Is there in truth a connection between childhood obesity and fast food? The answer will deviate depending upon whom you ask. Evidently the fast food industry would like to deny such an association. But parents had best consider the facts. Obesity isn't just a problem of how a child looks. It also stands for many dangerous and often fatal health conditions. Being heavy is associated with asthma, arthritis, joint damage, cardiopathy, diabetes, many types of cancer, gout, sleep apnea, respiratory distress, and chronic pain. So, thinking about whether or not childhood obesity and fast food are related can mean saving a child's health. Let's look at this subject a bit closer.
One reason to believe that there's a link between childhood obesity and fast food is that obesity is a modern-day problem. Doctors have never observed as many cases of it in the past as they do now. It seems as if it's no happenstance that we also have more fast food restaurants now than ever before! These restaurants are on just about every corner in the U.S. They are even inside of many other businesses such as retail stores, libraries, office buildings, and even schools. But the number of restaurants and the number of cases of children being overweight does not itself prove that there's a connection between childhood obesity and fast food.
Even so, you would do well to look at the types of foods served up at fast food restaurants. With this in mind, the association between childhood obesity and fast food may be more obvious. About all items on a fast food menu are very calorie-dense. This means that they provide a lot of calories for the measure of food you're getting. Almost all average sized hamburgers have about 500 or more calories. Compare that to a turkey sandwich on wheat bread which might have around 200 calories. And, naturally, along with the hamburger comes fries and a soda, and maybe even a milkshake or dessert.
The link between childhood obesity and fast food becomes obvious when you think about how frequently children consume these types of meals. Just one fast food meal can hold a full day's worth of calories. A child that consumes these meals several times per week or more than one per day can mean they're literally eating thousands of extra calories per week.
The number of calories that a person will typically devour at a fast food restaurant is an obvious connection between childhood obesity and fast food. If a child is active sufficient to burn the extra calories it might not be a problem. But a lot of children nowadays live very inactive lives, sitting in front of the television screen during their spare time rather than being outside playing. While the connection between childhood obesity and fast food is obvious, the food isn't the only culprit or cause to the problem. A parent had best get their child up and active in order to preserve his or her health.
One reason to believe that there's a link between childhood obesity and fast food is that obesity is a modern-day problem. Doctors have never observed as many cases of it in the past as they do now. It seems as if it's no happenstance that we also have more fast food restaurants now than ever before! These restaurants are on just about every corner in the U.S. They are even inside of many other businesses such as retail stores, libraries, office buildings, and even schools. But the number of restaurants and the number of cases of children being overweight does not itself prove that there's a connection between childhood obesity and fast food.
Even so, you would do well to look at the types of foods served up at fast food restaurants. With this in mind, the association between childhood obesity and fast food may be more obvious. About all items on a fast food menu are very calorie-dense. This means that they provide a lot of calories for the measure of food you're getting. Almost all average sized hamburgers have about 500 or more calories. Compare that to a turkey sandwich on wheat bread which might have around 200 calories. And, naturally, along with the hamburger comes fries and a soda, and maybe even a milkshake or dessert.
The link between childhood obesity and fast food becomes obvious when you think about how frequently children consume these types of meals. Just one fast food meal can hold a full day's worth of calories. A child that consumes these meals several times per week or more than one per day can mean they're literally eating thousands of extra calories per week.
The number of calories that a person will typically devour at a fast food restaurant is an obvious connection between childhood obesity and fast food. If a child is active sufficient to burn the extra calories it might not be a problem. But a lot of children nowadays live very inactive lives, sitting in front of the television screen during their spare time rather than being outside playing. While the connection between childhood obesity and fast food is obvious, the food isn't the only culprit or cause to the problem. A parent had best get their child up and active in order to preserve his or her health.
About the Author:
For a free guide to healthful cooking, visit Facts About Childhood Obesity. For more information about some of the causes of childhood obesity visit Facts About Childhood Obesity.
