Junk Food Consumption among Young Children: A Nutritional Issue - Research Paper Example

Junk Food Consumption among Young Children: A Nutritional Issue al Affiliation Junk Food Consumption among Young Children: A Nutritional Issue Introduction After the infancy, mid-childhood (7-10 years of age) to mid adolescence (15-17 years of age), children go through massive cognitive, emotional, and hormonal changes. During this period of rapid physical and mental growth, body requires significant amount of nutrients and calories. Also, it is the period when greater food habit and lifestyle changes occur which directly affect nutrient intake and overall health of children (Arya & Mishra, 2013, p. 26-27). Poor nutrition during any of development stages of young children can cause long-lasting effects on their physical and psychological development, triggering various disorders such as, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, anxiety, depression, poor concentration, impaired educational performance, and lowered learning ability (Arya & Mishra, 2013, p. 26-31). Eating junk food has become a trend in today’s modern society. Commercial food products that have little or absolutely no nutrient amount but do have a lot of calories, fats, and salt are considered as junk food. Fast food, i.e., processed food that can be quickly prepared and served immediately after ordering, is also another type of junk food as it usually consists of high amount of calories, fats, and salt and low nutrient value due to extra emphasis on speed, use of low cost ingredients for specific flavor which often possess low nutrient value, and excessive consumption of saturated oil, causing significant negative effects on health (Kaur et al., 2014, p. 46). Junk food industry is one of the leading economic industries in the world. Today, many food companies do aggressive marketing of their products. Celebrities, attractive offers, gifts are used to promote junk food products among people, especially young children as they are more prone to such advertisements. Today, many children have become addicted to junk food and even eat it as their main meal. Junk food, especially fast food, is significantly affecting the overall health of today’s children (Arya & Mishra, 2013, p. 26-27). The purpose of this paper is to highlight the nutritional issue of high consumption of junk food among young children with the help of various research and studies. On the basis of research findings, the paper will present some recommendations to tackle with the issue. Prevalence Today, junk food can be identified everywhere and young generation is consuming it in record quantities. Ready-made snack foods, gum, candy, commercial sweet desserts, carbonated beverages, and fast food are some great examples of junk food. The prevalence of fast food culture in the United States has been extraordinary. From its origin in the late 1940s in the region of Southern California, fast food has become a crucial part of the American lifestyle (DeMaria, 2003, p. 1227). It has found that the US citizens spend more dollars on the fast food than on books, magazines, newspapers, recorded music, videos, and movies combines, which was about $112 billion in 2001. Average 4 orders of French fires and 3 hamburgers are consumed weekly by the average US citizen. McDonald’s Corporation, one of the leading fast food companies, alone operates over 30,000 fast food restaurants all over the world, hiring more employees (around 1 million) than any other US business per annum, and is the country’s largest purchaser of potatoes and beef (DeMaria, 2003, p. 1227). Fast food industry first started to infiltrate rural communities and urban neighborhoods after the oil embargo of 1973, when oil shortage made many people to believe that the fall of automobile culture had begun (Freeman, 2007, p. 2226). During the economic recession when the stock market value of McDonald started to drop drastically, it shifted the focus of its fast food chain from just highways to suburbs and urban centers in pursuit of new, more reliable markets. This shift in combination of lack of transportation to rural areas and suburbs communities and comparably higher prices of local grocery stores and markets has made fast food the primary or dominant food in most of the urban, low income communities (Freeman, 2007, p. 2226-2227). Today, the leading fast food brands such as McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King are adopting various strategic marketing methods for their expansion from aggressive advertising to the application of advanced cartographic software that locates school districts and growing urban regions (Freeman, 2007, p. 2226). The fast-food is not only limited to drive-through and restaurants, but also served in schools, colleges, airports, hospitals, supermarkets, trains, airplanes, stadiums, and amusement centers. The fast food industry had grown over 20 times from $6 billion in 1970 to over $112 billion in 2001 and it is still growing rapidly (Freeman, 2007, p. 2224). Today, one-third of the US population visits a fast food restaurant each day (Cummins & Macintyre, 2006, p. 101). Also, the US fast food brands have rapidly grown across the world, generating and