essay on bad effects of junk food

Harmful Effects of Junk Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on harmful effects of junk food.

Junk Food is very harmful that is slowly eating away the health of the present generation. The term itself denotes how dangerous it is for our bodies. Most importantly, it tastes so good that people consume it on a daily basis. However, not much awareness is spread about the harmful effects of junk food.

The problem is more serious than you think. Various studies show that junk food impacts our health negatively. They contain higher levels of calories, fats, and sugar. On the contrary, they have very low amounts of healthy nutrients and lack dietary fibers. Parents must discourage their children from consuming junk food because of the ill effects it has on one’s health.

Impact of Junk Food

Junk food is the easiest way to gain unhealthy weight. The amount of fats and sugar in the food makes you gain weight rapidly. However, this is not a healthy weight. It is more of fats and cholesterol which will have a harmful impact on your health. Junk food is also one of the main reasons for the increase in obesity nowadays.

This food only looks and tastes good, other than that, it has no positive points. The amount of calorie your body requires to stay fit is not fulfilled by this food. For instance, foods like French fries, burgers, candy, and cookies, all have high amounts of sugar and fats. Therefore, this can result in long-term illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure . This may also result in kidney failure .

Above all, you can get various nutritional deficiencies when you don’t consume the essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals and more. You become prone to cardiovascular diseases due to the consumption of bad cholesterol and fat plus sodium. In other words, all this interferes with the functioning of your heart.

Furthermore, junk food contains a higher level of carbohydrates. It will instantly spike your blood sugar levels. This will result in lethargy, inactiveness, and sleepiness. A person reflex becomes dull overtime and they lead an inactive life. To make things worse, junk food also clogs your arteries and increases the risk of a heart attack. Therefore, it must be avoided at the first instance to save your life from becoming ruined.

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Ways to Avoid Junk Food

The main problem with junk food is that people don’t realize its ill effects now. When the time comes, it is too late. Most importantly, the issue is that it does not impact you instantly. It works on your overtime; you will face the consequences sooner or later. Thus, it is better to stop now.

You can avoid junk food by encouraging your children from an early age to eat green vegetables. Their taste buds must be developed as such that they find healthy food tasty. Moreover, try to mix things up. Do not serve the same green vegetable daily in the same style. Incorporate different types of healthy food in their diet following different recipes. This will help them to try foods at home rather than being attracted to junk food.

In short, do not deprive them completely of it as that will not help. Children will find one way or the other to have it. Make sure you give them junk food in limited quantities and at healthy periods of time.

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The Impacts of Junk Food on Health

Energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, otherwise known as junk foods, have never been more accessible and available. Young people are bombarded with unhealthy junk-food choices daily, and this can lead to life-long dietary habits that are difficult to undo. In this article, we explore the scientific evidence behind both the short-term and long-term impacts of junk food consumption on our health.

Introduction

The world is currently facing an obesity epidemic, which puts people at risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Junk food can contribute to obesity and yet it is becoming a part of our everyday lives because of our fast-paced lifestyles. Life can be jam-packed when you are juggling school, sport, and hanging with friends and family! Junk food companies make food convenient, tasty, and affordable, so it has largely replaced preparing and eating healthy homemade meals. Junk foods include foods like burgers, fried chicken, and pizza from fast-food restaurants, as well as packaged foods like chips, biscuits, and ice-cream, sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, fatty meats like bacon, sugary cereals, and frozen ready meals like lasagne. These are typically highly processed foods , meaning several steps were involved in making the food, with a focus on making them tasty and thus easy to overeat. Unfortunately, junk foods provide lots of calories and energy, but little of the vital nutrients our bodies need to grow and be healthy, like proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Australian teenagers aged 14–18 years get more than 40% of their daily energy from these types of foods, which is concerning [ 1 ]. Junk foods are also known as discretionary foods , which means they are “not needed to meet nutrient requirements and do not belong to the five food groups” [ 2 ]. According to the dietary guidelines of Australian and many other countries, these five food groups are grains and cereals, vegetables and legumes, fruits, dairy and dairy alternatives, and meat and meat alternatives.

Young people are often the targets of sneaky advertising tactics by junk food companies, which show our heroes and icons promoting junk foods. In Australia, cricket, one of our favorite sports, is sponsored by a big fast-food brand. Elite athletes like cricket players are not fuelling their bodies with fried chicken, burgers, and fries! A study showed that adolescents aged 12–17 years view over 14.4 million food advertisements in a single year on popular websites, with cakes, cookies, and ice cream being the most frequently advertised products [ 3 ]. Another study examining YouTube videos popular amongst children reported that 38% of all ads involved a food or beverage and 56% of those food ads were for junk foods [ 4 ].

What Happens to Our Bodies Shortly After We Eat Junk Foods?

Food is made up of three major nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. There are also vitamins and minerals in food that support good health, growth, and development. Getting the proper nutrition is very important during our teenage years. However, when we eat junk foods, we are consuming high amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, which are quickly absorbed by the body.

Let us take the example of eating a hamburger. A burger typically contains carbohydrates from the bun, proteins and fats from the beef patty, and fats from the cheese and sauce. On average, a burger from a fast-food chain contains 36–40% of your daily energy needs and this does not account for any chips or drinks consumed with it ( Figure 1 ). This is a large amount of food for the body to digest—not good if you are about to hit the cricket pitch!

• Figure 1 - The nutritional composition of a popular burger from a famous fast-food restaurant, detailing the average quantity per serving and per 100 g.
• The carbohydrates of a burger are mainly from the bun, while the protein comes from the beef patty. Large amounts of fat come from the cheese and sauce. Based on the Australian dietary guidelines, just one burger can be 36% of the recommended daily energy intake for teenage boys aged 12–15 years and 40% of the recommendations for teenage girls 12–15 years.

A few hours to a few days after eating rich, heavy foods such as a burger, unpleasant symptoms like tiredness, poor sleep, and even hunger can result ( Figure 2 ). Rather than providing an energy boost, junk foods can lead to a lack of energy. For a short time, sugar (a type of carbohydrate) makes people feel energized, happy, and upbeat as it is used by the body for energy. However, refined sugar , which is the type of sugar commonly found in junk foods, leads to a quick drop in blood sugar levels because it is digested quickly by the body. This can lead tiredness and cravings [ 5 ].

• Figure 2 - The short- and long-term impacts of junk food consumption.
• In the short-term, junk foods can make you feel tired, bloated, and unable to concentrate. Long-term, junk foods can lead to tooth decay and poor bowel habits. Junk foods can also lead to obesity and associated diseases such as heart disease. When junk foods are regularly consumed over long periods of time, the damages and complications to health are increasingly costly.

Fiber is a good carbohydrate commonly found in vegetables, fruits, barley, legumes, nuts, and seeds—foods from the five food groups. Fiber not only keeps the digestive system healthy, but also slows the stomach’s emptying process, keeping us feeling full for longer. Junk foods tend to lack fiber, so when we eat them, we notice decreasing energy and increasing hunger sooner.

Foods such as walnuts, berries, tuna, and green veggies can boost concentration levels. This is particularly important for young minds who are doing lots of schoolwork. These foods are what most elite athletes are eating! On the other hand, eating junk foods can lead to poor concentration. Eating junk foods can lead to swelling in the part of the brain that has a major role in memory. A study performed in humans showed that eating an unhealthy breakfast high in fat and sugar for 4 days in a row caused disruptions to the learning and memory parts of the brain [ 6 ].

Long-Term Impacts of Junk Foods

If we eat mostly junk foods over many weeks, months, or years, there can be several long-term impacts on health ( Figure 2 ). For example, high saturated fat intake is strongly linked with high levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, which can be a sign of heart disease. Respected research studies found that young people who eat only small amounts of saturated fat have lower total cholesterol levels [ 7 ].

Frequent consumption of junk foods can also increase the risk of diseases such as hypertension and stroke. Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure and a stroke is damage to the brain from reduced blood supply, which prevents the brain from receiving the oxygen and nutrients it needs to survive. Hypertension and stroke can occur because of the high amounts of cholesterol and salt in junk foods.

Furthermore, junk foods can trigger the “happy hormone,” dopamine , to be released in the brain, making us feel good when we eat these foods. This can lead us to wanting more junk food to get that same happy feeling again [ 8 ]. Other long-term effects of eating too much junk food include tooth decay and constipation. Soft drinks, for instance, can cause tooth decay due to high amounts of sugar and acid that can wear down the protective tooth enamel. Junk foods are typically low in fiber too, which has negative consequences for gut health in the long term. Fiber forms the bulk of our poop and without it, it can be hard to poop!

