What is junk food and how is it harmful to our health?

Junk food is calorie-dense and nutrient-poor food. Over the past decades' consumption of junk food, fast food has rapidly increased. This leads to rising epidemics and number of chronic diseases. Here are a few reasons why eating junk food is unhealthy:

Obesity

Obesity is the basic output of junk food. Researchers at Harvard University say that by the year 2050, the obesity rate in the U.S is expected to be around 42%. The intake of calories and fat is more in fast food, so children who eat fast food as part of their diet are getting into serious health problems unknowingly. Even the carbohydrates and processed sugars are present in these junk foods. Adding junk food to a daily diet adds up to 187 extra calories per day, which results in the addition of 6 extra pounds of weight gain per year.

Diabetes

The insulin levels become elevated when you munch on processed sugars which are present in soft drinks and foods devoid of fiber. Eating junk food chronically increases the insulin levels which causes the body to have a condition called insulin resistance. The type 2 diabetes in the teenagers has increased by a whopping 15 percent over the last two decades.

Depression

According to author Andrew F. Smith, junk food may lead to depression in teenagers. He wrote a book called “Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of what we Love to Eat. Hormonal changes in the teenage body can become vulnerable to mood and behavioural swings. A healthy diet is equal to proper hormone levels while junk food in the diet is dangerous for these hormonal changes

Nutrient Deficiencies

Junk food is just full of empty calories as the processing takes away all the vitamins, minerals and fiber. Children who incorporate a lot of junk food in their diet are likely to face nutrition deficiency, mood swings, insomnia, and poor academic achievement.

Sodium

Sodium in high levels is the defining characteristic of many junk foods. This is basically over consumption of salt which is deeply incorporated into the western diet. This contributes to high blood pressure and heart, liver, and kidney diseases.