Junk food

A poster at Camp Pendleton's 21-Area Health Promotion Center describes the effects of junk food that many Marines and sailors consume.

"Junk food" is a term used to describe food that is high in calories from macronutrients such as sugar and fat, and often also high in sodium, making it hyperpalatable, and low in dietary fiber, protein, or micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.[1][2][3] It is also known as "high in fat, salt and sugar food" (HFSS food).[4] The term junk food is a pejorative dating back to the 1950s.[5]

Precise definitions vary by purpose and over time. Some high-protein foods, like meat prepared with saturated fat, may be considered junk food.[6] Fast food and fast-food restaurants are often equated with junk food, although fast foods cannot be categorically described as junk food.[7][8][9] Candy, soft drinks, and highly-processed foods such as certain breakfast cereals, are generally included in the junk food category;[7][3] much of it is ultra-processed food.[10]

Concerns about the negative health effects resulting from a junk food-heavy diet, especially obesity, have resulted in public health awareness campaigns, and restrictions on advertising and sale in several countries.[11][12][13] Current studies indicate that a diet high in junk food can increase the risk of depression, digestive issues, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and early death.[14]

  1. ^ "junk food". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  2. ^ O'Neill, Brendon (November 30, 2006). "Is this what you call junk food?". BBC News. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Parks, Troy (16 Dec 2016). "WHO warns on kids' digital exposure to junk-food ads". American Medical Association. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  5. ^ Zimmer, Ben (30 Dec 2010). "On Language: Junk". New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  6. ^ Scott, Caitlin (May 2018). "Sustainably Sourced Junk Food? Big Food and the Challenge of Sustainable Diets". Global Environmental Politics. 18 (2): 93–113. doi:10.1162/glep_a_00458. ISSN 1526-3800. S2CID 57559050.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference smithencyclo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Specter, Michael (2 November 2015). "Freedom from Fries". New Yorker. Archived from the original on 2023-09-03. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  9. ^ Smith, Rene. "Fast Food Facts". Science Kids. Archived from the original on 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
  10. ^ Law, Tara (January 9, 2023). "Why Ultra-Processed Foods Are So Bad for You". Time. Retrieved Sep 14, 2024. Ultra-processed foods tend to be junk food: low in fiber and high in sugar and calories, says [Fang Fang] Zhang. But because ultra-processed foods are defined by the types of ingredients they contain, not by their nutrition content, this category can also include foods with beneficial nutrients, like breads high in fiber.
  11. ^ "Food Marketing to Kids". Public Health Law Center (William Mitchell College of Law). 2010. Archived from the original on 28 October 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  12. ^ "Protecting children from the harmful effects of food and drink marketing". World Health Organization. September 2014. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  13. ^ "Food Marketing in Other Countries" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
  14. ^ Brissette, Christy (March 1, 2018). "this is your body on fast food". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2022.