responding to an enormous demand for American fast food that is consistent in taste and low in prices. High consumption of junk and fast food is the major cause of obesity and overweight among 25% of young American children. High accessibility and availability of junk food is strongly related with the 300% increase in the rate of obesity in the US in the last few years (Kaur et al., 2014, p. 46). Each day over 10 junk food-related advertisements are watched by young children, i.e., over 4000 per year. Due to such aggressive marketing of junk food companies, almost 42% of children’s diet in the US is made up of high saturated fatty and sugary foods. Almost 25% of obese children in the US are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. According to medical studies, children who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at age 10 may lose 18 to 28 years from their overall life expectancy (Dalton, 2007, p. 1). Today’s young generation is considered to be first generation with shorter life expectancy than their parent’s generation (Dalton, 2007, p. 1). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if present trend continues, more than one-third of US citizens will have diabetes by 2051 (Prevention Institute, 2014). Moreover, within next 20 years, healthcare costs due to poor nutrition and unhealthy eating habits could vary from $870 billion to $ 960 billion, which would be over 20% of overall healthcare costs, or 1 in every 6 dollars spent on healthcare (Prevention Institute, 2014). Methodology In order to identify the severe negative effects of junk food on young children, five basic criteria are set, namely, microbiological quality of junk food, childhood behavioral issues associated with junk food diet, effects on cognitive and physical development of young children, food neophobia associated with unhealthy eating habits, and fast food friendly but sufficient nutrient diet. Based on these 5 criteria, scholarly research and studies associated with it were identified by means of online library and internet search. The studies involved over 1000 children of the age group 4-16 years from the countries like, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and India. On the basis of studies, results are collected and analyzed together in overall research findings. With the help of collected data and research findings, appropriate recommendations are presented to tackle the issue of high junk food consumption among young children and improve the nutrient value of their diet. Literature Review Food safety is crucial for young children, but very few research and information are available about the microbiological quality of junk foods that are regularly consumed by schoolchildren. In order to identify the quality of junk foods in terms of nutrient value, Kim et al. (2013, p. 51) collected 1010 samples of different types of junk food that are largely sold in stationary and retails stores, and fast-food corners near primary schools in South Korea. The study of Kim et al. contributes to the development of the effective child food safety management systems. The research claims that various processed junk foods, which are high in calories and low in nutrient value, are readily sold at very low prices in stores and restaurants near schools and are easily available to children in Asia (Kim et al., 2013, p. 47-48). The study found that more than 55% of Korean children consumed junk foods more than once in every week and almost 67% of schoolchildren consumed them more than 4 times per week. The researchers claim that young children lack proper decision-making abilities and their food purchasing decisions are mainly influenced by bold colors, different shapes, tasty flavors, free gifts, photos of favorite characters on products, and attractive displays. Even parents tend to ignore nutritional value or food safety while purchasing food products for their children. As most of the junk foods are produced in small food-manufacturing companies with very poor hygiene standards and inadequate food safety measures, they consist of various dangerous microorganisms which are responsible for various diseases among children. Most of the cheap and junk foods in the US are imported from Asian countries (Kim et al., 2013, p. 48-49). According to the reports of CDC, outbreak of more than 18 food-related diseases in the last 5 years in the US were mainly from the foods that were imported from Asian countries. Children have comparably delicate immune system and their organs like, intestines and stomachs aren’t fully developed. Therefore, the presence of even a small quantity of food borne pathogens in food could cause serious diseases among young children (Kim et al., 2013, p. 47-50). In order to identify the childhood behavioral issues associated with junk food diet, the research group of the Avon Longitudinal conducted a study, involving 4000 participants of the age-group 4-5 years from the UK. The major behavior issues such as hyperactivity, peer and conduct issues, pro-social behavior, and emotional symptoms were examined. Regular consumption of junk foods in diet of participants is calculated (Wiles et al. 2009, p. 491). The study claims that a diet high in fast and junk foods may lead