Fact sheet: Junk food consumption
Real kids, Real choices: Practical strategies for cutting back on junk food
Energy-dense, low-nutrient foods, such as desserts, candy, soda pop and other sweetened drinks, and salty snacks account for nearly 1/3 of the daily caloric intake of American youth.
Overview
The rise in childhood obesity can be partially attributed to an increase in consumption of high calorie foods with low nutritional value often referred to as “junk food.” One reason for this increase is that portion sizes have become larger. Another is the dramatic growth in meals eaten away from home. Food eaten away from home (especially fast food) tends to be higher in fat and sodium and lower in fiber.
Research has demonstrated that when children and teens eat fast food, they consume more calories, fat, and added sugar. In fact, research has shown that children eat nearly twice as many calories at restaurants as they do during meals at home. Finally, junk food is readily available nearly everywhere in children's environments. The cumulative effect of these factors is sometimes referred to as a “toxic environment” for achieving and maintaining healthy weight for people of all ages.
Data
According to data from A Nation At Risk: A Statistical Sourcebook from the American Heart Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
- Between 1977 and 1994, overall caloric consumption increased by about 9 percent in adolescent boys and about 7 percent in adolescent girls.
- Between 1985 and 2000, average daily caloric consumption among adults rose by 12 percent, or roughly 300 calories.
- In 1980, about 50 percent of high school seniors reported eating green vegetables “nearly every day or more.” By 2003, that figure had dropped to about 30 percent.
- Among adults, consumption of added sugars increased by 22 percent between 1980–84 and 2000.
- Children eat nearly twice as many calories (770) at restaurants as they do during a meal at home (420).
- The percentage of food consumed by children in restaurants and fast food outlets nearly tripled between 1977 (6.5 percent) and 1996 (19.3 percent).
- During a 15-year study, adults who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 pounds more than those who ate fast food less than once a week, and their insulin resistance increased twice as fast.
In his book Chew on This, Eric Schlosser reports:
- In the course of a year, the typical American child watches more than 40,000 TV commercials. About 20,000 of those ads are for junk food: soft drinks, sweets, breakfast cereals and fast food. That means American children now see a junk food ad every five minutes while watching TV - and see about three hours of junk food ads every week.
According to a study done by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI):
- The average number of vending machines per high school is 8. The snack items most commonly available were: candy (42 percent), chips (25 percent), and sweet baked goods (13 percent), which together accounted for 80 percent of snacks available in school vending machines.
Know your numbers
There are no specific recommendations for junk food consumption. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.
Key strategies
- Choose healthier items for vending machines and concession stands. A good guideline for healthier snacks are items that have less than 200 calories per package with no more than 35 percent of calories from fat (with 0 trans fat and less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat), less than 35 percent of calories from sugar, and less than 200 mg of sodium.
- Educate kids and families about reading food labels, portion sizes, and how to make healthier food choices.
- Offer snacks at regular times, such as mid-morning and mid-afternoon that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
- Involve kids in shopping for, planning, and/or preparing healthy snacks and meals.
- Make healthy foods fun, friendly, and easy to grab such as cut up fruits and vegetables with dips such as yogurt or peanut butter, string cheese, whole grain crackers, etc.
- Do not use food as a reward for good behavior.
- Use healthy fundraising options such as book fairs, plant sales, raffles, fun runs, and selling non-food items and healthy foods. Avoid fundraisers such as candy, cookie dough and doughnut sales, fundraisers at fast food restaurants, and sale of food and beverages of poor nutritional quality.
- Eat out less often.
- Make healthier choices when eating out, request sauces and dressings on the side, skip the soft drink or milk shake, and watch the portion size!
- Encourage parents to provide healthy snacks for special events and after school activities.
- Provide non-food and healthy treats for holidays and celebrations.
Resources
What are practical options for healthier vending and concessions? Visit the ENACT Community Tool at Prevention Institute for promising practices, evidence-based strategies and sample assessments or Health collaborative.net for more ideas.
How can you educate parents and children about healthier eating? Here are a couple of places to start:
Looking for tips on healthy snacking? Try KidsHealth.
What are some healthy, practical options for rewarding good behavior? Check out constructive classroom reward.
What are healthy options for fundraising that work? Download a 70-page manual from www.spinet.org.
How can you help children make healthier choices when eating out? See pages 11 to 12 of Healthy Habits for Kids, a nutrition and activity guide for parents.
What are some healthier choices for fun, practical treats for holidays and celebrations? Check the Nutrition Policy's healthy classroom celebrations resources
Other helpful resources: California Project Lean, Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, Action for Healthy Kids, Minnesota's Make the First Move Toolkit
Source: Joe Harris, Midwest Vending; Susan Nygaard, coordinator, Power Hour; David Orbuch, Phillips Eye Institute; Ellie Zuehlke, Allina Hospitals & Clinics
First published: 05/06/2007
Last updated: 01/30/2008
Reviewed by: Healthy Kids in Healthy Places Community Action Forum