Junk foods are energy-dense and low-nutrient foods that contain little to no protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and grains. Junk food overconsumption can have detrimental effects on your health. Junk food has never been more affordable and accessible than it is now. It is advertised in a very articulate way which persuades people to think it’s good for you. Children especially are vulnerable to junk food overconsumption. Junk food is tasty and convenient, allowing it to replace home-cooked nutritious meals.

Long-Term Impact

Eating junk food constantly for an extended period will cause long-term damage to an individual’s health. For example, saturated fat is a nutrient heavily associated with junk/processed food. A high saturated fat intake is linked to high levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, which can cause heart disease. Studies have shown that people who intake lower amounts of saturated fat have lower cholesterol levels than people who intake high amounts.

Frequent junk food consumption also increases the chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where too much sugar/glucose is circulating throughout the blood and your pancreas cannot produce enough insulin(a hormone that regulates glucose). Because your body can’t produce enough insulin, there is nothing to regulate the excess sugar. This leads to health issues in the immune, nervous, and circulatory systems. Hypertension is a condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is a lot higher than average. The force of the blood pushing against the arterial walls is just too high. The heart has to start working harder to pump more blood, leading to an increased risk of stroke and heart attacks

Summary

Junk food is detrimental to your health in the short and long term. Consistently eating junk food is a problem, especially in the U.S., where 33% of citizens are obese. Junk food tends to be tastier and more affordable, which is why it is so attractive to people even when they know it is bad for them. To decrease the amount of processed food eaten, individuals should try to incorporate more whole and high-fiber foods into their diets like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

References

The Impacts of Junk Food on Health · Frontiers for Young Minds (frontiersin.org)

 Junk food and your health | healthdirect

 Why Do You Love Junk Food? And How to Limit Intake (verywellfit.com)

The Bad Effects Of Eating Junk Food | How To Change Your Diet (southgatemedical.com.au)