Junk Food – How Bad

Junk food refers to fast foods which are easy to make and easy to consume. They are zero in nutritional value .They have only fats lying in it causing ill effects on the health of the consumer. The taste is the most attractive feature in junk foods. But these are very harmful to our body and health.Junk foods are popular because of their simplicity to manufacture, consume and of course, their taste. People have their own notions about a certain food being listed as junk. However, chocolates, burgers, pizzas, potato wafers and fries will surely find their way into everyone's list.

Why Does Junk Food Lead To Adverse Effects?The fat contents have high cholesterol levels, high sugar and sodium salts, that have deleterious effects on health. High calorie content with sugar can lead to obesity. Cholesterol and salt causes high blood pressure, stroke and heart diseases. Excessive salts can affect functioning of kidneys too.

Harmful Effects of Junk Food Lack of energy: As junk foods don't provide you with essential nutrients, even though they can be

very much sufficing, you feel weakened. Poor concentration: When you have a junk meal rich in oil you feel drowsy and fail to concentrate

because blood circulation drops due to fat accumulation. Heart Diseases: Junk food diet is a major cause of heart diseases. Myocardial infarction is due to

plaque formation in arteries which demands heart to put in extra effort to pump blood. Heart fatigues by the continuous extra effort it makes and it suffers oxygen supply.

High Cholesterol: High cholesterol from junk food damages our heart, liver and brain.

Hypertension: High salt and cholesterol may cause hypertension and strokes.

How to Avoid Junk FoodClever junk food advertising and the lure of convenience in addition to taste get people to junk food addiction. Awareness on junk food facts is lacking dramatically in every corner of the society. Here are some useful tips to avoid junk foods.

Junk food and children have a strange affinity to each other. This is partly so owing to junk food advertising. Do not let children to get habituated to junk foods.

Controlling children from eating junk foods in schools is another step that helps in a long term. Schools administration along with parents has a responsibility to educate children about junk foods in schools.

Keeping good food nearby and having meals right on time may help in this direction. Healthy and nutritious snacks like fresh fruits, dry fruits, rajma-rice, curd-rice should be available

easily to children. Develop awareness for fitness.

Now it is in your hands choose junk food or health.

Dr. Ravi MalikM.B.B.S.,M.D. (Paed)

Sr. Child SpecialistConvener Medical Education, IMA-National

Asstt Secretery General, IMA-National