homework 2

Avoid Junk Foods

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Institution

Abstract

Junk means something that has no value. Eating junk foods, therefore, means eating foods that have no nutritional value to the body whatsoever. Over the years the increase in technological advancements has equally affected the nutritional or feeding of families and individuals across the globe. Historically women took their time to prepare food or supervise its preparation however with the shift in roles and the rise of modernism it is easy to find a woman who is the sole breadwinner for a family. Such factors and others that will be discussed in the ensuing sections have contributed to the rise poor feeding habits among the human fraternity. The essay will cross reference articles on research carried out by experts in the field. Additionally it will examine the effects junk food consumption has on the economy, and the measures taken by government to counter the rising trend. The most important part of this essay is to show the reader why people need to mind what they consume as food. The research will also highlight the overall effect of poor feeding on the demographic outlay of the country as well as challenges faced by nutritionists when it comes to dealing with the issue at hand.

Introduction

A healthy long life emanates from consuming healthy foods. However, the idea of feeding right in the contemporary society seems farfetched. With changing lifestyles new concepts and relationships have come up. This has resulted to changes in feeding habits. Perhaps we could argue that the changes in lifestyle and relationships are positive, but can the same be said for the changes in feeding habits? No reason being people in the modern society people do not care about what they eat. Women in the traditional setting were home caterers their major role being preparation of food for their families. This has since changed, with the rise of feminism and empowerment; women too have thronged the career road. As a result, there is no one to care about the dietary needs of the family: anything hurriedly prepared is enough to keep the children going until mom is out of work. While this is not an attempt to taint working women as bad parents it a place to start. The hurriedly prepared food is nothing but junk food while it may be enough in filling an empty stomach it has no value in the body. In most cases children have been left to feed on what they feel they want. As a result many have opted for junk foods which are sweet yet dangerous. This is called junk because it has no nutritional value in the body. Good feeding habits boost the body’s immune system enabling it to have the ability to fight diseases. On the contrast junk foods do the opposite they lower the body’s immune system and raise the risk of falling ill. Some of the diseases that may arise out of poor feeding habits are; heart conditions, obesity, cancer and a myriad of other diseases. In the scheme of things the underlying philosophy of healthy eating cannot be sidelined. For a healthy lifestyle it is important to avoid junk food altogether.

Literature review

The issue of healthy feeding has been around for around for sometime it is an ever current which draws attention from numerous walks of life. Healthy feeding is not only an issue affecting human medicine it affects other sectors of the economy as well. Books, magazines, journals and television programs have been dedicated to the issue at hand. All this and more in an effort to let people know about the nature of the looming danger of not feeding right. This section looks at some of this cases it examines the existing literature to strengthen the point of view of this paper.

This part reviews several articles published in peer reviewed journals in an attempt to give a profound perspective around the issue under discussion. Discussed below are the articles in question.

1. Karimi-shahanjarini, et. Al, (2012). Parental Control and Junk-Food Consumption: A Mediating and Moderating Effect Analysis. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2012, 42, 5, pp. 1241–1265.

In this article, the authors have noted ever increasing need for healthy eating among the adolescence the reason for is that during the adolescent age period of an individual the body undergoes different changes. These changes come across as physiological, psychological, biological and emotional changes. Sadly during this time when healthy eating is critical, poor feeding habits are largely evident. The concern of unhealthy feeding habits among adolescents has also been noted by Martens, Van Assema, & Brug (2005). Junk foods have highly become popular among this age bracket and also alarmingly spilling over to children below ten years. Junk foods are foods characterized by high fat concentration, high sugars and low nutritional value. Frequent consumption of the so called snacks has been identified as the major cause of tooth decay, chronic illnesses and obesity among young people. Sadly, Karimi-shahanjarini notes that this problem is no longer exclusive to the developed country but it has also taken route in the developing world.

A study by Ghassemi, et .al, (2002), revealed that the case of nutritional transition is common in Iran following a speedy demographic restructuring as well as urbanization. Nutritional transitioning is where people diverge from the consumption of whole nutritious meals to readily highly sugary snacks. Shocking evidence from studies revealed that children aged between 2 and 19 years in the United States and Philippines derived a fifth of their energy from snacks. This means that a child takes five meals a day 1 meal is a snack. The trend however was reported to be much lower in china and Russia where the level of energy derived from such meals was 16% compared to the 20% in U.S Karimi-Shanjarini, et. al, (2012).

