Lowers fast food consumption in children in the United States
Hamburgers, French fries, hot dogs ... its flavor usually enchant almost everyone, and especially children. But it is about foods that should not be abused, because their health consequences are very negative, something that seems to begin to permeate the society of the United States, where begins to lower the consumption of fast food in children.
This is confirmed by an investigation carried out at the University of Tuft (United States), which claims to have proven how in recent years the consumption of fast food among the little ones in the house has decreased. Not only that, the number of calories children ingest through these foods has also dropped.
Fast food and children
According to the study, published in the magazine on Pediatrics and adolescent medicine 'Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine', in 2003 almost 40 percent of US children. he ate fast food on any given day, a percentage that dropped to less than 33 percent in 2010.
These data go to show that the change in the eating habits of children is possible, as the authors of the report say, who, even so, can not explain if this drop in the consumption of fast food is due to a real change in eating habits or one in the policies of the establishments that sell these products.
It is not the first time that studies talk about this decrease in the consumption of fast food. For example, it was already known that there was a fall in pizza sales since 2003, something that, according to the researchers, can be explained because since 2010 the establishments have to report the caloric content of the pizzas.
Study on fast food in childhood
To carry out this study, the researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examinations Surveys, with which they could find differentiated information between establishments. For example, they say that in 2010 there were fewer children who went to eat each day Pizza shop and that, in addition, when they did they took fewer calories.
In the case of hamburgers, the percentage of daily visits to these fast food establishments was similar between 2003 and 2010, but a reduction in the number of calories consumed was also observed, which means that children and parents are opting for less greasy food menus .
Of course, we must take these data carefully: they do not mean that children are healthier, although it is true that before they went to these establishments much more than now, it is also true that we do not know why food is replacing these fast food dishes, as the authors of the text point out.
Of what there is no doubt is that the data are positive, since a decrease in fast food ingested can help to reduce the percentage of obese children in this country. Likewise, this research complements other studies that have already shown, for example, that minors are consuming less added sugars.
Angela R. Bonachera