Tips for Being Healthy

One way to figure out whether a food is a junk food is to think about how processed it is. When we think of foods in their whole and original forms, like a fresh tomato, a grain of rice, or milk squeezed from a cow, we can then start to imagine how many steps are involved to transform that whole food into something that is ready-to-eat, tasty, convenient, and has a long shelf life.

For teenagers 13–14 years old, the recommended daily energy intake is 8,200–9,900 kJ/day or 1,960 kcal-2,370 kcal/day for boys and 7,400–8,200 kJ/day or 1,770–1,960 kcal for girls, according to the Australian dietary guidelines. Of course, the more physically active you are, the higher your energy needs. Remember that junk foods are okay to eat occasionally, but they should not make up more than 10% of your daily energy intake. In a day, this may be a simple treat such as a small muffin or a few squares of chocolate. On a weekly basis, this might mean no more than two fast-food meals per week. The remaining 90% of food eaten should be from the five food groups.

In conclusion, we know that junk foods are tasty, affordable, and convenient. This makes it hard to limit the amount of junk food we eat. However, if junk foods become a staple of our diets, there can be negative impacts on our health. We should aim for high-fiber foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits; meals that have moderate amounts of sugar and salt; and calcium-rich and iron-rich foods. Healthy foods help to build strong bodies and brains. Limiting junk food intake can happen on an individual level, based on our food choices, or through government policies and health-promotion strategies. We need governments to stop junk food companies from advertising to young people, and we need their help to replace junk food restaurants with more healthy options. Researchers can focus on education and health promotion around healthy food options and can work with young people to develop solutions. If we all work together, we can help young people across the world to make food choices that will improve their short and long-term health.

Obesity : ↑ A disorder where too much body fat increases the risk of health problems.

Processed Food : ↑ A raw agricultural food that has undergone processes to be washed, ground, cleaned and/or cooked further.

Discretionary Food : ↑ Foods and drinks not necessary to provide the nutrients the body needs but that may add variety to a person’s diet (according to the Australian dietary guidelines).

Refined Sugar : ↑ Sugar that has been processed from raw sources such as sugar cane, sugar beets or corn.

Saturated Fat : ↑ A type of fat commonly eaten from animal sources such as beef, chicken and pork, which typically promotes the production of “bad” cholesterol in the body.

Dopamine : ↑ A hormone that is released when the brain is expecting a reward and is associated with activities that generate pleasure, such as eating or shopping.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

[1] ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2013. 4324.0.55.002 - Microdata: Australian Health Survey: Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2011-12 . Australian Bureau of Statistics. Available online at: http://bit.ly/2jkRRZO (accessed December 13, 2019).

[2] ↑ National Health and Medical Research Council. 2013. Australian Dietary Guidelines Summary . Canberra, ACT: National Health and Medical Research Council.

[3] ↑ Potvin Kent, M., and Pauzé, E. 2018. The frequency and healthfulness of food and beverages advertised on adolescents’ preferred web sites in Canada. J. Adolesc. Health. 63:102–7. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.01.007

[4] ↑ Tan, L., Ng, S. H., Omar, A., and Karupaiah, T. 2018. What’s on YouTube? A case study on food and beverage advertising in videos targeted at children on social media. Child Obes. 14:280–90. doi: 10.1089/chi.2018.0037

[5] ↑ Gómez-Pinilla, F. 2008. Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 9, 568–78. doi: 10.1038/nrn2421

[6] ↑ Attuquayefio, T., Stevenson, R. J., Oaten, M. J., and Francis, H. M. 2017. A four-day western-style dietary intervention causes reductions in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory and interoceptive sensitivity. PLoS ONE . 12:e0172645. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172645

[7] ↑ Te Morenga, L., and Montez, J. 2017. Health effects of saturated and trans-fatty acid intake in children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 12:e0186672. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186672

[8] ↑ Reichelt, A. C. 2016. Adolescent maturational transitions in the prefrontal cortex and dopamine signaling as a risk factor for the development of obesity and high fat/high sugar diet induced cognitive deficits. Front. Behav. Neurosci. 10. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00189

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Harmful Effects Of Junk Food Essay

The best example of how something that looks good on the outside isn't always good inside is junk food. These foods may look delicious and mouthwatering, but they are also incredibly dangerous. Here are a few sample essays on ‘Harmful Effects Of Junk Food’.

100 Word Essay On Harmful Effects Of Junk Food

We feel content and happy when we eat. But we should also be careful about what we put in our bodies. The two features of junk food that draw people to eat it frequently are that it is readily available and reasonably priced. But even the name suggests that it poses a serious threat to our health. Junk food is well known for having little to no nutritional value, which makes it useless over the long term and only provides momentary satisfaction. Junk foods like burgers, fries, and pizza are very high in cholesterol, sodium, and carbohydrates, all of which can be harmful to our health if consumed frequently.

These foods have been linked to numerous chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, obesity, liver and heart problems, and many others. However, in today's fast-paced generation, people are drawn to cheap, readily available junk food. But they ought to pause and consider healthier and more nutritious alternatives.

200 Word Essay On Harmful Effects Of Junk Food

Paying attention to your diet is one of the first steps to having a clear mind and a healthy body. However, people frequently rely on inexpensive, tasty junk food that, over time, can seriously harm their health because of their busy schedules and lack of cooking skills.

Most fast food items are very high in salt, sugar, and carbohydrates but have a very poor nutritional value. These foods are the worst for your body, even though they fill you up and give you energy in the short term. It is not sustainable to consume these foods frequently. Junk food is very popular due to the fact that it is enjoyed by people of all ages and is readily available. But they are unaware that it can lead to long-term health problems like obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and liver and heart problems. They have no idea how many extra calories they are consuming in a day or how the ingredients are damaging their body.

My father once reprimanded me for regularly consuming maggie. I complained of ongoing stomach pain as a result of regularly consuming it. After that, I decided not to have any junk food on a regular basis. You should not completely abstain from eating junk food. However, it's not something you ought to consume frequently.

500 Word Essay On Harmful Effects Of Junk Food

Junk food is extremely harmful because it is slowly destroying the health of the current generation. Even the word "junk" itself alludes to how bad it is for our bodies. Most importantly, people regularly consume it because of how good it tastes. However, they are unaware of the negative consequences it might have. You can't even begin to comprehend how serious the issue is. Several studies have demonstrated the high calorie, fat, and sugar content of junk food. On the contrary, they are incredibly low in good nutrition and roughage.

Consequences Of Junk Food

The quickest way to put on unwanted weight is by eating junk food. You gain weight quickly because of how much sugar and fat are in the food. However, this weight is unhealthy. It contains more fat and cholesterol, both of which are bad for your health. One of the main causes of the rise in obesity in modern society is junk food.

The only appealing aspects of the food are how it looks and tastes. These foods do not provide your body with the necessary amount of nutrients. For instance, foods like noodles, burgers, and candies all have high fat and sugar content , but they lack good nutrients. Therefore, this could result in a number of diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Above all, if you don't get enough of the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, you could develop a variety of nutritional deficiencies. Consuming unhealthy fats and cholesterol makes you more vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases as well.

Effects Of Junk Food

When I got accepted to my college, which was based in Punjab, I made a lot of friends there who were from other states. I met a girl from Kolkata who was staying in the hostel and was extremely underweight when she first arrived. She started eating junk food every day because the food provided in the hostel did not suit her taste buds. She used to consume fast food two or more times per day. After two to three months, she significantly increased her weight, and she also developed health issues like high blood pressure and recurrent stomach aches.

The doctor claimed that because of her frequent consumption of junk food, she has high blood pressure and an unreliable stomach. Her food was therefore not being digested. After watching her, I made the decision to limit my consumption of junk food to no more than two to three times per month.

Preventing Junk Food

The main issue with junk food is that, until recently, people were unaware of its negative effects. So, here are some strategies you can use to try to stay away from junk food.

Consume regular meals to prevent becoming overly hungry.

Before consuming any sugar-sweetened beverages, drink some water.

Consume calorie- and nutrient-conscious snacks.

Know the sources that trigger you to have junk food

In other words, it's not a good idea to completely abstain from eating junk food. However, you should cut back on your junk food intake. They shouldn't be consumed frequently.

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Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

GIS officer work on various GIS software to conduct a study and gather spatial and non-spatial information. GIS experts update the GIS data and maintain it. The databases include aerial or satellite imagery, latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, and manually digitized images of maps. In a career as GIS expert, one is responsible for creating online and mobile maps.

