Junk food is a pejorative term for food containing
high levels of calories from sugar or fat with
little protein, vitamins or minerals.
Use of the term implies that a particular food has little "nutritional
value" and contains excessive fat, sugar, salt, and calories.[1][2][3] Junk food
can also refer to high protein food containing large amounts of meat prepared
with, for example, too much unhealthy saturated
fat;[citation needed] many
hamburger outlets, fried chicken outlets and the like supply food considered
junk food.Despite being labeled as "junk," such
foods usually do not pose any immediate health concerns and are generally safe
when integrated into a well balanced diet.[5] However,
concerns about the negative health effects resulting from the consumption of a
"junk food"-heavy diet have resulted in public
health awareness campaigns, and restrictions onadvertising and sale
in several countries.Origin of
the termThe term junk food dates
back at least to the early 1950s,[9] although
it has been reported that it was coined in 1972 by Michael F. Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public
Interest.[3] In 1952,
it appeared in a headline in the Lima, Ohio, News, "Candy, Cake, 'Junk Foods'
Cause Serious Malnutrition," for a reprint of a 1948 article from the
Ogden, Utah, Standard-Examiner, originally headlined, "Dr. Brady’s Health
Column: More Junk Than Food." In it, Dr. Brady writes, "What Mrs. H
calls 'junk' I call cheat food. That is anything made principally of (1) white
flour and or (2) refined white sugar or syrup. For example, white bread,
crackers, cake, candy, ice cream soda, chocolate malted, sundaes, sweetened
carbonated beverages."[10] The term cheat
food can be traced back in newspaper mentions to at
least 1916.[11]
DefinitionAndrew F. Smith, in his book, Encyclopedia
of Junk Food and Fast Food defines junk food as "those
commercial products, including candy, bakery goods, ice cream, salty snacks,
and soft drinks, which have little or no nutritional value but do have plenty
of calories, salt, and fats. While not all fast foods are junk foods, most are.
Fast foods are ready-to-eat foods served promptly after ordering. Some fast
foods are high in calories and low in nutritional value, while other fast
foods, such as salads, may be low in calories and high in nutritional
value."[12]Foods commonly considered junk foods include salted snack
foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried fast
food, and sugary carbonated beverages.[13] Many
foods such as hamburgers, pizza, and tacos can be
considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and
preparation methods.[14] The more
highly processed items
usually fall under the junk food category,[15] including
breakfast cereals that are mostly sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and white
flour or milled corn.[16]Especially in the case of ethnic foods, a
classification as "junk food" could be perceived as rather offensive,
given that such foods may have been prepared and consumed for centuries and may
contain healthy ingredients.[citation needed] In the
book, Panic Nation: Unpicking the Myths We're Told About Food and
Health, a
complementary point is argued: food is food, and if there is no nutritional
value, then it isn't a food of any type, "junk" or otherwise.[17] Co-editor
Vincent Marks explains, "To label a food as 'junk' is just another way of
saying, 'I disapprove of it.' There are bad diets - that is, bad mixtures and
quantities of food - but there are no 'bad foods' except those that have become
bad through contamination or deterioration."[18]Popularity
and appeal[edit]Junk food in its various forms is extremely
popular, and an integral part of modern popular culture. In the US, annual fast
food sales are in the area of $160 billion,[19] compared
to supermarket sales of $620 billion[20](a figure which also includes
junk food in the form of convenience
foods, snack foods, and candy). In 1976, "Junk
Food Junkie," the tale of a junk food addict who pretends to
follow a healthy diet by day, while at night he clandestinely gorges on Hostess
Twinkies and Fritos corn
chips, McDonalds and KFC, became a Top 10
pop hit in the US.[21] Thirty-six
years later, Time placed
the Twinkie at #1 in its "Top 10 Iconic Junk Foods" special feature:
"Not only...a mainstay on our supermarket shelves and in our bellies,
they've been a staple in our popular culture and, above all, in our hearts.
Often criticized for its lack of any nutritional value whatsoever, the Twinkie
has managed to persevere as a cultural and gastronomical icon."[22]America also celebrates an annual National Junk
Food Day on July 21. Origins are unclear; it is one of around 175 US food and
drink days, most created by "people who want to sell more food," at
times aided by elected officials at the request of a trade association or
commodity group.[23]) "In honor of the
day," Time in 2014 published, "5 Crazy
Junk Food Combinations." Headlines from other national and local media
coverage include: "Celebrate National Junk Food Day With… Beer-Flavored
Oreos?" (MTV);[24] "National
Junk Food Day: Pick your favorite unhealthy treats in this poll"
(Baltimore);[25] "Celebrities'
favorite junk food" (Los Angeles);[26] "A
Nutritionist's Guide to National Junk Food Day" with "Rules for
Splurging" (Huffington Post);[27] and
"It's National Junk Food Day: Got snacks?" (Kansas City).[28]That the poor eat more junk food overall than the
more affluent is quite well-established, but the reasons for this are not
clear.[29] Few
studies have focused on variations in food perception according to
socio-economic status (SES); some studies that have differentiated based on SES
suggest that the economically challenged don't perceive healthy food much
differently than any other segment of the population.[30]Recent research into scarcity,
combining behavioral science and economics, suggests that, faced with extreme
economic uncertainty, where even the next meal may not be a sure thing,
judgment is impaired and the drive is to the instant gratification of junk
food, rather than to making the necessary investment in the longer-term
benefits of a healthier diet. Health effectsThe
excess fat, carbohydrates, and processed sugar found in junk food contributes
to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight
gain, and many other chronic health conditions.[33] Also
consumers tend to eat too much at one sitting and consumers who have satisfied
their appetite with junk food are less likely to eat healthy foods like fruit, vegetables or dairy products.[34]Testing on rats has
indicated negative effects of junk food that may manifest likewise in people. A Scripps Research Institute study in
2008 suggested that junk food consumption alters brain activity in a manner
similar to addictive drugs like cocaine and heroin.