Researchers have connected cultural behaviors to feeding habits. As a result, Karimi-Shanjarini (2012), argues that if any intervention programs are to be put in place they have to incorporate the cultural perspective that influences such issues as snack choice. In this literally work the author captures the theory of practical behavior as the basis of understanding some social aspects nutrition being amongst them.

2. Ashakiran & Deepthi, R., (2012). Junk Foods and their Impact on Health. Journal of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University. Vol. 1, No. 2, ISSN: 2231-4261

In this literally work, the authors note the paramount nature of healthy feeding in the human life. On a sad note, the author melancholy points out how healthy and nutritious foods have been replaced by new junk foods. The authors note with due concern that people are consuming junk foods across the world at an unimaginable rate. Sadly, the authors also mention that while the problem is not age specific, it is still common with school going children. The authors raise grave concerns voiced by almost every behavioral change observer and like aforementioned above the authors note lifestyle (read culture) as the key driver of the issue at hand. The authors single out the constant high incidence of diseases such as diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease in the developing regions as the result of junk food consumption. Ashakrin & Depthi (2012), notes that to eradicate the global problem of junk food consumption and its effect on health calls for health education and emphasis. This will have the effect of inducing reverse nutritional transition.

The authors of this article note that India too has caught up with the rest of the world in consumption of junk foods. The Indian fast food industry is increasing at a speedy rate of 40% yearly. This means that more and more people are demanding fast foods, which is characterized by how households spend their incomes. According to a study by National sample survey organization of 2005 people in Delhi spent Rs 371 on processed foods. India is placed at 10th position in fast food consumption with 2.1% of per capita expenditure going to fast foods. This means that if the distributable income per head was Rs 100000 hypothetically, Rs 2100 is spent on junk foods.

Problem statement

As evidenced in the articles above, junk food consumption is rapidly becoming a global issue. If governments ever cared about the health of its citizenry now would be the appropriate time to act on the issue of junk foods. The sad part is that as humanity contemplates in the manner to deal with the issue of junk foods, the problem is getting worse. Children are born into a world of happiness, but that happiness will be short lived if the issue of junk foods is not dealt with especially for children in ages 2 to 6. It is, therefore, necessary for adults to control what children eat, as well as, training the adolescents on how to feed right (Grudnik, 2014).

Avoiding junk foods

Effects of junk foods

Junk foods have been associated with a host of illnesses. The presence of diabetes among children is believed to stem form consuming junk foods as a result a child’s life is cut short. This is attributable to consumption of sodas and other ready to drink juices. According to Dr. Rashid of University of Cambridge, most of these drinks as well as foods contain high content of sugars fats and salts which induces diabetes and raises the risk of cardio vascular diseases. To deal with this issue the U.S government has banned any kind of sweet food advertisements during children programs. Good nutrition is necessary for children in the age between 6-12 years if they are to get a good start in life. A good example is the soda ban in New York which has somehow managed to alert people on the dangers of consumption of soda.

Junk food consumption has also been noted to affect learning among school going children. In a school feeding survey in Ireland shocking results indicated that almost half (48.6) of the lunch consumed by children was junk (O’Connor et. al, 1993). This has the impact of lowering the concentration required in learning which is derived from meals rich in nutrients. In the long run the kid may become inactive during school thus being unable to interact with other children or even family members after school. This results to low self esteem and underachievement in life. It is, therefore, necessary to foster good feeding habits in children from a tender age.

The sweet taste often encountered in junk foods is as a result of hydrogenated fats. The hydrogenated fats in turn lead hypertension, atherosclerosis, obesity and heart failure. Diabetes is obesity is becoming common occurrences among children this is solely due to increased intake of junk foods. While the problem can be blamed upon behavioral aspects, as explained in the theory of planned behavior, still the larger burden lays with the parents they need to protect their children from junk foods.

Junk foods have been found to be similar to narcotics such as marijuana. This is through chronic alteration of brains activity thus causing an addiction. The craving for these foods is caused by sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin which cause cancer. Avoiding junk foods would, therefore, help an individual from contracting such illnesses as cancer.