Data Analyst

The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Database Architect

If you are intrigued by the programming world and are interested in developing communications networks then a career as database architect may be a good option for you. Data architect roles and responsibilities include building design models for data communication networks. Wide Area Networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), and intranets are included in the database networks. It is expected that database architects will have in-depth knowledge of a company's business to develop a network to fulfil the requirements of the organisation. Stay tuned as we look at the larger picture and give you more information on what is db architecture, why you should pursue database architecture, what to expect from such a degree and what your job opportunities will be after graduation. Here, we will be discussing how to become a data architect. Students can visit NIT Trichy , IIT Kharagpur , JMI New Delhi . 

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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• Harmful Effects of Junk Food Essay

Essay on Harmful Effects of Junk Food

Junk food is easily accessible, convenient and affordable to everyone. These properties of junk foods entice many people around the world to consume them in excess. Junk food may be defined as nutrient-poor food items which are usually high in fat, sugar or salt. They lack essential elements like proteins, fibers, vitamins or minerals (Buzby et al., 2013). The excessive consumption of junk foods is associated with a wide range of health problems like obesity, diabetes, heart diseases and cancer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that overweight and obesity are now epidemics in both developed and developing countries. They have further warned that the epidemic is spreading to the young generation at an alarming rate (WHO, 2012). According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one-third of U.S. children and adolescents are obese or overweight (Ogden et al., 2014). The main reason for this is the excessive consumption of junk foods.

Junk food items are generally high in calories which lead to weight gain. Obesity is a serious health problem that increases the risk of many chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that obese people are at increased risk for heart attacks, strokes and death from any cause (Flegal et al., 2013). Another study published in the journal The Lancet revealed that obese people are at risk of developing 13 different types of cancer (Flegal et al., 2013).

The high amount of sugar present in junk foods is also a major cause of concern. Excessive consumption of sugar can lead to obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. A study published in the journal Diabetes Care showed that people who consume excessive amounts of sugar are at risk of developing diabetes (Yoon et al., 2014). Another study published in the journal Circulation revealed that people who consume sugary drinks are at risk of heart diseases (Hu et al., 2012).

Junk foods are also high in saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes (Smith et al., 2006). Trans fats can also increase the risk of coronary heart disease (Mozaffarian et al., 2006). Junk food items made from hydrogenated oils contain dangerous trans fats.

Long and Short Harmful Effects of Junk Food Essay in English

Short harmful effects of junk food essay.

In this short essay on the harmful effects of junk food, a brief account of the impact of junk food on our health and how important it is to avoid junk food are discussed.

We are all aware that the way we treat our bodies reflects the state of our mind and lifestyle that we are all leading. The food we consume directly affects our state of mind, and so when we eat healthy and nutritious food, we are happier, content and positive in life. Even though we know that we do not take care of our bodies and eat junk food that harms our bodies. Sadly, nowadays, kids want everything to be served quickly, and fast food serves this purpose rightly.

The production of junk and fast food is at an all-time high. The supply is more because of the increasing demand. It has a negligible amount of nutrients and nutritional value. It is oily, greasy, full of fats and sugars. The high levels of calories have resulted in an increase in obesity and high blood pressure. It has also worsened the digestive system and appetite. When this is combined with the comfy and lethargic lifestyle in today's times, it also results in inadequate growth and development of children. And from a very young age, they are more susceptible to mental health diseases like depression. The effects of such consumption are only negative when the world is trying to normalize conversations about such problems; we should also be doing our bit in taking care of our health and life.

Long Harmful Effects of Junk Food Essay

In this long 600+ words harmful effects of junk food essay, the effects of junk food on body and life are discussed in detail.

It is very vital to take care of one's body because our body is our vehicle, the most important tool that helps us get through life and perform our daily activities. When we treat our body right, it reciprocates the same zeal and willpower required for us.

The first important way to treat our body right is via exercise or working out in any form, be it through yoga, pilates, functional training, or weight training. All of this will help keep us fit. Even with working out daily, we will not get our desired results of fitness if we do not eat well. A proper diet is the most important catalyst to lead a healthy life.

A proper diet includes a good amount of balance between calories, fats, proteins, fibers, and nutrition-rich food. We can find all these nutritional values in foods like green leafy vegetables, fruits, and rice for carbohydrates. It is good for the body and the mind.

Junk foods include fast foods like french fries, fried foods like churros, pastries, pizzas, cookies, candies, burgers, and chips. All of this has a very high sodium content, cheese, sugar, and oils that have no nutritional value. It is not a good source of nutrition, nor is it helping our body in any way.

It only satisfies our taste buds because all junk foods taste good. But we must realize, in order to satisfy the cravings of our tongue, we are ruining our body and depriving it of a healthy lifestyle. This short-term fulfillment of mere cravings can have long-term impacts on our health, with life-threatening diseases that will leave a lasting negative impact on our bodies. It results in the following:-

On the Brain and Mental Health - the sodium content in junk food leads to headaches which will help lose focus and motivation even for mundane tasks. The risk of depression and other mental illnesses increases with the increased consumption of processed foods.

On the Respiratory System - due to heavy and oily foods the children are consuming these days and leading a lazy lifestyle, they are at high risks of shortness of breath, and according to the studies it is also found that such children also suffer from asthma even to their adult and old age.

On the Cardiovascular System - Cholesterol consumption blocks the blood flow to and from the heart because of the deposition of fats and leads to blood pressure-related issues. There is also the risk of premature heart diseases like heart failure, arrhythmia, etc. A weak heart results in many other bodily diseases due to improper and inadequate supply of blood to others.

On the Digestive Tract - When such processed food is consumed, it is very difficult to digest because our bodies are not designed to do so. When digestion is slowed, the metabolism also becomes slower, and it results in weight gain and obesity. Other such problems are food poisoning, acid reflux, constipation, and indigestion, and in severe cases may also lead to kidney failure.

On the Skin - Processed food contains very high levels of sugar, eventually leading to obesity. In such conditions, the blood sugar level also sees a spike, and this causes the outbreak of acne in the skin and face.

Curbing the intake of Junk food: - It is important to have healthy food due to the aforementioned reasons but surely one is attracted to junk food regardless. In such a case, we must reduce the intake of junk and processed foods and have it less often rather than making it a habit. Incorporating healthy food will allow you to have an active lifestyle and lead a fulfilling life. It will keep the heart in check, and energy levels will always soar high, which is the optimal way of living.

Being aware of your own health and knowing the possibilities of the very harmful effects junk foods have on our body can be very helpful. This awareness will help one make healthier choices. A proper workout is incomplete without a balanced diet, so it is important to cater to the body's needs without indulging in your cravings and taste requirements. Long-term effects last a lifetime and rob you of your childhood and youth, so starting a healthier diet for a better lifestyle is never too late.

FAQs on Harmful Effects of Junk Food Essay

1. What are the health effects of junk food?

Junk foods are also very much high in saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes (Smith et al., 2006). Trans fats can also increase the risk of coronary heart disease (Mozaffarian et al., 2006). Junk food items made from hydrogenated oils contain dangerous trans fats. Junk and processed foods have a high sodium content, cheese, sugar, and oils that have no nutritional value. They only satisfy our taste buds because all junk foods taste good. But we must consider that in order to satisfy the cravings of our tongue, we are ruining our body and shearing it off a healthy lifestyle. This short-term fulfillment of mere cravings can have long-term impacts on our health, with life-threatening diseases that will leave a lasting negative impact on our bodies. 

On Brain and Mental Health - The sodium content in junk food leads to headaches which will help lose focus and motivation even for mundane tasks which are very dangerous. The risk of depression and other mental illnesses increases with the increased consumption of processed foods. 

On the Respiratory System - Due to heavy and oily foods the children are consuming these days and leading a lazy lifestyle, they are at high risks of the absence of breath, and according to the studies it is also found that such children also suffer from asthma even to their adult and old age. 

On the Cardiovascular System - Cholesterol consumption interrupts the blood flow to and from the heart because of the deposition of fats and leads to blood pressure-related issues. There is also the risk of early heart diseases like heart failure, arrhythmia, etc. A weak heart results in many other bodily diseases due to improper and Insufficient supply of blood to others.

2. What are the foods that can be classified as junk food?

Any food that is manufactured with the addition of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives qualifies to be junk food. The foods that are high in calories but offer no nutritional value like soda, candy bars, chips, and other fried snacks fall under this category. These foods are usually easy and cheap to find. It's best to avoid these foods as much as possible. These foods are very harmful and have the potential to cause great damage to our body and possibly increase the risk of some life-threatening diseases.

