Everything about Junk Food totally explained
Junk food is
food that's unhealthy and/or has little or no
nutritional value. The term is believed to have been coined by
Michael Jacobson, director of the
Center for Science in the Public Interest, in
1972. The term has since come into common usage.
Junk food contains high levels of
refined sugar,
white flour,
trans fat and
polyunsaturated fat,
salt, and numerous
food additives such as
monosodium glutamate and
tartrazine; at the same time, it's lacking in
proteins,
vitamins and
fiber, among other healthy attributes. It is popular with suppliers because it's relatively cheap to manufacture, has a long
shelf life and may not require
refrigeration. It is popular with American consumers, as well as other consumers from all over the world because it's easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, is convenient to consume and has lots of
flavor. Consumption of junk food in America has been associated with
obesity,
heart disease,
Type 2 diabetes and
dental cavities. There is also concern about the targeting of
marketing to
children.
Classification
What constitutes unhealthy food may be confusing and, according to critics, includes elements of
class snobbery, cultural influence and
moral judgement. For example, fast food in North America, such as
hamburgers and
french fries supplied by companies like
McDonald's,
KFC and
Pizza Hut are often perceived as junk food, whereas the same meals supplied by more up-market outlets such as
California Pizza Kitchen or
Nando's are not, despite often having the same or worse nutritional content.
Some types of chips that are said to be "junk food" may actually be partially harmful because they may contain
polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fats. It should also be understood that the detrimental effects of the empty calories may outweigh the benefits of the unsaturated fats. These foods tend to be high in sodium, which may contribute in causing
hypertension (high blood pressure) in some people.
In the
United Kingdom, the
Food Standards Agency (FSA) don't use the term "junk food", and describe food as "HFSS" (high fat, sugar or salt) instead, based on a
nutrient profiling model. They state that "HFSS foods can form part of a balanced diet, but research shows that children's diets contain too much fat (especially saturated fat), salt and sugar, and not enough fruit and vegetables."
Marketing
During
2006 in the
United Kingdom following a high profile media campaign by the chef
Jamie Oliver and a threat of court action from the National Heart Forum, the UK advertising regulator and competition authority,
Ofcom, launched a consultation on advertising of foods to children. The
Food Standards Agency was one of many respondents. As a result a ban on advertising during children's
television programs and programs aimed at young people was announced. The ban also includes marketing using
celebrities,
cartoon characters and health or nutrition claims.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Junk Food'.
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