After many weeks with unlimited access to junk food, the pleasure centers of
rat brains became desensitized, requiring more food for pleasure; after the
junk food was taken away and replaced with a healthy
diet, the rats starved for two weeks instead of eating nutritious
fare.[35][36] A 2007
study in the British Journal of Nutrition found
that female rats who eat junk food during pregnancy increased the likelihood of
unhealthy eating habits in their offspring.[37]Anti-junk
food measuresA number of countries have adopted, or are
considering, various forms of legislated action to curb junk food consumption.
In 2014, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Anand
Grover, released his report, "Unhealthy foods, non-communicable diseases
and the right to health,” and called for governments to "take measures,
such as developing food and nutrition guidelines for healthy diets, regulating
marketing and advertising of junk food, adopting consumer-friendly labelling of
food products, and establishing accountability mechanisms for violations of the
right to health."[38]An early, high-profile and controversial attempt to
identify and curb junk food in the American diet was launched by the so-called
McGovern Committee, formally, the United
States Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, between
1968 and 1977, chaired by Senator George
McGovern. Initially formed to investigate malnutrition and hunger in
the US, the committee's scope progressively expanded to include environmental
conditions that affected eating habits, like urban
decay,[39] then
focused on the diet and nutritional habits of the American public. It
criticized the use of salt, sugar and fat in processed foods, noted problems
with overeating and the high percentage of ads for junk food on TV, and stated
that bad eating habits could be as deadly as smoking. The findings were heavily
criticized and rebutted from many directions, including the food industry, the American Medical Association,
and within the committee itself. In 1977, the committee issued public
guidelines under the title, Dietary Goals for the United
States, which
became the predecessor to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published every five years
beginning in 1980 by the US Department of Health and Human Services.TaxationSee also: Fat
tax and Soda
tax
Advertising
restrictionJunk food advertising to children is a contentious
issue. In "The Impact of Advertising on Childhood Obesity," the
American Psychological Association reports: "Research has found strong
associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious foods and
rates of childhood obesity."[49] In the
UK, efforts to increasingly limit or eliminate advertising of foods high in
sugar, salt or fat at any time when children may be viewing are ongoing.Controversy over junk food promotions during
Australian cricket matches was reported in the news media in early 2015. A Wollongong University study
showed that junk food sponsors were mentioned over 1,000 times in a single
match broadcast, which included ads and branding worn on players' uniforms and
on the scoreboard and pitch. A coalition of Australian obesity, cancer and
diabetes organizations called on Cricket
Australia, the sport's governing body, to "phase out
sponsorships with unhealthy brands," emphasizing that cricket is a
"healthy, family-oriented sport" with children in the audience.
Fast food hamburgers are high in calories in low in nutritional value.
Junk food is food that is calorie-dense and nutrient poor. In recent decades, junk food, fast food and convenience food consumption in the United States have increased dramatically, with 25 percent of people now consuming predominantly junk food diets. This trend has occurred concurrently with rising epidemics of numerous chronic diseases and accounts for a long list of reasons why eating junk food is bad.
Obesity
Junk food plays a major role in the obesity epidemic. By the year 2050, the rate of obesity in the U.S. is expected to reach 42 percent, according to researchers at Harvard University. Children who eat fast food as a regular part of their diets consume more fat, carbohydrates and processed sugar and less fiber than those who do not eat fast food regularly. Junk food in these children's diets accounts for 187 extra calories per day, leading to 6 additional pounds of weight gain per year. Obesity increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many other chronic health conditions.
Diabetes
Your insulin levels become elevated when you eat processed sugars, such as those in soft drinks, white flour and other foods devoid of fiber and nutrients necessary to properly metabolize carbohydrates. Eating junk foods throughout the day causes chronically high insulin levels, which eventually prompts your cells to begin to ignore this important hormone, resulting in a condition known as insulin resistance. Ultimately, obesity and Type 2 diabetes may set in. Since the 1980s, Type 2 diabetes, which was minimal in teenagers, has risen to 15 percent.
Depression
Junk food may lead to depression in teenagers, according to Andrew F. Smith, author of the book "Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of What We Love to Eat." Hormonal changes at puberty make teens more susceptible to mood and behavioral swings. A healthy diet plays a part in keeping hormone levels on an even keel, while a diet high in junk food falls short of these requirements. Consuming trans fats, saturated fats and processed food is associated with up to 58 percent increase in risk of depression.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Processing that removes vitamins, minerals and fiber makes junk foods into the sources of empty calories that nutritionists disparage. Children who eat a lot of junk foods may develop nutritional deficiencies that lead to low energy, mood swings, sleep disturbance and poor academic achievement, among other health conditions, according to the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.
Sodium
High sodium levels are a defining characteristic of many junk foods and one of the contributing factors to the overconsumption of salt that typifies the Western diet and contributes to high blood pressure and heart, liver and kidney diseases, according to Harvard Health Publications. The average American eats five to 10 times more salt than the 2,300 milligrams per day recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Considering the high rates of high blood pressure among Americans, that level should be even lower -- about 1,500 milligrams per day -- for 70 percent of adults. However, the trend since 1988 shows that fewer people with hypertension adhere to a low-sodium diet now than did then.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junk_food
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