3. What exactly causes obesity?

There are some pathophysiological causes for obesity, namely, genetic disorders such as Prader-Willi syndrome and leptin receptor mutations, developmental causes like brain tumors or injury, some autoimmune conditions like Cushing's syndrome, and medications like antipsychotics and steroids. However, the majority of obese people have no identifiable cause for their weight gain. Many experts believe that excessive consumption of junk food is a major contributing factor to obesity. When people eat foods that are high in calories but offer no nutritional value, their bodies don't get the nutrients they need. Over time, this can lead to weight gain.

4. What are the long term effects of junk food?

Some experts say that since junk food is readily available, it becomes easy to eat more than one should usually be allowed to consume. Eating junk food can lead to obesity and other health conditions like glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension etc. A study found that children who consumed fast foods three times a week were more likely to develop asthma. Junk food can also lead to tooth decay and other oral health problems. Long term effects of junk food are obesity, weight gain, heart diseases, diabetes etc.

5. How can we prevent our children from eating junk food?

It is important for parents to set a good example for their children and teach them about the importance of healthy eating. Parents can try to make healthy meals at home that their children will enjoy, and they can also pack healthy snacks for their children to take to school or on trips. It is important to be aware of the foods that are being sold at schools and in other places where children might be tempted to eat unhealthy foods. Parents can also talk to their children about the dangers of eating junk food and make sure they understand the benefits of eating whole foods.

6. What are the Junk Foods to Avoid at any Cost?

Any junk food that has high levels of damaging chemicals and sugars to add taste and flavour to the food must be kept at bay at any cost. And such junk foods and processed food often have harmful preservatives that will cause many diseases. Such foods can be pizzas, burgers, chips, cakes, cookies, cookies, fried and grilled food is extremely oily with unuseful fats. Broiled food must be avoided. Drinks containing high amounts of sugar are also unhealthy and harmful.

7. Is any Junk Food Healthy?

Chips are considered to be a portion of junk food but now there are many vegan chips available that can be extremely healthy and will aid in fulfilling your cravings and not harm your body and lifestyle. A few of those are Kale chips, sweet potato chips, and spinach chips. They are healthy with no trans-fat or saturated fats. And these are easily available now. All these can be an alternative to potato chips.

Junk Food in Schools: Good or Bad for Children? Essay

Introduction, the arguments for junk food at schools, the arguments against junk food at schools, the rebuttal of the advantages of junk food, the rebuttal of disadvantages of junk food.

Junk food has become very popular nowadays especially among children. Children really like junk food and as a result junk food are provided at school. Is it good or bad for children? There are advantages as well as disadvantages of junk food in schools.

There are three main advantages of junk food in schools namely quick preparation, change in routine and benefits for children’s health (Borkar, 2011). One of the main advantages of junk food is that it is simple to cook and it satiates hunger. If any child forgets his/her lunch bag at home it is very convenient to have junk food for lunch at school (Maire, n.d.). More than that, it is delicious and liked by children. It is the food that is easy to eat even on the go. As a result, junk food saves a lot of time and it is very convenient at schools where the breaks are not so long to have a rigorous lunch (Jenkins, 2005).

The second advantage is the change in routine. Children are accustomed to the food prepared at home and junk food at school may add the variety to their routine menu (Antwerp, n.d.). It does not have serious effects on the health if it is varied with the food prepared at home.

The third advantage is that it is healthy. Of course, there are cases when junk food is prepared with unhealthy ingredients and oil but there is also healthy junk food that may be eaten by children. If such junk food as potato chips or juice are available at school’s children will be protected from unhealthy food proposed outside the boundaries of the school ( Pros & Cons of Fast Foods in School, n.d.).

As for the disadvantages of junk food at schools, they are obesity, the influence over the students’ performance and other health issues (Richards, n.d.). It is a well-known fact that junk food contains a lot of salt, pepper and other unhealthy ingredients. All these ingredients are harmful as far as it is complicated for a young organism to break down them and these ingredients accumulate in the body (Rosenthal, n.d.). More than that, they prevent the absorption of other valuable nutrients and as a result affect the immune system. These harmful ingredients lead to obesity among children that is the burning issue nowadays (Ankerberg-Nobis, n.d.). This kind of food does not contain all the nutrients necessary for children and as a result it causes a lot of problems with their health (A Comparison of Nutritious Food and Junk Food , 2009). These health issues include heart problems such as hormonal imbalance, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and problems with liver, kidneys and stomach.

The content of junk food including carbs, sodium and sugar is very unhealthy for children and it affects their performance at school (Bodeeb, 2011). It takes a lot of energy to digest junk food. As a result, after such snack the child begins to fade and become sluggish. The person feels weakness and the necessity to have a snack again. It is not an addiction, but it is the dependence on the boosts of energy that fade so quickly. There is no wonder that students are not ready to study after such a full snack that influences their attention and concentration.

If we consider the advantages of junk food that have been described before we may conclude that they seem to be doubtful. As for the main advantage of availability of junk food and its simplicity to be cooked it is not an advantage if we speak about the health of our children. Time does not play any role if junk food influences children’s health (Bose, 2012). As for hunger satisfaction with junk food it is a poor semblance as far as it is a sort of energy boost as it has been described in the list of disadvantages. As for the variety of the children’s menu it is possible to add this diversity with the help of healthy domestic food. These arguments supporting junk food are so weak comparing to its disadvantages.

Nevertheless, the disadvantages that have been presented above also may be doubted. Of course, children’s health depends on the food they eat but the main reason of heart problems and obesity is the lack of activities. It will be more reasonable to take care of this problem rather that to criticize junk food. Children should go in for sport as far as they have a lot of energy that is necessary to be burnt out. As for the content of junk food, there is no wonder that any kind of food contains salt, sugar and carbs and it does not depend whether it is junk food or not. Any kind of food may contain ingredients that influence human body in a negative way (Chen, 2009). First of all, its influence depends on the state of health, the way of life and susceptibilities to different diseases. The third disadvantage also sounds weakly as far as it is a well-known fact that after eating a human body needs a rest and there is no wonder that children are not ready to study after having had a snack.

From the above said we may conclude that there are advantages and disadvantages and it is up to everybody to decide whether their children eat junk food or not. Junk food has become a debatable question nowadays and the list of its advantages and disadvantages is endless.

A Comparison of Nutritious Food and Junk Food (2009). Web.

Ankerberg-Nobis, T. (n.d.). Fast Food in Schools Fuels the Obesity Epidemic . Web.

Antwerp, V. (n.d.). The Pros of Junk Food Sales in Schools . Web.

Bodeeb, J. (2011). The Growing Problem of Junk Food in Schools . Web.

Borkar, R. (2011). Junk Food in Schools – Pros and Cons . Web.

Bose, D. (2012). Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Food.

Chen, G. (2009). Why Fast Food is “Healthier” Than School Lunches: The Shocking USDA Truth . Web.

Jenkins, R. (2005). Junk Food Ban . Web.

Maire, L. (n.d.). Pros & Cons of Fast Foods . Web.

Pros & Cons of Fast Foods in School . (n.d.). Web.

Richards, R. (n.d.). Fast Food in Schools . Web.

Rosenthal, J. (n.d.) Back to School, Back to Junk Food? Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, October 29). Junk Food in Schools: Good or Bad for Children? https://ivypanda.com/essays/junk-food-in-schools-good-or-bad-for-children/

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1. IvyPanda . "Junk Food in Schools: Good or Bad for Children?" October 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/junk-food-in-schools-good-or-bad-for-children/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Junk Food in Schools: Good or Bad for Children?" October 29, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/junk-food-in-schools-good-or-bad-for-children/.

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Junk food and your health

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• 'Junk food' is food that contains high levels of fats, salt or sugar, and lacks nutrients such as fibre, vitamins and minerals.
• Reading nutritional information labels and following the Health Star Ratings system can help you make healthy food choices.
• Understanding the nutritional value of the food you eat and being aware of advertising 'tricks' can also help you reduce your junk food intake.
• Eating junk food, and having sweet drinks, can lead to short- and long-term health complications, including weight gain, diabetes and heart problems.

What is junk food?

'Junk foods' are foods that lack nutrients, vitamins and minerals , and are high in kilojoules (energy), salts , sugars , or fats . Junk food is so called because it doesn't play a role in healthy eating, especially if you eat too much of it. Junk food is also known as 'discretionary food' or 'optional food'.

