How does FAST FOOD affect your health?

Fast food does not necessarily mean healthy food. In fact, fast food is linked to several health concerns with increased consumption. From weight gain, to addiction, fast food can become extremely harmful to your mind and body when consumed in larger amounts over a short period of time. It is important to know what kind of risk you are putting your body through in order to be able to make good choices about what you put into your body, and how much you are putting it in. 

Fast food in Yambol, Bulgaria
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The effects of fast food on the body can vary greatly, and can also be dependent on pre-existing conditions. Let’s take a look at some of these effects.

Caloric Intake and Weight Gain

The average fast food lunch meal has more than enough calories for a single meal. This high caloric intake translates into an over-intake for the daily needed supply. On a normal low-activity work day, this means that less energy is being spent than is being taken in, eventually leading to weight gain. The sheer amount of unused fat that is taken in from fast food can translate into a 10 lbs weight gain, putting more and more people into the category of obese, even more entering the territory of morbidly obese.

Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

With obesity comes insulin resistance, when the insulin that is naturally produced in the body is ineffective in regulating blood glucose levels. Insulin resistance is linked to several severe health issues, most of which is also linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can be a life changing diagnosis, leading to much more serious problems down the line if it is not handled properly.

Fat Increase and Cardiac Events

Weight that is gained from eating fast food is not muscle, it is fat. When our body is bombarded with more fat than we need, our blood vessels will react in a way that isn’t normal. This abnormal function may not be troublesome to most, but to someone who has pre-existing heart problems, it could mean a heart attack or even death.

Depression and Addiction Development

Those who consume a larger amounts of fast food are much more likely to develop depression. Weight gain and shame surrounding it are catalysts for this depression. Insecurities stemming from the shame need to be cured, and that is when the addiction to fast food will develop. Fast food gives the depressed person a “high” that other things won’t. I can have huge mood altering affects, helping the addicted focus on the good memories attached rather than the negative effects that are seen.

Though fast food is something that many people enjoy, in larger amounts it can cause some pretty serious health problems. There is nothing to say that every once and a while fast food will be terrible for you, but like with most things, moderation is the key. In excess, you can expect to have some very serious issues with your health. But with balance with healthy food, fast food can be a great addition to a regular diet.

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