What is junk food?

Ideally, junk foods are defined as processed foods with negligible nutrient value and are often
high in salt, sugar and fat. Junk foods are processed foods consisting of high calories, but that is
considered only as a broad umbrella. These foods are prepared in a way that they look appealing
and are enjoyable so you are chemically programmed to ask for more. Not all fast foods are junk
foods, but a great number of them are. For instance, a salad may be fast food, but is definitely not
junk food. Some foods like burgers, pizzas, and tacos may alternate between junk and healthy
categories depending on the ingredients, calories and process of manufacturing."
Foods commonly considered junk foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet
desserts, fried fast food, and sugary carbonated beverages. Many foods such as hamburgers,
pizza, and tacos can be considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients
and preparation methods.

Fast food in Pakistan

Teenagers are spending the biggest chunk of their ‘budget’ on eating out in fast food restaurants
with their friends and colleagues in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, according to a
report aired by a private news channel.
As the fast food business flourishes all over the country, school-children, college and university
students, as well as young employees, are opting to have their lunch at restaurants that sell junk
food.
In a habit that was once only associated with the upper middle class or the elite in Pakistan,
dining out has become part of a new ‘urban culture’.
With the changing habits of our youth, people have also witnessed a boom in the food business,
as international fast food chains set up shop across the country.
The change started in the late 1990s, when people from every class, especially young girls and
boys, were to be seen at eating spots almost daily, the report reveals.
The social media revolution has also had an impact on the eating habits of millennials, as many
‘online profiles’ are used for uploading pictures in which young people can be seen hanging out,
or having a meal, with their friends.
“Almost every restaurant in the twin cities is filled to capacity all day, every day. This signifies
the overpowering likeness people have for fast food in Pakistan,” the report observed.

Examples
Ayesha Ahmad, an 18-year-old studying at a local institute, told a reporter that she believes
exam week is generally considered the most stressful period for a student during a school year,
and that is when they feel the need to relax by having a good meal at their favourite restaurant.
Another teen, Yusra Azam says, “I love to go out for lunch with my ‘besties’ because the taste of
restaurant food is so good.”
Recent study on junk food
The survey compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics shows between 2013 and 2016,
more than 36 percent of adults consume fast food on a given day. Findings also showed fast food
consumption decreased with age. Forty-five percent of adults ages 20 to 39 ate fast food, while
only 24 percent of adults over 60 had fast food as a meal or snack. Men tend to eat more fast
food than women, said the survey, and non-Hispanic black adults consumed more fast food (42
percent) compared to other races. A person's income also played a key role in how often they ate
fast food. People with higher incomes were more likely to consume fast food than those at lower
incomes, the survey found.
Forty-five percent of adults ages 20 to 39 ate fast food, while only 24 percent of adults over 60
had fast food as a meal or snack. Men tend to eat more fast food than women, said the survey,
and non-Hispanic black adults consumed more fast food (42 percent) compared to other races
A recent study at the University of Bonn in Germany detailed that fast food makes the immune
system more aggressive in the long term, and even after a change to a healthy diet, the body’s
defenses remain hyperactive. These long-term changes may be involved in the development of
arteriosclerosis and diabetes, diseases linked to Western diet consumption. A previous study said
that consumption of fast foods more than three times a week was significantly higher among
asthmatics.
The scientists placed mice for a month on a so-called “Western diet”: high in fat, high in sugar,
and low in fibre. The animals consequently developed a strong inflammatory response
throughout the body, almost like after infection with dangerous bacteria. “The unhealthy diet led
to an unexpected increase in the number of certain immune cells in the blood of the mice,
especially granulocytes and monocytes. This was an indication of an involvement of immune cell
progenitors in the bone marrow,” Anette Christ, a postdoctoral fellow in the Institute of Innate
Immunity of the University of Bonn explains.

Popularity of junk food

Junk food in its various forms is extremely popular, and an integral part of modern popular
culture. In the US, annual fast food sales are in the area of $160 billion, compared to supermarket
sales of $620 billion. America also celebrates an annual National Junk Food Day on July 21.

Why are junk food so popular?

Junk food is easily available, convenient, needs little or no preparation, and is usually consumed
on the go. Just what a young person is looking for! Children, especially over 12 years of age,
tend to eat away from home much more than kids did 20 years ago. Fast food is often the default
choice. Not only is it convenient and easy to grab, it's also tasty and cheap. And fast food joints
also serve as great teenage hangout places. Sometimes, even children who have healthy eating
habits may move towards ready-to-eat, high-fat processed food as a preferred choice. Often these
influences come from peers who may not have parental supervision at home.