Some examples of junk food include:

• cakes and biscuits
• fast foods (such as hot chips, burgers and pizzas)
• chocolate and sweets
• processed meat (such as bacon)
• snacks (such as chips)
• sugary drinks (such as sports, energy and soft drinks)
• alcoholic drinks

If your diet is high in fats, salt and sugar and you are not receiving essential nutrients , your risk of obesity and other chronic (long-term) diseases may increase.

These diseases include:

• cardiovascular disease
• type 2 diabetes
• non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• some cancers

How do I know if a food product is 'junk food'?

While finding healthy alternatives to junk food can sometimes be difficult, the Health Star Rating system is a convenient tool to help you know how healthy a product is. It's a quick and easy way to compare similar packaged foods.

The Health Star Rating system rates packaged foods between half a star and 5 stars, based on how healthy they are. These ratings are found on the front of packaged items. However, it is important to note that this system is very general, and the nutritional value of some products may not be accurately expressed by the rating they receive.

Remember also that the Health Star Rating system is designed only for packaged products sold in shops, so it won't include some healthy foods — including fresh unpackaged food such as fruit and vegetables.

How do I make healthy food choices?

It's important to understand the nutritional value of the food you are buying. You can do this by reading the nutrition panel found on the back of all packaged items in Australia.

Food labels can tell you things like the amount of energy , protein , fat , carbohydrates , sugars, fibre and sodium (salt) in each product, as well as the recommended serving size.

Understanding health claims

When checking a product for its nutritional value, make sure you look at the health claims such as 'low in fat' or 'sugar free', as these can be misleading. When a product is advertised as 'light' or 'lite', this may refer only to the product's colour or flavour. This means that the product may still be 'full-fat' — be sure to read the nutrition information panel at the back of the package for the actual fat content.

Another common claim is that a product is 'sugar-free' or has 'no added sugar'. In truth, this means that a product has no added sucrose or table sugar, but it may still contain other types of sugar. The product may also contain salt or fat and may be high in kilojoules, so even sugar free products can be junk foods.

Note also that products known as 'health foods' such as some fruit juices and muesli bars can actually be junk food if they contain high levels of sugar, salt or fat. Check a product's Health Star Rating for a better guide to how healthy the product is. Keep in mind that this rating system is limited in accuracy, but may be a better guide than advertised claims.

Can I include a small amount of junk food in a healthy diet?

Yes, in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines , a small amount of junk or discretionary food can be included in a healthy, balanced diet. This means you should only have junk food occasionally and in small amounts. In general, most Australians eat too much junk food and should work on eating less of it, less often.

It is important to balance your junk food intake with increased exercise to help burn off extra energy. This will help you avoid gaining excessive weight.

When thinking about how much junk food you eat, remember that everybody is different — if you are shorter or smaller than average, or you do less exercise than the average person, you will also need to eat less than the average person. If you are trying to lose weight, try and keep the amount of junk food you eat to a minimum.

Check the Australian Dietary Guidelines to help you decide if you need to improve your diet, and to guide your food and drink intake.

How can I reduce the amount of junk food I eat?

While it can be challenging to reduce the amount of junk food you eat, you don't have to give up on all your favourite foods.

Here are some tips on how to create healthy eating habits :

• Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time so you decide what you eat based on nutrition, not based on what is left in your pantry. Planning ahead also helps you keep to a budget and makes shopping easier.
• Choose wholefood options such as wholemeal and wholegrain carbohydrates like pasta, bread and flour.
• Choose fresh fruit for dessert instead of junk food to keep away from added salt, sugar and saturated fat.
• Check your food's nutritional value using the nutritional information panel on the back of the packet.
• Watch out for advertising 'tricks', including claims that a product has 'no added sugar', since it can still be high in kilojoules, salt or fat. A product can claim to be 'reduced in fat' as long as it has less fat than an earlier version of the product — but it may still be high in fat.
• Use the Health Star Rating system to compare similar packaged items and choose the healthiest one.

NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT? — Use the BMI Calculator to find out if your weight and waist size are in a healthy range.

Why is junk food so appealing?

While you may feel that you enjoy junk food just because it tastes so good, there is a scientific explanation for why you want to have more of it. The brain naturally encourages you to seek experiences that you find pleasurable, including eating tasty food. This encouragement from the brain is known as the 'reward' system.

When a person eats tasty food (including junk food) the reward circuit in the brain is switched on. This releases a brain chemical called dopamine . The chemical rush floods the brain with pleasure and so the brain creates more receptors for dopamine in response. In the same way that people with a drug or alcohol addiction require a bigger dose over time, you crave more junk food the more you eat it.

Does eating junk food cause health complications?

Eating too much junk food can have a negative effect on your general health and wellbeing and can also reduce your ability to be active.

Short-term effects of junk foods

As well as causing you to gain weight, the other short-term effects of eating junk food include:

• increased stress levels
• fatigue and decreased energy levels
• difficulty sleeping
• concentration difficulties
• feeling down
• tooth decay

Long-term effects of junk foods

In the long-term, eating junk food can lead to:

• heart-related problems (such as cardiovascular disease , high blood pressure and cholesterol )
• overweight and obesity
• osteoporosis
• certain cancers
• eating disorders

These complications are all associated with a diet high in sugar, salt, trans- and saturated fats and with a lack of essential nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals.

ARE YOU AT RISK? — Are you at risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease? Use the Risk Checker to find out.

Is it more expensive to eat healthily?

Eating healthily doesn't have to be expensive, and can even save you money if you cut down on junk food purchases.

Here are some tips to help you eat healthily on a budget:

• Plan ahead and make a list you can stick to in the supermarket.
• Shop smart — buy what's in season and what's on special.
• Use the fresh fruit and vegetables you already have at home first, before buying more.
• Meal preparation means you can buy and cook in bulk, which will save you both time and money.
• Only buy what you need.

Resources and support

For more information and support, you can visit the following websites:

• Heart Foundation provides information on healthy eating to protect your heart
• Nutrition Australia aims to 'inspire healthy eating' through information, education and consultation services.
• Parents' Voice are parents interested in improving the food and physical activity of Australian children
• Rethink Sugary Drink highlight the amount of sugar in soft drinks
• Dietitians Australia teaches how diet and nutrition can improve your health and wellbeing — Call on 1800 812 942.
• The George Institute's FOODSWITCH website and app can help you find out what's in the packaged food you're looking to buy, as well as help you make healthier food choices.

Call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 at any time to speak to a registered nurse (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria) for more information and advice.

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Last reviewed: June 2023

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Researchers wondered about the impact of a fat-filled, sugary Western diet during adolescence, when the brain is undergoing significant development. (Photo/iStock)

Take it from the rats: A junk food diet can cause long-term damage to adolescent brains

Rats fed a diet full of fat and sugar in adolescence suffered memory impairment, USC researchers found. The study reinforces the important link between the gut and the brain.

A new USC-led study on rats that feasted on a high-fat, sugary diet raises the possibility that a junk food-filled diet in teens may disrupt their brains’ memory ability for a long time.

“What we see not just in this paper, but in some of our other recent work, is that if these rats grew up on this junk food diet, then they have these memory impairments that don’t go away,” said Scott Kanoski, a professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “If you just simply put them on a healthy diet, these effects unfortunately last well into adulthood.”

The study appears in the May issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity .

In developing the study, Kanoski and lead author and postdoctoral research fellow Anna Hayes considered that prior research has shown a link between poor diet and Alzheimer’s disease. People who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease tend to have lower levels of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine in the brain that is essential for memory and functions such as learning, attention, arousal and involuntary muscle movement.

The team wondered what this could mean for younger people who may be on a similar fat-filled, sugary Western diet, particularly during adolescence when their brain is undergoing significant development. By tracking the impact of the diet on the rats’ levels of acetylcholine and running the rats through some memory testing, they could learn more about the important relationship between diet and memory.

The researchers tracked the acetylcholine levels of a group of rats on a fatty, sugary diet and in a control group of rats by analyzing their brain responses to certain tasks designed to test their memory. The team examined the rats’ brains post-mortem for signs of disrupted acetylcholine levels.

The memory test involved letting the rats explore new objects in different locations. Days later, the researchers reintroduced the rats to the scene that was nearly identical except for the addition of one new object. Rats on the junk food diet showed signs they could not remember which object they had previously seen, and where, while those in the control group showed familiarity.

“Acetylcholine signaling is a mechanism to help them encode and remember those events, analogous to ‘episodic memory’ in humans that allows us to remember events from our past,” lead author Hayes explained. “That signal appears to not be happening in the animals that grew up eating the fatty, sugary diet.”

