Junk food

C o l e g i o G a r c í a f l a m e n c o

D i e g o J a v i e r f l o r e s v a l i e n t e

F a b r i c i o A l b e r t o e s c a m i l l a

O c t a v o g r a d o B

Junk food

Junk food is a derisive slang term for food that is of little

nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar, salt, and

calories. It is widely believed that the term was coined by

Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the

Public Interest, in 1972.

Junk foods typically contain high levels of calories from

sugar or fat with little protein, vitamins or minerals. Foods

commonly considered junk foods include salted snack

foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried fast food, and

sugary carbonated beverages. Many foods such as

hamburgers, pizza, and tacos can be considered either

healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and

preparation methods with the more highly processed items

usually falling under the junk food category. What is and is

not junk food can also depend on the person's class and

social status, with wealthier people tending to have a

broader definition while lower-income consumers may see

fewer foods as junk food, especially certain ethnic foods

A study by Paul Johnson and Paul Kenny at the Scripps

Research Institute in 2008 suggested that junk food

consumption alters brain activity in a manner similar to

addictive drugs like cocaine or heroin.

A report published in the Journal of the Federation of

American Societies for Experimental Biology suggests that

babies of mothers with a high-sugar and high-fat diet while

pregnant are more prone to junk food themselves

A new study shows that curbing sales of junk food and

sugary drinks at schools may help slow the spread of

childhood obesity

Consequence of junk food:

Cardiovascular Problems

1- Your body needs some fat for health, but junk food

provides primarily fats that harm your health. Foods

like hamburgers, pizza, ice cream and potato chips

contain large amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol,

which in excess may put you at risk for heart disease.

Tran’s fats, too, can raise heart disease risk. These

man-made, processed fats are common in commercial

baked goods, such as cookies and crackers, along with

potato chips and microwave popcorn. Processed,

packaged foods are often high in salt, or sodium.

Excess sodium in your diet can increase your risk of

high blood pressure and stroke.

Eating disorder:

2-An eating disorder is a condition defined by abnormal

eating habits that may involve either insufficient or

excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual's

physical and mental health. Bulimia nervosa and anorexia

nervosa are the most common specific forms in the United

Kingdom. Bulimia nervosa is a disorder characterized by

binge eating and purging, and anorexia nervosa is

characterized by immoderate food restriction and irrational

fear of gaining weight. Though primarily thought of as

affecting females (an estimated 5–10 million being affected

in the U.K.), eating disorders affect males as well. An

estimated 10 – 15% of people with eating disorders are

males (Gorgan, 1999). (An estimated 1 million U.K. males

being affected).

Insulin Resistance

A diet that provides large amounts of processed

carbohydrates like those in candy, commercial baked goods

and potato chips promotes insulin resistance. In insulin

resistance, some cells no longer respond to insulin, which

leads to high blood sugar, increasing risk of diabetes. High-

glycemic-index foods, which cause a rapid rise in blood

sugar levels, promote diabetes and heart disease. High-

glycemic-index junk foods include potato products, hard

candy, sugary breakfast cereals and white flour products

such as donuts and cookies.