New research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health suggests that indulging in just one fast food meal per week increases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 20 percent compared to those who abstain from it. Does who take it four or more times a week has 80 percent increase compared to those who don’t yield to the temptation. The statistics come from Chinese residents of Singapore, which the Minnesota team described as “a hotbed for diabetes and heart disease.” The investigators examined data collected over 16 years beginning in 1993 and followed the eating habits of 52,000 individuals. Another surprise: the study participants who reported eating the most fast food were younger, better educated, smoked less and were more likely to be physically active – a profile the researchers noted is normally associated with lower cardio-metabolic risk.
Though eating of fast food is part of our lifestyle. in a study published in the April 2004 issue of the “Journal of the American College of Nutrition.” Eating too much of it have health consequences. A number of studies have linked fast food to health problems, It including an increased risk of obesity, poor nutrition, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. It’s advisable to limit the consumption to reduce health risks.
Higher Risk of Obesity
In a large study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the January 2005 issue of “Lancet,” young adults who consumed it more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds than those who had it less than once a week. The study in April 2004 issue of the “Journal of American College of Nutrition” found that adults ages 20 and older who frequently ate fast food had higher body mass indexes than those who consumed it less. A small order of fries and a large hamburger of it has about 800 calories, and sweetened soft drinks, which are often sold with fast food meals, have been linked to obesity in several studies.
Higher Risk of Poor Nutrition
Data from more than 17,000 adults and children analyzed and published in the October 2003 issue of the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association” showed that those who frequently consumed it had lower intakes of vitamins A and C, dietary fiber, milk and fruits and vegetables than subjects who don’t it. The fast-food eaters also had higher intakes of calories, saturated fat and sodium than the other subjects. Consumption of carbonated soft drinks was more than double for the frequent fast food eaters, who also consumed more than twice the amount of fried potatoes as those who don’t.
Risk of Diabetes and Stroke
It incidence of insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes, in the 2005 study published in “Lancet,” and a 2010 Harvard report linked sweetened soft drinks with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, the risk of stroke may be related to the number of fast food restaurants in a neighborhood, according to a study published in the “Annals of Neurology” in 2009. The study found the risk of stroke increased by 1 percent for every fast food restaurant in a Texas neighborhood. It is loaded with sodium, which increases the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.