acid, fibre: There are few fast food sources of these key factors. Fat: The percentage of energy from fat is high in many meal combinations. Sodium: The sodium content of fast food meals is high, which is not desirable. Energy: Common meal combinations contain excessive energy when compared with the amounts of other nutrients provided.
Although fast foods can contribute nutrients to the diet, they cannot completely meet the nutritional needs of teenagers. Both adolescents and health professionals should be aware that fast foods are acceptable nutritionally when they are consumed judiciously and as a part of a well-balanced diet. But when they become the mainstay of the diet there is cause for concern. A nutrient imbalance may not appear to be a problem until a number of years have gone by, unless some specific problem such as a chronic disease exists.
However, evidence is accumulating to show that food intake patterns of teenagers affect their health in later life. However, adolescents with normal weight often diet because of the perception that “thin is in”. Girls are bombarded with messages from the media about thinness, images of what is considered a beautiful body, and ways to achieve a lower body-weight. The images, in the context of a society that places a high value on physical beauty, sends mixed messages to teenagers and may result in unhealthy, unnecessary attempts to lose weight.
Dieting unsupervised by experts can lead to dangerous outcomes including eating disorders in teens. Some symptoms of dieting include: skipping meals, ‘binge’ eating, fasting or use of laxatives or diet pills. Consequences of such dieting include its possible association with cycles of weight loss and regain that increase the likelihood of developing eating disorders and obesity, lowered self-esteem and other psychological problems. This can lead to increased cardiovascular risk (heart problems) and possible mortality.
One approach to overcome the problems related to dieting is to attempt to eliminate the term ‘diet’ and replace it with ‘healthy eating’. If you regularly incorporate healthy lifestyle and dietary practices into your life, you are less likely to diet on a consistent basis.