13 effects of fast food on the body

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The term “fast food” usually refers to food that people expect to consume quickly, on the spot, cheaply, and conveniently. However, there has been a lot of well-researched evidence showing various negative health effects of eating too much fast food. The following article will give 13 common effects of fast food on the body.

1. Fast foods and their popularity

Fast food, also known as Fastfood, is the common name of foods that are prepared on the spot and served to people to eat quickly. Usually, these dishes are prepared with pre-heated or pre-cooked ingredients and served to customers in a takeaway form. According to a few studies of recent prestigious Nutrition Journals, fast food tends to contain many different substances that are often not healthy. Fast food is high in sugar, salt, and saturated or trans fat, as well as many preservatives and processed ingredients.
The main target audience of fast foods is the youth group. According to the Food Institute's analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, millennials alone spend 45% of their food spending on fast food.
Fast food is not necessarily bad, but in many cases it is well-prepared and contains large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugars, unhealthy fats and salt.
These foods are often high in calories but have little or no nutritional value. When fast food regularly replaces nutritious food in your diet, it can lead to undernutrition, poor health, and weight gain. Tests on laboratory animals have even shown negative effects on the diet for short periods of time. Being overweight is a risk factor for a variety of chronic health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, most people underestimate how many calories they are eating in a fast food restaurant. A 2013 study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that children and adolescents absorb more calories in fast food than in foods prepared at home. Eating at a restaurant adds between 160 and 310 calories per day.

2. Benefits of fast food

Fast food does not take too long to prepare, is quite convenient, can be taken to many places. You can eat, work, and study at the same time. It is quite suitable for the modern lifestyle of today's generation.
Fastfood has delicious taste, eye-catching color, attractive aroma, suitable for the taste of the majority of young people.
In addition, fast food companies always pay attention to the needs of young people, often have attractive promotions and preferential regimes for customers.

3. Impact of fast food on health

3.1. Effects on the digestive system
Most fast foods are high in carbohydrates and have little or no fiber. Low-fiber diets are associated with an increased risk of digestive conditions such as constipation and appendicitis, as well as a decrease in healthy gut bacteria. When your digestive system consumes these foods, the carbs are released as glucose (sugar) and raise blood sugar levels.
The pancreas will respond to the increase in glucose by releasing insulin, to transport the sugar to the cells that need it for energy. As your body uses or stores sugar, blood sugar levels return to normal. However, consuming fast food regularly (eating lots of carbs) will lead to blood sugar levels rising again. Over time, these insulin spikes can increase the risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.
3.2. Sugar and Fat
Many fast foods have added sugar. It means excess calories and little nutrition. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating only 100 to 150 calories of added sugar per day, or about 6-9 teaspoons. A 340g can of soda contains 8 teaspoons of sugar. That equates to 140 calories, 39 grams of sugar and nothing else.
Trans fats are fats created during food processing. It is found in:
Cakes; Cake; Pizza dough; Crunchy biscuits; Cookie. There is no single type of trans fat that is good for the body and healthy. Eating foods containing this substance can increase LDL (bad cholesterol), lower HDL (good cholesterol) and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic cardiovascular diseases.

3.3. Sodium
Fast food is often high in sodium, so consuming a lot of sodium can lead to gas, bloating or swelling. A high-sodium diet is also dangerous for people with blood pressure, because sodium raises blood pressure and puts extra strain on your cardiovascular system. A small study in the Journal of Hypertension found that high salt consumption can have an immediate impact on the normal functioning of a person's blood vessels.
3.4. Effects on the respiratory system
Excess calories from fast meals can cause weight gain leading to overweight and obesity. Obesity increases the risk of respiratory diseases, including respiratory problems and shortness of breath. In children, eating fast food at least three times a week increases the risk of asthma.
3.5. Effects on the central nervous system
Fast food makes you hungry for a short time, but in the long run, it is not beneficial.
People who eat fast food and processed pastries have a 51% higher risk of developing depression than those who don't eat those foods or eat very little of them.
Fast food is very palatable, which means it is consumed very quickly in the mouth, does not require much chewing and activates the reward centers in the brain rapidly.
Research from 2018 and other earlier studies have suggested a link between fast food consumption and rates of food addiction to these low-nutrient items.
A study in the journal Appetite also found a causal link between diets high in saturated fat and simple carbohydrates, typically high consumption of fast food, with lower memory and learning abilities. . A diet high in fast food may also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

3.6. Effects on the cardiovascular system
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - The agency that oversees and evaluates food and drug quality in the United States believes that a diet high in salt often causes high blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure. pressure, which means a person is more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, or heart disease. The FDA also notes that a trans fat diet increases low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol, and lowers high-density lipoprotein, or "good" cholesterol. Means an increased chance of a person developing heart disease.
3.7. Effects on the reproductive system
One study found that fast food contains phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals that can disrupt the way sex hormones work and can lead to fertility problems, including birth defects.
3.8. Effects on skin - hair - nails
According to the Mayo Clinic, chocolate and greasy foods like pizza are the cause of acne because they contain a lot of carbohydrates. High-carb foods that lead to increased blood sugar, which is a possible cause of acne, are also more likely to develop eczema.
3.9. Effects on the skeleton
Carbs and sugar in fast foods and processed foods can increase the acidity in the mouth, which damages tooth enamel, allowing bacteria to attach and cause tooth decay.
Overweight and obesity can also lead to complications with bone density and muscle mass. It's important to continue exercising to build muscle, support your bones, and maintain a healthy diet to minimize bone loss
3.10. Influence on food perception
Another consequence of young people regularly eating fast food is their inadvertent lack of understanding of basic meal preparation, cooking and healthy eating.
Over time, this perpetuates dependence on fast food, and people may not learn how to prepare healthy and balanced foods at home. Fast food tends to add a lot of salt and sugar during processing. They themselves are high in saturated fats, trans fats, preservatives and processed ingredients
A lot of research has been done demonstrating the negative health effects of consuming too much these foods.
3.11. Cancer risk
More than 100 samples of fast food grilled chicken appear to have 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo (4,5-b) pyridine or PhIP, a chemical when meat is heated to a high temperature. Certain levels can lead to breast, prostate and colon cancer in humans.

3.12. Cognitive function
Fast foods like bacon sandwiches, some fried foods and milkshakes are often high in saturated fat which can negatively impact brain function and memory. A higher intake of saturated fatty acids may decrease your memory speed and flexibility as well as your ability to remember.
3.13. Risk of kidney disease
Excess sodium can also increase the risk of kidney stones and glomerulonephritis or even urinary tract infections.
However, not all fast food has bad effects on health. To stay healthy, we should try to identify fast foods that are low in salt, fat, sugar, total carbohydrates and limit eating too much fast food.

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References: salud-america.org, healthline.com, medicalnewstoday.com