Childhood Obesity and Fast Food: Health Risks Explained

Introduction: A Growing Health Crisis

There is a major concern threatening the health and well-being of children across the United States: obesity. Childhood obesity rates have risen dramatically over the past two decades (Ebbeling et al. 473) and are now reaching levels that constitute an international public health crisis. Modern research has explored many possible factors behind this increase. One of the most undeniable contributors is an unhealthy diet filled with trans fats and sugar, particularly within the context of fast food consumption. As more and more children eat greater quantities of fast food, they are exposed to serious risk factors that can lead to obesity during childhood — a condition that will, in many cases, follow them into adulthood.

Fast Food and the Rise of Childhood Obesity

Empirical studies and modern research have only begun to uncover the link between fast food and rising rates of childhood obesity. The increasing popularity of fast food chains across the country and around the globe has coincided with rising obesity rates. Both children and adults are adversely affected by the poor dietary choices associated with fast food consumption. However, children often lack the cognitive understanding to recognize what they are putting into their bodies and how those choices can affect them today and throughout their lives. According to the research, "Fast food has become a prominent feature of the diet of children in the United States and, increasingly, throughout the world" (Bowman et al. 112).

As more children are exposed to the trans fats and sugars found in fast food, they face a greater risk of weight problems and obesity. Fast foods are filled with saturated fats and trans fats (Ebbeling et al. 476), and fast food meals carry dangerous levels of calories alongside these nutritionally harmful fats. These types of fats are among the worst a person can consume; they tend to convert to stored weight rather than usable energy, especially when a child does not incorporate sufficient physical activity into daily life. Children who consume above-average amounts of fast food also tend to take in more sugary drinks and fewer positive dietary elements, such as protein (Bowman et al. 116).

Many studies have examined the role of fast food in this growing health danger. The research suggests that "results of several studies indicate an association between fast-food consumption and total energy intake or bodyweight in adolescents and adults" (Ebbeling et al. 476). Over-consumption of the fatty foods found in fast food restaurant chains is having an adverse effect on children's health and leading many into a lifelong struggle with obesity that persists into adulthood (Bowman et al. 117).

Eating habits can be heavily shaped by parental involvement (Ebbeling et al. 476). Parents who tolerate high fast food consumption in the household contribute to the problem when they are unable or unwilling to limit their children's intake of these foods. Addressing childhood obesity, therefore, requires not only awareness of the dietary dangers of fast food but also a commitment from parents to model and enforce healthier eating choices at home.