CHILD DEVELOPMENT JUNK FOOD - Essay Example

Running head: CHILD DEVELOPMENT JUNK FOOD Child Development Junk Food inserts his/her inserts the of his/her Customer inserts dateParents always keep a positive attitude towards the food habit of their children and they want their children to grow up energetic and strong. Therefore, people have the tendency to give more junk foods and other processed food items for their children. Junk foods are easily available foods and very high in carbohydrates and this promotes excessive fat. Excessive use of junk foods and processed foods in day to day life paved the way for serious health problems among the children.

Increasing rate of obesity, lower IQ, excessive use of artificial flavours, and the increasing rate of heart diseases, excessive blood pressure, and diabetes and cholesterol variations among the children give warning about the dangers of junk foods and it underlines the fact that junk foods have an effect on natural growth of children and it creates barriers in development process.Excessive use of junk foods affect development process and some studies endow with evidence that a considerable rate of difference in IQ level between children who practiced fast foods and children consumed vegetables and fruits.

Jenny Hope rightly remarks; “Children who eat more chips, crisps, biscuits and pizza before the age of three have a lower IQ five years later, a study showed” (Hope, 2011). Young children who followed junk foods forced to accept more fat in their body and they get few vitamins and nutrients. Consequently, their brain never develops to optimum level. Children having lower IQ level show poor academic performance in their learning activities. Sooner or later, they feel practical problems in acquiring various skills like critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, listening, speaking, reading and writing.

In case of physical health, junk foods put in severe health problems such as, obesity, depression, diabetes, and heart diseases. Generally, fast foods contain excessive amount of artificial flavours, colours, preservatives and other chemicals. All the above mentioned chemicals are not useful for human body. In addition, a child’s body is not capable to handle these chemicals. Development in scientific technology provides new facilities for cooking and these technological changes often forced the people to create a new food habit.

“These innovations contributed to a shift away from home-cooked meals toward processed food, thus increasing obesity” (Paxon, 2006, p.71). Healthcare officials and doctors have forced to practice improved diet through consuming fresh fruits, vegetables and grains. Obesity and related overweight problems create critical health problems in a child’s life. It negatively affects child’s academic performances as well as physical growth. A recent study reports that approximately 30 percent of North American children are obese.

The report also mentions that “In general, children eat too much, and much of what they eat is unhealthy” (Health in Motion, 2008). Unlike North American children, immigrant children consume few processed foods and eat more fresh foods and vegetables. As a result, immigrant children always keep better performance in their health than other children. Another significant problem is that junk foods have been connected to cholesterol and it paves the way for high blood pressure because of excessive sodium content.

High blood pressure increases the possibility of heart strokes and related heart diseases. Overwhelming use of processed foods creates barriers in the process of digestion and human body always forced to spend maximum energy for digestion. Discussions about the value of junk foods have acquired serious attention among the doctors as well as in media. Consumers are not aware about the quality of these processed foods and often used worst items. Producers of fast foods used high amount of sugar content which gives unusual fat in human body.

The online article entitled; Eating Junk Food Dangers states that “Since there are so many types of junk food, the ban would target certain foods with poor nutritional value” (Unhealthyfood.net, n.d.). Previous studies and healthcare officials have identified that excessive fat always keep low nutritional status. At present, junk foods habit became a serious public-interest health threats to the society along with smoking, alcoholism, substance abuse and inactivity. Therefore, it is essential to prevent or control the use of processed foods in daily meal.

Doctors demand an improved diet through using fruits and vegetables. To conclude, it is evident that junk foods habit among the children generates critical health problems like, child obesity, high rate of heart strokes and related problems, diabetes, defective mental and physical development. Sufficient awareness is essential for parents to be aware of the dangers of junk foods. Processed foods always keep large amount of sugar and carbohydrates. Children with fast food habit often give you an idea about their inability to perform desirable IQ level.

Poor performance in quality and quantity is considered as another important thing that forces people to give up junk food habits. Above all, use of processed food promotes cultural changes that affect the society and life style. Thus, it is essential that people should keep away from providing junk foods for their children to keep them healthy and energetic.Reference ListHealth in Motion. (2008). The Dangers of Fast Food. Wordpress. Retrieved 3, Oct, from http://healthinmotion.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/the-dangers-of-fast-foods/ Hope J. (2011). Danger of a junk food diet for children: Study reveals toddlers who eat more chips, crisps, biscuits and pizza have lower IQ.

Mailonline. Retrieved 3, Oct, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1354683/Junk-food-diet-hits-childs-IQ-reveals-major-UK-study.html Paxon, C. (2006). Childhood Obesity: The Future of Children, Spring 2006. Illustrated edn. Brookings Institution Press.Unhealthyfood.net (n.d.). Eating Junk Food Dangers. Unhealthyfood.net. Retrieved 3, Oct, from http://www.unhealthyfood.net/junk.html