that means food that is highly processed and contains large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt (sodium). These foods generally contain a high number of calories but offer little or no nutritional value.
A 2013 study published in JAMA Pediatrics showed that children and adolescents take in more calories in fast food and other restaurants than at home. Eating out added between 160 and 310 extra calories a day. According to the National Institutes of Health, some fast food meals give you a whole day’s worth of calories. That can really pack on the pounds. Being overweight is a risk factor for a variety of chronic health problems.
When fast food frequently replaces nutritious foods in your diet, it can lead to poor nutrition and poor health.

Digestive and Cardiovascular Systems
Many fast foods and drinks are loaded with carbohydrates and, consequently, a lot of calories. Your digestive system breaks carbs down into sugar (glucose), which it then releases into your bloodstream. Your pancreas responds by releasing insulin, which is needed to transport sugar to cells throughout your body. As the sugar is absorbed, your blood sugar levels drop. When blood sugar gets low, your pancreas releases another hormone called glucagon. Glucagon tells the liver to start making use of stored sugars. When everything is working in sync, blood sugar levels stay within a normal range.
When you take in high amounts of carbs, it causes a spike in your blood sugar. That can alter the normal insulin response. Frequent spikes in blood sugar may be a contributing factor in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Added sugars have no nutritional value but are high in calories. According to the American Heart Association, most Americans take in twice as many sugars as is recommended for optimal health. All those extra calories add up to extra weight, a contributing factor in heart disease.
Trans fats, often found in fast food, are known to raise LDL cholesterol levels. That’s the undesirable kind of cholesterol. It can also lower HDL cholesterol. That’s the good cholesterol. Trans fats may also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Too much sodium helps to retain water, so it can cause general bloating and puffiness. Sodium can contribute to high blood pressure or enlarged heart muscle. If you have congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, or kidney disease, too much salt can contribute to a dangerous build-up of fluid. According to the American Heart Association, children who have a high-sodium diet are at twice the risk for developing high blood pressure than children on a low-sodium diet. Excess sodium may also increase risk for kidney stones, kidney disease, and stomach cancer.
High cholesterol and high blood pressure are among the top risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Respiratory System
Obesity is associated with an increase in respiratory problems, and treating those ailments may be more complicated. Even without diagnosed medical conditions, obesity may cause episodes of shortness of breath or wheezing with little exertion. Obesity may play a role in the development of sleep apnea and asthma.
A recent study published in the journal Thorax suggests that children who eat fast food at least three times a week are at increased risk of asthma and rhinitis (congested, drippy nose).

Central Nervous System
There are many types of headache and many things that can cause them. Some dietary triggers that can be found in fast food include salt, processed meats, nitrates, and MSG.
A study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition showed that eating commercial baked goods (doughnuts, croissants, cake) and fast food (pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs) may be linked to depression. People who eat fast food are 51 percent more likely to develop depression than those who eat little to no fast food. It was also found that the more fast food they consumed, the more likely study participants were to develop depression.

Skin and Bones
Chocolate and greasy foods, often blamed for acne, are not the real culprits. It’s carbs. According to the Mayo Clinic, because foods that are high in carbohydrates increase blood sugar levels, they may also trigger acne.
The Thorax study showed a higher risk of eczema (inflamed, irritated patches of skin) among children with a diet high in fast food.
When you consume foods high in carbs and sugar, bacteria residing in your mouth produce acids. Those acids are hard on your teeth. In fact, they can destroy tooth enamel, a contributing factor in dental cavities. When the enamel of your tooth is lost, it can’t be replaced. Poor oral health has also been linked to other health problems.
Excess sodium may also increase your risk of developing osteoporosis (thin, fragile bones).


Reasons Fast Food Is Bad for Kids

When children are young, they are still forming eating habits. This is the best time to educate them in the art of healthy eating. If a child becomes used to eating fast food, this habit will likely continue into adulthood. Fast foods are generally very high in sugar, fat and sodium and low in nutrients. This type of diet can cause myriad health problems for children.

Sugar
Many fast foods, including soda and milkshakes, have large doses of sugar. A large chocolate milkshake from one fast-food chain contains a whopping 120 grams of sugar. Consuming excess sugar may weaken the body's immune system, leaving it more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria that cause illness. One 2011 study published in "Circulation" found the consumption of added sugars was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease among adolescents.

Bad Fats
A 1/4-pound bacon cheeseburger from one fast-food chain contains 29 grams of total fat, 13 grams of saturated fat and 1.5 grams of trans fat. A side of large fries adds another 22 grams of fat, including 4 grams of saturated fat. These high doses of saturated and trans fats in fast foods can raise blood cholesterol and begin to cause health problems for children. The American Heart Association found that elevated cholesterol levels can lead to atherosclerosis -- the buildup of plaque in the arteries -- in early childhood and may eventually lead to coronary heart disease, which is the No. 1 cause of death among Americans.

Sodium
Fast foods are high in sodium, an additive that enhances flavor. Kids need some sodium, but when they consume it in excess, it can cause a number of health problems. A large bacon cheeseburger from one fast-food chain contains an enormous 1,440 milligrams of sodium. That's 100 percent of the daily intake of sodium recommended by the Institute of Medicine, with 2,300 milligrams being the upper limit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 2012 study found kids who consumed high levels of sodium had higher blood pressure than kids who did not. High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for heart disease.