Conolly, Josephine (2006). The Dangers of Eating Fast Food. Retrieved from http://
http://www.stonybrook.edu/heartlinks/fastfooddangers.pdf This article addresses the high fat and sodium content found in fast food restaurants and its effect on children. As sodium levels in the body increase, the excretion of calcium through urine also increases, leaving children and adults more vulnerable to osteoporosis. The daily recommended value is 2,200 mg, but the average American will consume 3,200 mg a day increasing risk for ‘high cholesterol” and “cardiovascular disease.” Fast food lacks “complex carbohydrates…associated with lower levels of cholesterol,” instead containing high levels of saturated fat. This paper was a good place to start at the effects of fast food on the body. While I have seen a few things on heart disease, very few have addressed children’s risks in consuming fast food from an early age.
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Boutelle, K. N., Fulkerson, J. A., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Story, M., & French, S. A. (2007). Fast
food for family meals: relationships with parent and adolescent food intake, home food availability and weight status. Public health nutrition, 10(01), 16-23. Obesity rates continue to rise, possibly contributed to an increased prevalence of fast food restaurants. In a study, researchers randomly surveyed 900 parents on fast food intake within their home, finding “more frequent fast-food purchases for family meals are associated with “overweight among female parents, the availability of less nutritious food in the home, fewer vegetables and higher salty snack intake among parents.” This article is useful, exploring fast food within families. The article suggests increased fast food intake as a child negatively effects children as adults, preventing them from becoming educated on a proper diet. I will need to go beyond this article to better understand the effects of fast food on families, this article provides a starting place to understanding its impact. Bowman, S. A., & Vinyard, B. T. (2004). Fast food consumption of US adults: impact on energy and nutrient intakes and overweight status. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 23(2), 163-168. Among married couples, weekly work hours have increased 20% in the last three decades, leaving less time for food preparation. In 1993, 38% of food expenditure was spent on food away from home compared to 42% in 2001. Additionally, higher income is associated with higher levels of eating fast food. In a study, researchers attempted to assess daily choleric intake of working adults. Those who consumed higher levels fast food lacked calcium, vitamin A, carotenes, and vitamin C, all antioxidants important to preventing cancer while exceeding daily value for fat, sodium, and daily calorie intake. This study is important providing explanation as to why diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and various forms of cancer have increased overtime. Glanz, K., Basil, M., Maibach, E., Goldberg, J., & Snyder, D. A. N. (1998). Why Americans eat what they do: taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control concerns as influences on food consumption. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 98(10), 1118- 1126. In a study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania attempted to assess Americans on why they picked the foods they choose to eat. Researchers found taste, on the 5-point scale, was the most important factor (4.7), followed by cost (4.1). Weight control was the least important of the five different factors assessed. Among youth, cost and convenience were the most important factors to choosing foods, possibly providing reason as to why obesity in teenagers is increasing. Fast food, compared to healthier opinions, is far more attainable. Since 1970, obesity in teenagers has increased from 3.5 to 19%. This study highlights Americans give little regard to nutrition when deciding meals. Fast food meets the most important factors as to why food is chosen, being high in sodium, inexpensive, and readily available. |
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