Kanoski emphasized that adolescence is a very sensitive period for the brain when important changes are occurring in development. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding like Cassandra and doom and gloom,” he said, “but unfortunately, some things that may be more easily reversible during adulthood are less reversible when they are occurring during childhood.”

There is at least some hope for intervention. Kanoski said that in another round of the study, the research team examined whether the memory damage in rats raised on the junk food diet could be reversed with medication that induces the release of acetylcholine. They used two drugs, PNU-282987 and carbachol, and found that with those treatments given directly to the hippocampus, a brain region that controls memory and is disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease, the rats’ memory ability was restored.

But without that special medical intervention, Kanoski said more research is needed to know how memory problems from a junk food diet during adolescence can be reversed.

In addition to Kanoski and Hayes, the team included other USC Dornsife researchers Logan Tierno Lauer, Alicia E. Kao, Molly E. Klug, Linda Tsan, Jessica J. Rea, Keshav S. Subramanian, Cindy Gu, Arun Ahuja, Kristen N. Donohue and Léa Décarie-Spain; Natalie Tanios of Keck School of Medicine of USC; as well as Anthony A. Fodor and Shan Sun of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The work was supported by the following: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grant DK123423 (SEK, AAF), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grant DK104897 (SEK), Postdoctoral Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute on Aging F32AG077932 (AMRH), National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships (separate awards to LT and KSS), Quebec Research Funds postdoctoral fellowship 315201 (LDS) and the Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity AARFD-22-972811 (LDS).

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Junk food-induced obesity- a growing threat to youngsters during the pandemic

Introduction.

Obesity has been declared an epidemic that does not discriminate based on age, gender, or ethnicity and thus needs urgent containment and management. Since the third wave of COVID-19 is expected to affect children the most, these children and adolescents should be more cautious while having junk foods, during covid situations due to the compromise of Immunity in the individuals and further exacerbating the organ damage.

Methodology

A PAN India survey organized by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) among 13,274 children between the ages 9–14 years reported that 93% of the children ate packed food and 68% consumed packaged sweetened beverages more than once a week, and 53% ate these products at least once in a day. Almost 25% of the School going children take ultra-processed food with high levels of sugar, salt, fat, such as pizza and burgers, from fast food outlets more than once a week. Children and adolescents who consume more junk food or addicted to such consumption might be even more vulnerable during the third wave, which will significantly affect the younger category.

There is an urgent need to spread awareness among children and young adults about these adverse effects of junk food. There is no better time than now to build a supportive environment nurturing children and young adults in society and promising good health.

1. Introduction

Obesity has been declared as epidemic that does not discriminate based on age, gender, or ethnicity and thus needs urgent containment and management. Cardiovascular complications are a global threat with the rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity; by 2025, it is expected to reachupto 18% in men and 21% in women by forbidding heavy burden upon individuals, societies, and health care systems. Heart attack survivors with excess fat around their waist are at increased risk of another cardiac arrest, according to the journal of the European Society of Cardiology (Mohammadi H et al., 2020).

In the modern era, obesity is linked with various factors enhancing the production of cortisol, such as Food consumption with a high glycaemic index, chronic stress, and change in sleep patterns ( Knutson et al., 2010 ; Cohen and Janicki-Deverts, 2012 ). The burden of non-communicable disease has become a major threat globally, attributing to physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits, unhealthy lifestyle, and smoking. It is also observed that food with high levels of fat content is preferred to non-fat food by people ( Visschers and Siegrist, 2010 ). Based on the reports, more than one-third of the adults eat junk food several times a week ( Bauer et al., 2009 ). Studies have proven that Junk food tends to cause obesity (central adiposity), a primary concern of heart diseases and other non-communicable diseases ( Rouhani et al., 2012 ; Musaiger, 2014 ). Poor nutrition could result in reduced Immunity, susceptibility to several oral and systemic diseases, impaired physical and mental growth, and reduced efficiency (Bhattacharya, P. T et al., 2016).

Greater than 60% of the overweight child population seem to have at least one added risk factor of cardiovascular disease (Raised blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia), and more than 20% of the obese children have two or more risk factors. The United States National Centre for Health Statistics suggests that nearly 15% of adolescents are overweight or obese, and treatment is harder in adults than children ( International Life Sciences Institutes, 2000 ). It is observed that an adolescent is often negligible to his health due to improper awareness and a busy work schedule. With more than 14.4 million obese children, India has the second-largest obese child population in the world. By 2025 it is anticipated to reach a stunning 17 million.

Since the third wave of COVID-19 is expected to affect children the mostly, it is, therefore, advisable for these children and adolescents who eat Junk foods to be more cautious during Covid situations due to the compromise of Immunity in the individuals and further exacerbating the organ damage.

2. Junk foods overview

Children find themselves amidst a way of living that has been metamorphized to suit the new jet-setting age and the food is no exception to this. Over the last two decades, the variability of healthy eating advice has become a cliché, leading to an alarming increase in the trend of consumption of fast food and sweetened beverages in Indian children. On average, the fast-food industry is growing 40% per year ( Joseph et al., 2015 ). A PAN India survey organized by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) among 13,274 children between the ages 9–14 years reported that 93% of the children ate packed food and 68% consumed packaged sweetened beverages more than once a week, and 53% ate these products at least once in a day. Almost 25% of the School going children take ultra-processed food with high levels of sugar, salt, fat, such as pizza and burgers, from fast food outlets more than once a week ( Bhushan et al., 2017 ). The most commonly consumed junk food items are bakery products, beverages, burgers, caffeinated drinks, chips, chocolates, noodles, pizza, soft drinks, and sugar-sweetened drinks. Harmful effects of Junk foods include Overweight/Obesity, Cardiometabolic risk, High blood pressure, Behavioural symptoms and Dental caries.

3. Highly consumed junk foods

Habitual physically inactive lifestyle, advertisements, media, and consumption of junk food have contributed significantly towards causing obesity in children and adolescents. Various list of Junk foods and their associated components showing the impact on health is mentioned in Table 1 .

List of Junk foods and its associated components showing impact on health.

4. Impact of junk foods on body weight

The rates of overweight and obesity have increased tremendously over the past few decades as a health epidemic in most parts of the world ( Mancino and Kinsey, 2008 ; LaCaille et al., 2011 ; Allom and Mullan, 2014 ). High consumption of Junk Foods contributes to the overweight among School-aged children in India from 9.7% to 13.9% over a decade ( Ranjani et al., 2016 ). The potential adverse effects on weight status in younger population include Physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary habits and, consequently, the future health of adults ( Hutchesson et al., 2015 ; Allom and Mullan, 2014 ). High intake of fried foods and artificially sweetened drinks are found to be directly linked with high body mass index and obesity in children. Additionally, diets with elevated amounts of Junk food have very little quantity of nutrients ( Goel et al., 2013 ; Harnack et al., 1999 ).

5. Preclinical evidences of junk food and its effect

The preclinical data is essential in collecting the safety of drug, iterative testing, and the feasibility of experiment which is given in Table 2 . In a study conducted in 1991, brown and white adipose tissue in high fat and junk diet and chow-fed rats with dorsomedial hypothalamic lesion rats ( Bernardis and Bellinger, 1991 ). The animals were grouped as high fat and control rats as group 1 and 3, whereas chow diet and control were grouped as group 2 and 4. He found that obesity is not only linked to calories but rather the sort of calories consumed, brown adipose tissue weight, lipid content, protein and turnover of NE are indicators of metabolic activity and thermogenesis that are unreliable. Oginsky et al. (2016) proposed that intake of junk food shows a rapid and long-lasting increase in NAc CP-AMPA receptors for food addiction. In general, mesolimbic circuits responsiveness is intensified in rats that are vulnerable to diet-induced obesity.

Pre-clinical and clinical evidence of Junk food and its effect.