to rise and imbalance in blood sugar with connected symptoms of lethargy, hyperactivity, depression, and anxiety among young children. Often, doctors don’t investigate the root problems of psychological disorders among children and prescribe them with drugs and therapies that cause their own series of side effects on the health of young children. (Wiles et al. 2009, p. 491-492). The research of Kaur et al. (2014, p. 46) investigates different patterns and root causes of excessive junk food consumption among young children. According to the study, the dietary pattern of children from family background in which televisions viewing is a regular part of meal routines consist of fewer vegetables and fruits and more snack foods, pizza, and cold-drinks than the dietary pattern of children from family background in which eating and televisions viewing are separate activities (Kaur et al., 2014, p. 47). Most schoolchildren have easy access to junk foods and high sugar caffeinated beverages. Unfortunately, parents consider the consumption of such high calorie foods as a consequence of excessive load of studies and stress of school. However, the study has found that consumption of over 600 calories per day from sugary products lead to sugar addiction, triggering drowsiness and hyperactivity among children. According to the study, food lobbies are mainly responsible for the impaired food pyramid and the behavior consequences related to poor nutrition among young children in the last 10 years (Kaur et al., 2014, p. 47-49). Usually, low consumption of vegetables and fruits and unhealthy eating habits are linked with two major factors, i.e., ‘fussy/picky’ eating and food neophobia (Cooke et al., 2006, p. 1-2). Food neophobia is characterized as the reluctance to eat new foods, while ‘fussy/picky’ eaters are those who reject healthy amount of familiar and unfamiliar foods. Though there are various factors such as age, gender, personality, social surroundings, and personal desire that influence the development of such eating habits, high consumption of junk foods trigger them the most (Cooke et al., 2006, p. 1-4). Junk food is commonly blamed for the growing rates of obesity in the United States. The study of Rice et al. (2007, p. 884) claims that it is difficult to change the eating habits of children by means of extreme measures or forceful rejection of junk foods. Instead of cutting fast food completing from the diet of children, it is possible to create a diet that consist of specific fast foods in certain amount to balance between the enough requirements of calories and nutrition and food interests of children. For example, according to the recommended dietary intake, energy, protein, and folic acid, Vitamin C, Calcium requirements for children are around 1985 kcal, 10-35% of kcal, 400 µg, 75, and 1000 mg respectively. By adding certain fast food products such as, MacDonald’s fruit and yogurt parfait, Lay’s potato chips, small honey Bourbon chicken, Wendy’s fruit salad, steamed vegetable, Medley milk etc. in balanced amount, it is possible to fulfill energy, protein, and folic acid, Vitamin C, Calcium requirements up to 2000 kcal, 19% kcal, 466 µg, 329 mg, and 896 mg respectively (Rice et al., 2007, p. 884-885). Research Findings According to the research of Arya & Mishra (2013, p. 27), more than 25% of children in the US skip their breakfast during the school weeks. Also, merely 10% the schoolchildren bring lunch to school. As a result, almost 85% of schoolchildren in the US eat junk food which is cheap and easily available in the school premises. The study found that about 42% of adolescents don’t have dinner together with their family and about 22% children have dinner while watching TV. The study revealed that mass media significantly affects the eating habits of children. Children who eat enough amounts of fruits and vegetables are less likely to eat junk foods. Children with high consumption of junk food are found to be easily prone to various disorders such as obesity, overweight, hypertension, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and sever cardiovascular diseases (Arya & Mishra, 2013, p. 27-31). The study of Kim et al. (2013, p. 48-49) found that the dried and processed sea foods consists of high amount of aerobic plate counts, followed by other popular junk foods such as, dried cake, chocolates, ice creams, sugary foods, candies, and chewing gums. Also, bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogens, and Escherichia coli were identified in 60% of junk food samples. Such microorganisms can cause significant negative effects on the health of young children (Kim et al., 2013, p. 50-52). The studies of Wiles et al. (2009, p. 493-495) and Kaur et al. (2014, p. 49) found strong connection between high consumption junk food and impaired behavioral patterns and lowered cognitive development among schoolchildren. Also, the research of Cooke et al. (2006, p. 4-6) found that the development of food neophobia among children is strongly associated with low consumption of fruits and vegetables and high consumption of junk foods. Further, a suggested 5 day menu by Rice et al. (2007, p. 885-886) seen to be effective measure to tackle with the nutritional issue among