Kids master the art of whining perfectly even without a teacher being present. They would shout, "Please! Mum! Please! Please! Please! I really want one!”. If constant whining has caused you to swerve into a drive-through to buy your kids fast foods, you’re not alone. So, the next time you’re thinking about buying dinner on the go, bear in mind the impact it will have on your kids before the day is over.

Here are some of the immediate effects fast food has on children, read on.

Junk Food Encourages Your Child To Eat More

Chilldren have a liking for fats, sugar and salt as it appeals to their primordial tastes; these
three elements in fast food draw kids like a magnet. This is scientifically explained in the words of Rashi Chowdhary (Dubai-based nutritionist), “From an evolutionary point of view, humans are hard-wired to crave high-calorie food as a survival mechanism, so each time we see, smell or eat junk food, many chemicals and neurotransmitters are released in our body.

Junk Food Will Damage Arteries Immediately

Excess fat, sugar and salt have never been so healthy for intake. Experts have known for years that long-term consumption of junk food clogs arteries, but recently they’ve recognised that this damage begins the same day. A study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology indicates that damage to the arteries occurs almost immediately after just one – that’s right, one – junk food meal.

Junk Food Will Cause School Work To Suffer

Diet has a significant effect on children’s study habits. Junk food and foods with high-sugar content deplete energy levels and the ability to concentrate for extended periods of time. A kid who feeds on junk would definitely feel hungry within a short period of time. Dietician, Chirine Watfa, says an hungry kid would definitely be left behind in schoolwork as his concentration will be affected and then his overall performance in school. In a study published in Child: Care, Health and Development (a European public health journal), researchers analysed the fast-food consumption and test scores in maths and reading of 12,000 fifth-graders. They found that children who ate fast food four to six times within a given week tested significantly lower in maths and reading compared with children who did not.

Junk Food Will Make Your Kid Depressed

Junk food possesses high oxidant which increases the risk of depression but eating foods rich in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats, such as cold-water fish and nuts, leads to positive energy and moods – both of which derive from positive brain function. A diet high in fast food lacks these nutritional benefits, increasing the risk of depression.

Junk Food Will Put Your Child Off Healthy Food

The artificial taste of junk food is thought to be addictive and children used to spicy junk food may have trouble adjusting their palates to relatively blander healthy foods.

“Another problem is that junk food tends to replace other, more nutritious, foods,” says Watfa. “When children are snacking on chips and cookies, they’re usually not having enough fruits and vegetables, which will decrease their vitamin C and fibre intakes.”

Junk Food Will Cause Constipation

The less fibre children consume, the more likely they are to develop constipation, which can cause abdominal pain and discomfort. Fast food typically lacks fibre but few people are aware.

Junk Food Will Make Them Irritable

“The high content of sugar in junk food causes fluctuations in children’s blood glucose levels,” says Chowdhary. “This makes them edgy, sleepy and irritable throughout the day and leaves them with no motivation to be active.”

Junk Food Will Ruin Bedtime

Having sugary drinks or fruit juice with dinner even twice a week can affect children’s sleep and wake-up cycle. The caffeine from sodas acts as a stimulant, keeping them awake longer and negatively affects their metabolism. “Studies have shown that moderate to high caffeine consumers [100 to 300mg of caffeine] have more disturbed and more interrupted sleep than low- or no-caffeine consumers,”

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