By Nomair Yawar and Ali Sultan

Junk food is the collection of fast food, snack foods, soft drinks and other high fat and high sugar foods that can lead to a range of health problems for children. All children need sufficient calories and nutrients to grow and by eating too much of fast food can be very damaging to a child’s health. A calorie is the measure of energy in food. Junk food often has many calories than normal home cooked foods. Unhealthy food increases excessive calories and decreases nutrition.

Fast food often has fewer nutrients than normal foods. The children who eat a lot of junk food tend to eat fewer fruit, vegetables and milk. Fruit, vegetables and milk contain important nutrients that children need, those who eat junk food may experience nutritional deficiencies. They grow very fat, but do not have enough power and strength; very important for life.

These overweight children are at higher risk of developing other health problems. While eating junk food can be unhealthy, it also appears to make children happy. The children, who consume fast food and soft drinks, tend to be happy. This exchange suggests a complex relationship between children and fast food, involving not just physical health and nutrition but also mental health and happiness. Such children never eat home cooked food because they feel it does not give them happiness. So fast food also affects you psychologically.

The obstructive effects of fast foods are countless. Junk food leads to obesity. It is not the same as being overweight. Obesity contributes to the undesirable fat in our body. This will make you look lazy, idle and sluggish.

People who consume junk food four or more times the same week un wontedly increase the risk of dying from heart attacks. The reason behind this is that fast foods contain saturated fats.  Those fats can clog the arteries and, over time, contribute to high cholesterol levels.

Fast food can cause peptic ulcer disease to form. For almost 100 years, doctors believed that stress, spicy foods, and alcohol caused most ulcers. Fast Foods which may cause Ulcer are Pizzas, Chips, etc. Fast food can be consumed at any time or some time twice or thrice a day, while home cooked food is served at proper time which provides an opportunity to rest after eating. Other harmful effects of usage of fast food include waste of money, loss of appetite, lack of essential nutrients and stress.

We need to minimize the consumption of junk food as much as we can. Switching to home-cooked food and vegetables is very beneficial. Usage of fast food once a week is all right. Fruits and fresh vegetables can ensure a healthy and long life.