Additionally, junk food was found to increase NAc CP-AMPAR function in obesity-susceptible rats. AMPA upregulation occurred more promptly in obesity-susceptible rats and preceded the development of obesity. Cocaine-induced locomotion was seen, and post-junk-food deprivation, cocaine-induced movement was enhanced in Junk-Food-Gainers than in the Non-Gainers, i.e., Junk-Food gainers were more sensitized when compared to non-gainers. He concluded that it will be significant to determine the extent to which these food-induced changes occurring in the striatal function could be part of normal, adaptive processes vs maladaptive, ‘addictive-like behaviors. A study conducted on 2010 by StephanieA stated in a study that a junk food diet in pregnancy and lactation promotes Non-alcoholic fatty liver in the rat offspring. It was observed that those junk food-fed mothers moved to an exclusive chow diet from weaning which resulted in the increase of triglyceride compared to the CCC group at the end of adolescence. The histological analysis did not disclose any signs of fibrosis or inflammation confirmed by unaffected TNF-alpha, IL-6, Collagen, and keratin expressions, suggesting that although they showed NAFLD signs, they did not suffer from NASH. He also mentioned that exacerbated steatosis in those offsprings did not coexist with an increase in carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (Cpt1a) mRNA expression, which might be an indicator of mitochondrial Beta-oxidation saturation leading to further lipid accumulation in the liver. In 2008 an observation was made on off springs of Junk food-fed mothers in pregnancy and lactation exhibited aggravated adiposity, which is highly found in females ( Bayol et al., 2008 ).

The perirenal fat pad mass linked to body weight was greater in the offsprings fed with junk food throughout the study than those fed with junk food diet postweaning. The increase in adiposity is associated with the weight gain previously reported in the same animals. The study on gene expression and changes in adipose tissue cellularity showed that an increase in IGF-1 transcription indicated higher proliferation of pre-adipocyte in females fed with junk food diet after weaning compared to males. Gugusheff et al., 2013 studied extensively the effects of prenatal junk food exposure on food preferences of offspring and how fat deposition can be alleviated by enhanced nutrition during lactation ( Gugusheff et al., 2013 ). He found that habitual cafeteria diet during the suckling period, independent of dietary exposure before birth, led to the development of diet-induced obesity in females and an increase in preference for appetizing foods in male offspring in young adulthood. The animals were given free access to the cafeteria diet. Female offspring suckled by JF dams had increased fat mass compared to those offspring suckled by control dams independent of the diet consumed by the mother during pregnancy. It is to be noted that it took place in the absence of high food consumption, suggesting that these animals had an enhanced propensity to accumulate fat in the body.

6. Clinical evidence of junk food and its effect

The clinical data collection is very much helped by the quality of information generated, which plays a significant part in yielding the study results whose clinical data are given in Table 2 .

Zahedi et al. (2014) studied the relationship between junk food consumption and mental health in a Sample of Iranian Children and Adolescents ( Zahedi et al., 2014 ). In this study, a notable link between junk food consumption and mental health problems in children and adolescents was observed. Students that consumed junk food daily were more likely to be subjected to mental health problems. The Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort Study proposed that the Western dietary pattern of increased consumption of takeaway foods, red meat, and confectionary was significantly associated with poor behavioral outcomes in adolescents. Similarly, two cohort studies in adolescents instigated that increased intake of unhealthy foods like sweets, savory snacks, sweetened soft drinks, chocolate, and fast foods was associated with a high risk of behavioral problems and mental distress such as anxiety worthlessness, and dizziness.

Azemati et al., 2020 studied an association between consumption of junk food and cardiometabolic risk factors in Iranian children and adolescent population ( Azemati et al., 2020 ). A population-based study in Korea showed that fast food consumption was linked to metabolic syndrome in adolescents. The study demonstrated that sweet dietary habits were positively related to metabolic syndrome, and those under junk food consumption were more likely to be overweight. Junk foods are found to be associated with obesity due to their high energy content and the amount of fat present or free sugar, chemical additives, and sodium with the presence of a low amount of micronutrients and fiber. Among junk foods, intake of sweetened beverages is in close relationship with weight fluctuations as it can increase food intake through decreasing satiety mechanisms. In Conclusion, junk food intake among Iranian children and adolescents had undesirable effects on cardiometabolic risk factors. Thus, enhancing knowledge of junk foods among adolescents is one of the possible ways to help them to make healthy food choices and get rid of overweight and obesity.

Zhu et al. (2019) investigated on the current situation and influencing factors on consuming junk foods among children and adolescents in Beijing city ( Zhu et al., 2019 ). He used a questionnaire survey method to survey the junk food habits and their effects. One month before the survey, all individuals have an intake of one type or the other junk foods. Mostly they didn't have an understanding of nutrition, and mostly they have misunderstandings about nutritional value and effect on the human body. Their behavior is affected mainly by personal factors like physiological, psychological, social, family factors, and the food itself. In Conclusion, children and adolescents in Haidian District ate different types of junk food, and the safety, nutritional issues of junk food should be paid great attention to prevent and control the risk factors of children and adolescents eating junk food. Payab et al. (2015) studied the relationship between junk food consumption with high blood pressure and obesity in Iranian children and adolescents ( Payab et al., 2015 ).

This study showed significant link between sweet consumption and both general and abdominal obesity. Nonetheless, there was no meaningful relationship between sweets consumption and high blood pressure. Several studies also showed that in general, central obesity is inversely associated with healthy dietary habits, while the Western dietary habits (refined grains, Red meat, sweets, desserts, pizza, French fries, and soft drinks) were directly linked to obesity.

7. Junk food and compromised immune system

• i) Effect of Junk foods on the signaling pathway

The intake of appetizing food is primarily under the control of the limbic system and stimulates endogenous opioids release, which binds to the opioid receptors present in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). VTA activates dopaminergic neurons in the brain, and in the nucleus accumbent, the site of dopamine release to potentiate dopamine signaling pathway ( Bergevin et al., 2002 ; Fields and Margolis, 2015 ; Berridge, 1996 ). The stimulation of the dopamine signaling pathway by opioid interactions is thought to be involved in the mediation of the short-term pleasurable sensation linked with the consumption of appetizing food ( Bodnar et al., 2005 ; Bodnar, 2015 ). It is observed that a reduction in MuR expression in the offspring of dams maintained on a junk food diet during pregnancy and lactation is present in the VTA at the weaning stage, i.e., 3 weeks after birth ( Gugusheff et al., 2013 ). Nonetheless, MuR expression in the NAcis found in elevated levels during the first postnatal week and declining to adult levels over the next two weeks ( Tong et al., 2000 ).

• ii) Effect of Junk foods on Immunity

Micronutrients like trace elements, antioxidants, and vitamins play a significant role in the regenerative process, coping with existing oxidative stress in the body tissues and providing Immunity against pathogens ( Chapple et al., 2007 ; Enwonwu et al., 2002 ). Obesity in the early years of life alters the immune system by inducing changes in cytokines concentrations and proteins and the number and function of the immune cells, ultimately leading to a pro-inflammatory condition, leading to the onset or exacerbation of numerous diseases like asthma, atopic dermatitis, allergy and sleep apnea ( Kelishadi et al., 2017 ). Various per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS)might affect growth, infantile behavior, learning, and older children. It also lowers the chance of pregnancy, interferes with the defense of natural hormones, increases the cholesterol levels, reduces vaccine-induced immune protection in children, and increase the risk of cancer ( Velez et al., 2015 ; Grandjean et al., 2017 ; Bach et al., 2015 ). Various reports from the conducted human studies conclude that some PFAS can take as long as 8–9 years to get cleared from the body ( Bartell et al., 2010 ). It can also cross the placental barrier and be secreted through breastmilk ( Mondal et al., 2013 ; Kingsley et al., 2018 ). It was observed that the immune response was impaired in children, especially cellular to influenza virus, and also inadequate vaccine responses were seen when they were obese ( Green and Beck, 2017 ). Thus, the importance of nutrition must be considered when it comes to Immunity. Similarly, there is enhanced knowledge about food, nutritional habits, and other lifestyle aspects, which are essential in aiding the proper functioning of the immune system ( Gombart et al., 2020 ).

In concern with obesity, there is a negative relationship between BMI and the intake of trace elements identified in obese people ( Farhat et al., 2019 ). Therefore, obesity has a strong correlation with an increased risk of infectious diseases accompanied by severe complications, elevated critical illnesses, and prolonged hospitalization ( Ritter et al., 2020 ). Systemic inflammatory reactions occur in covid 19 due to cytokine storms which leads to the imbalance of the immune system observed in obesity, and it contributes to a worse clinical outcome. Adipocytokines, mainly leptin, play an integral role in Immunity, as they influence the number and the function of immune cells through direct effects on cell metabolism ( Kim and Nam, 2020 ).

8. Influence of junk food during COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 lockdown had drastically altered the regular food pattern. When compared before pandemic, it shows both negative and beneficial impact on dietary practice associated with poor lifestyle management such as lack of physical activity and obesity. Nonetheless, poor eating habits were noticed such as changes in meal frequency and increased snacking with comfort foods (food bringing emotional comfort). It shows that alteration in dietary habits during the pandemic are at higher risk of further complications ( Bohlouli et al., 2021 ).

