Junk food and its effects on the brain

Several research studies have found that junk food can affect the brain in the same way as nicotine or heroin.

What is junk food?

Some foods high in saturated fat are enough to make the brain stop responding to the leptin system. The leptin system is the portion of the brain that controls body weight and reproductive function.
When a diet high in fat and junk food is consumed over time, the body's hormonal system re configures itself and wants to store more fat. Early exposure to junk foods could cause the brain in children to reconfigure the body's chemistry so that bad food choices are chosen throughout life.
Everywhere, whether in print, online or on television, fast-food restaurants are pushing their tempting goods through the throats of the public. Value foods have become mega-sized and tastier with more additives and preservatives to increase appeal. Junk food is everywhere and because it is cheap and convenient, the appeal is growing in epidemic proportions.
 
The term "junk food" describes foods that are loaded with calories and have little or no nutritional value. The phrase was coined in 1972 by Michael Jacobson, the director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Foods that are easy to obtain, convenient and ready to eat, do not necessarily designate a food to be "junk food."

What are the effects of junk food on general health?

Medical science has demonstrated how important diet is in the growth, development and aging of the human body. Poor diet can directly contribute to failure in children and a decline in quality of life in the elderly population. Already in the history of the time of Hippocrates, medicine and diet have been inseparable.
 
Four of the top 10 causes of death are directly related to health conditions related to diet; Diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart attack , stroke and certain forms of cancer. It can not be denied that nutrition and diet have a direct effect on the physical health of an individual and eating right can actually delay the onset of many chronic health conditions and can greatly improve the quality of life for many.

Overview

Obesity and poor diet lead to debilitating health conditions and can result in death. Junk food contributes directly to people who have weight problems and experience any number of dangerous diseases. When a person eats more calories than they burn, the result is weight gain, how active a person is and what they eat are important facets for maintaining good health.
 
With proper healthy dietary considerations and knowledgeable food choices, a person can avoid many of the problems that can occur from eating junk food. It is important for a person to realize that eating healthy means not observing a diet, but rather avoiding junk food and making healthier choices when it comes to the foods they eat and the lifestyle they observe.