today’s children. A diet consists of a combination of various popular fast food products in adequate quantity to fulfill the required nutrient demands without compromising with the cost and taste of foods. A recommended diet menu costs around $20 a day which is affordable to all social classes. Also, the research findings showed that the nutrient demands for young children were fulfilled to some extent with such diet (Rice et al., 2007, p. 886). Recommendations The research findings suggest that high accessibility of junk food and low availability of healthy foods can be a great barrier to healthy eating habits among children. Therefore, it is recommended to have easy accessibility and high availability of healthy food and beverages in public venues, especially in school premises. It is found that low cost and intense flavors increase the popularity of junk foods among children. It is necessary for the government to lower the taxes on healthy foods and make them available in affordable prices. Also, it is possible to attract children towards healthy foods by means of innovative dishes and healthy but tasty recipes. Nowadays, many celebrity chefs are attempting to create tasty and healthy recipes to improve the meals of children and discourage them from junk food consumption. It is necessary to provide easy access to supermarkets to people from rural areas in order to lower their dependency on junk foods. Local governments should implement the policies to encourage the production, distribution, and acquisition of fresh foods from local farms in the local markets. Besides encouraging healthy foods, it is necessary to restrict the availability of unhealthy junk foods in public venues. There should be strict regulations regarding the food quality and nutrient value of food products. In order to lower the consumption of junk food among children, it is necessary to lower the rate of junk food advertisements to which children are constantly exposed. The government should adopt policies to promote public awareness about the importance of breastfeeding, negative effects of junk food, importance of physical education and healthy eating habits. Also, it is possible to attract the children to healthy food products by providing gifts, attractive offers or adding such healthy foods in tasty dishes. In a way, it is necessary to adopt effective and innovative measures to lower the consumption of junk foods and promote healthy foods among children. Conclusion In conclusion, high consumption of cheap and unhealthy junk foods among young children is one of the greatest health issues in today’s world. Various studies and research have constantly highlighted the negative effects of junk food on the overall health of children. The rate of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and impaired cognitive behaviors is significantly higher among today’s children, raising significant threat the overall health of future generation. In order to build potential healthy society and lower the risks associated with junk foods, it is necessary to promote balanced diet and healthy foods among children by adopting suitable and effective methods. References Arya, G. & Mishra, S. (2013). Effects of junk food & beverages on adolescents health -A review article. IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 1(6), 26-32. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/5309068/Effects_of_Junk_Food_and_Beverages_on_Adolescents_Health_a_Review_Article Cooke, L., Carnell, S., & Wardle, J. (2006) Food neophobia and mealtime food consumption in 4-5 year old children. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity, 3(14), 1-6. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-3-14 Cummins, S., & Macintyre, S. (2006). Food environments and obesity-Neighborhood or nation? International Journal of Epidemiology, 35(1), 100-104. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyi276 Dalton, S. (2007, January). Our vulnerable children: Poor and overweight. Southern Medical Journal, 100(1), 1-2. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4c0e35a1-2b08-4665-8207-55f61626331a%40sessionmgr4004&vid=1&hid=4101 DeMaria, A. N. (2003). Of fast food and franchises. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 41 (7), 1227-1228. doi:10.1016/S0735-1097(03)00294 Freeman, A. (2007). Fast food: Oppression through poor nutrition. California Law Review, 95(6), 2221- 2259. Retrieved from http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/californialawreview/vol95/iss6/8/ Kaur, R., Kaur, B. P., Verma, R. K., & Kiran, U. V. (2014, September 1). Fast food and junk food culture, nutritional status and cognitive and abnormal behavior among teens. International Research Journal of Social Sciences, 3(9), 46-49. Retrieved from http://www.isca.in/IJSS/Archive/v3/i9/7.ISCA-IRJSS-2014-123.pdf Kim, M., Kim, S., Kang, Y., Hwang, I., & Rhee, M. (2013). Microbial diversity and prevalence of foodborne pathogens in cheap and junk foods consumed by primary schoolchildren. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 57(1), 47-53. doi:10.1111/lam.12075 Prevention Institute. (2014). The facts on junk food marketing and kids. preventioninstitute.org. 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