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Fast Food Limits Healthy Food Intake

Posted on: Tuesday, 9 January 2007, 18:00 CST

Families whose meals frequently consist of fast food are more likely to have unhealthy eating habits and higher risk for obesity, says a U.S. study.

Fast food can be a convenient alternative to cooking for busy families, said lead author Kerri Boutelle of the University of Minnesota Medical School. But, frequently making fast food a family meal can negatively affect food choices in the house and the overall health of the family.

Fifty-one percent of families in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area reported eating fast food as a family meal one to two times a week, while 7 percent said they had fast food three to four times a week, according to the study published in Public Health Nutrition.

For teens and parents, higher frequency of fast food meals was associated with eating significantly fewer fruits and vegetables and drinking less milk. More fast food for dinner also meant pantry shelves were stocked with more salty snacks and soda. Parents who ate fast food often were more likely to be overweight than those who ate it less.

There are other options for fast meals that can be prepared at home and contain healthy foods, such as vegetables, said Boutelle. Limiting fast food intake at home is one way families can attempt to improve eating habits and the overall health of the family.

Source: United Press International

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