IMPACT OF JUNK FOOD ON CHILDREN

Shanki Kaundal*, Vatika Gupta and Umang Thakur

ABSTRACT

Junk food comprises of foods that are high in dietary fats, sugar, salt, but are relatively low in other important nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals or those which are nutritionally inappropriate. The most commonly consumed junk food items are bakery products, sweetened beverages, burgers, caffeinated drinks, chips, chocolates, noodles, pizza, and soft drinks. Junk food and its impact on children is a topic of concern for parents, health professionals and society as a whole. Junk food culture is an emerging trend among the younger generation. Junk food is extremely attractive to most children because of easy availability, the taste, comparatively lower price. Great taste, attractive appearance along with advertising has played a major role in attracting people particularly adolescents to the selling joints Since children typically do not understand the consequence of these unhealthy practices, it can be quite addictive. A PAN India survey organized by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) among 13,274 children between the ages 9–14 years reported that 93% of the children ate packed food and 68% consumed packaged sweetened beverages more than once a week, and 53% ate these products at least once in a day .Almost 25% of the School going children take ultra-processed food with high levels of sugar, salt, fat, such as pizza and burgers, from fast food outlets more than once a week.[1] Fast food consumption was reported by 97.5% students in a study done in China.[2] In a prospective study done in Lucknow, India, junk food consumption was found to be 98% in children.[3]

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