Since junk food tends to impact the immune system, it poses a greater risk during the pandemic. Children and adolescents who consume more junk food or are addicted to such consumption might be even more vulnerable during the third wave, which will especially affect the younger category (Janssen et al., 2021; Preethi et al., 2021 ).

9. Conclusion

Overweight and obesity are predominantly associated with numerous cardiac complications and are mostly mediated through the risk of metabolic syndrome. Obesity, like other malnutritional states, is known to impair immune function by altering leucocyte count as well as cell-mediated responses and causes organ damage. Not only is it causing physiological repressions, but it has significant psychological manifestations-that can damage a child's intellect and personality. Covibesity associated individuals are more prone to alteration of the immune system, and thus those people having junk food habits should be more cautious in this pandemic by maintaining health hygiene and getting vaccinated. It is to be noted that junk foods and packaging materials have drastic outcomes on health by impairing the immune system.

Thus, a combination of junk food, physical inactivity, and constant psychological stressors on children and adolescents during the pandemic makes them more vulnerable to increased weight along with decreased Immunity and thus an increased chance of infectivity during the third wave of COVID-19. There is an urgent need to spread awareness among children and young adults about these adverse effects of junk food, and they are not a good substitute for good healthy nourishment. There is no better time than now to build a supportive environment nurturing children and young adults in society and promising good health.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

AS: Methodology and Writing.

DD: Data curation and Review.

NG: Investigation and Resource.

LP: Writing and Editing.

SS: Conceptualization and Supervision.

This research received no grant from any funding agency.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise.

Acknowledgement

We extend our sincere thanks to all the health care professionals.

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Take it from the rats: A junk food diet can cause long-term damage to adolescent brains

A new USC-led study on rats that feasted on a high-fat, sugary diet raises the possibility that a junk food-filled diet in teens may disrupt their brains' memory ability for a long time.

"What we see not just in this paper, but in some of our other recent work, is that if these rats grew up on this junk food diet, then they have these memory impairments that don't go away," said Scott Kanoski, a professor of biological sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. "If you just simply put them on a healthy diet, these effects unfortunately last well into adulthood."

The study appears in the May issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity .

In developing the study, Kanoski and lead author and postdoctoral research fellow Anna Hayes considered that prior research has shown a link between poor diet and Alzheimer's disease. People who suffer from Alzheimer's disease tend to have lower levels of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine in the brain that is essential for memory and functions such as learning, attention, arousal and involuntary muscle movement.

The team wondered what this could mean for younger people who may be on a similar fat-filled, sugary Western diet, particularly during adolescence when their brain is undergoing significant development. By tracking the impact of the diet on the rats' levels of acetylcholine, and running the rats through some memory testing, they could learn more about the important relationship between diet and memory.

The researchers tracked the acetylcholine levels of a group of rats on a fatty, sugary diet and in a control group of rats by analyzing their brain responses to certain tasks designed to test their memory. The team examined the rats' brains post-mortem for signs of disrupted acetylcholine levels.

The memory test involved letting the rats explore new objects in different locations. Days later, the researchers reintroduced the rats to the scene that was nearly identical except for the addition of one new object. Rats on the junk food diet showed signs they could not remember which object they had previously seen, and where, while those in the control group showed familiarity.

"Acetylcholine signaling is a mechanism to help them encode and remember those events, analogous to 'episodic memory' in humans that allows us to remember events from our past," lead author Hayes explained. "That signal appears to not be happening in the animals that grew up eating the fatty, sugary diet."

Kanoski emphasized that adolescence is a very sensitive period for the brain when important changes are occurring in development. "I don't know how to say this without sounding like Cassandra and doom and gloom," he said, "but unfortunately, some things that may be more easily reversible during adulthood are less reversible when they are occurring during childhood."

There is at least some hope for intervention. Kanoski said that in another round of the study, the research team examined whether the memory damage in rats raised on the junk food diet could be reversed with medication that induces the release of acetylcholine. They used two drugs, PNU-282987 and carbachol, and found that with those treatments given directly to the hippocampus, a brain region that controls memory and is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease, the rats' memory ability was restored.

But without that special medical intervention, Kanoski said more research is needed to know how memory problems from a junk food diet during adolescence can be reversed.

In addition to Kanoski and Hayes, the team included other USC Dornsife researchers Logan Tierno Lauer, Alicia E. Kao, Molly E. Klug, Linda Tsan, Jessica J. Rea, Keshav S. Subramanian, Cindy Gu, Arun Ahuja, Kristen N. Donohue and Léa Décarie-Spain; Natalie Tanios of Keck School of Medicine of USC; as well as Anthony A. Fodor, Shan Sun of University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

The work was supported by the following: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grant DK123423 (SEK, AF), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grant DK104897 (SEK), Postdoctoral Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute on Aging F32AG077932 (AMRH), National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships (separate awards to LT and KSS), Quebec Research Funds postdoctoral fellowship 315201 (LDS) and the Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity AARFD-22-972811 (LDS).

• Diet and Weight Loss
• Alzheimer's Research
• Dieting and Weight Control
• Alzheimer's
• Animal Learning and Intelligence
• Raw food diet
• Developmental psychology
• Atkins Diet
• Healthy diet
• Neurobiology

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Southern California . Original written by Emily Gersema. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Anna M.R. Hayes, Logan Tierno Lauer, Alicia E. Kao, Shan Sun, Molly E. Klug, Linda Tsan, Jessica J. Rea, Keshav S. Subramanian, Cindy Gu, Natalie Tanios, Arun Ahuja, Kristen N. Donohue, Léa Décarie-Spain, Anthony A. Fodor, Scott E. Kanoski. Western diet consumption impairs memory function via dysregulated hippocampus acetylcholine signaling . Brain, Behavior, and Immunity , 2024; 118: 408 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.015

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Essay on Junk Food

Junk food is a term used to describe highly processed and refined food. It is generally considered less nutritious than natural foods. Junk food has been associated with obesity and causing serious health issues in children, along with the development of diseases such as diabetes. Junk food is not suitable for anyone. It is filled with sugar and other unhealthy ingredients that can cause diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Junk foods are also loaded with sodium, which is dangerous for people suffering from hypertension. Sometimes the calories in a junk food item can be deceiving because they will seem to satisfy hunger; instead, it fills our stomach and makes it harder to stop eating. BYJU’S essay on junk food in schools is a great tool to help the little ones understand the disadvantages of junk food.

Junk food is famous for being inexpensive processed food. The term is often used to insult unhealthy, unbalanced foods that contain high amounts of sugar, fat, and calories. Junk food usually contains added chemicals that can cause an imbalance in our bodies. Junk food also tends to be full of empty calories. Eating junk food regularly leads to weight gain, putting people at a higher risk of developing severe diseases. Now, let us learn from BYJU’S short essay on avoid junk food by understanding the harms caused by eating junk food.

Why Should We Avoid Junk Food?

Now, let us understand the demerits of junk food by reading BYJU’S effects of junk food on health essay. Junk food is not suitable for our bodies as it contains a lot of processed sugars, leading to weight gain. It also affects brain function, causing slower reaction times and memory loss. Many people are trying to be more aware of junk food, so they choose healthy alternatives like fruits and vegetables instead of unhealthy treats.

Besides the health issues, junk food can also be addicting. It contains high sugar levels, which can cause diabetes, and it is often filled with preservatives, artificial colours, flavours and other unhealthy additives. Junk food also has a high-calorie content and is usually made with processed ingredients that don’t provide many nutrients.

Junk food is a term that comes to mind when thinking about food that is high in calories and low in nutrients. It is not a good choice as it is something you have to avoid because of its detrimental effects on health. Junk food has been linked to many health issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and others. What starts as an innocent distraction from stress could become daily chaos for many people. However, healthy food is rich in nutrients and wholesome, unlike junk food.

Having junk food occasionally is not bad, but consuming it every day is bad for health. Healthy food might taste bland, but it’s good for your health. For more essays, worksheets , and other kids learning activities, visit BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is junk food bad.

Junk food is bad for a number of reasons, such as high levels of salt, sugar and fat. These ingredients make junk food taste good, but they make us unhealthy. Overeating these foods can cause obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health conditions.

How to avoid junk food?

There are many ways to avoid junk food, but the most critical step is knowing your portion sizes. When hungry, stick with whole grains like brown rice and quinoa and fill up on vegetables instead of chips or other high-carb snacks.

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