Pande, (2013) also notes that also cause liver diseases as well as cancer of the pancreas and the liver. In fact, the damage caused by junk foods to the liver is greater than that caused by alcohol. This again is due to the chemicals used in the processing of fast foods. The high prevalence of illnesses such as bronchial asthma in the western countries is solely attributable to the consumption of junk foods.

Methodology

Evidently many authors have based their reports on survey conducted by consumer organizations or governmental organs. I chose to use research analysis from social scientists because these understand what to include in a sample as well as behavioral changes falls in their docket.

Government Involvement

As mentioned earlier, the United States government has put in place some measures to curb the spread of junk food consumption. Such a measure was the soda ban in New York, as well as, the ban of sweet foods advertisements during any children program. The effect this has cannot be established as at now but it will reduce the consumption of junk foods among children, but the button entirely rests with the parents who control what their children eat. In addition to the above measures, the United States government is also reviewing the goods labeling rules. This is so as to protect consumers from making wrong food choices due to misleading labels of nutrition on these goods (Carly, 2014).

It is important to educate parents on the basic mechanisms of oral health. If they were to learn how every feeding choice affects the quality of their life as well as that of their children, they would be at a better position to make a decision and transfer the same knowledge to their children thus putting an end to nutritional transition. Below are some of the foods that are rich in nutrients and would guarantee a healthy life;

Foods, which contain low contents of; cholesterol, saturated fats, and fats.

Foods that are rich in fiber; vegetables, whole-grains foods and fruits

Foods containing only little or moderate sugar

Foods rich in calcium, which is needed in the body, to counter sodium levels.

Foods rich in iron contents

Conclusion

Junk foods have penetrated to almost every corner of the world thereby affecting the developing and developed countries in equal magnitude. They have almost become an integral part of life contributing to the economy while at the same time destroying the economy by depriving it a healthy human capital. As a result much education on the topic needs to be carried, as well as, regulation of the activities of companies when it comes to children. It is also critical to teach children the need to eat healthy food from an early age. For instance they could be taught on the essentials of obtaining plant based nutrients as opposed to processed food (Lois, 2014). Despite the entire help one might receive in fighting against junk food, the last decision rests with the individual consumer.

Reference

Ashakiran & Deepthi, R., (2012). Junk Foods and their Impact on Health. Journal of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University. Vol. 1, No. 2, ISSN: 2231-4261

Carly, w., (2014). U.S. to revamp labeling on packaged food. The globe & Mail: Canada. Available at products http://search.proquest.com/cbcacompletehealth/docview/1502979089/64D34425428047D8PQ/3?accountid=38531

Ghassemi, H., Harrison, G., & Mohammad, K. (2002). An accelerated nutrition transition in Iran. Public Health Nutrition, 5, 149–155.

Grudnik, L., (2014). "U.S. children snacking more; junk calories leading the rise." Health Science Spring 2010: 6. General OneFile. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. From http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA259792343&v=2.1&u=wilm19808&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=a404eaacc34cfc6e571ec53ae33f1aa4

Karimi-shahanjarini, et. Al, (2012). Parental Control and Junk-Food Consumption: A Mediating and Moderating Effect Analysis. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42, 5, pp. 1241–1265.

Lois, A., (2014). Plant-based diet can raise energy level and contribute to well-being. Canadian press: Toronto, Ontario. Available; http://search.proquest.com/docview/1500681700?accountid=38531

Martens, M. K., van Assema, P., & Brug, J. (2005). Why do adolescents eat what they eat? Personal and social environmental predictors of fruit, snack, and breakfast consumption among 12-14-year-old Dutch students. Public Health Nutrition, 8, 1258–1265.

McNamara J., R., & Green J., P., (1991). Decreasing junk-food consumption through the use of self-management procedures: A case study. Psychol Rep; 69:19-22.

O.Connor et. al, (1993). School nutrition survey. Ireland Medical Journal 1993; 86: 89-91

Pande, R., (2013). Avoid Junk Food. Retrieved on 28th April 2014 from http://www.theservicemag.com/index.php/feats/your-wellbeing-matters/341-avoid-junk-food

SAGE Publications (2013, December 2). Junk Food, Poor Oral Health Increase Risk of Premature Heart Disease, ScienceDaily. Retrieved From www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131202105301.htm