TV Program Reveals Fast Food Diet’s Adverse Effects On Mental Health

Fast food may be among the most delicious and “fastest” meals that you can partake of in a day. Who wouldn’t want to satiate his hunger in a matter of 5 minutes without having to do anything but just line up and pay the cashier? While this may be very convenient for many, especially for those who are constantly chasing time, there are adverse health consequences that could happen. You might not know it, but constantly eating fast food can cause harm to mental health.

Mental Harm

According to a report in Express, there is a TV program that revealed that a fast-food diet does not only cause weight to pile up but also causes harm to your mental health. The BBC One show entitled “The Truth About” pointed out that takeaways like one large pizza is enough to create an impact on the blood flow around the body.

When the diet is high in fast food, you are feeding your body with a lot of fat and salt. Hence, it increases blood pressure and could lead to heart diseases and stroke. The body would require several hours before blood sugar, and blood pressure levels will return to normal. In addition, fast food barely contains fiber, and all these can affect both your memory and mood.

As per the presenter of the show, Nikki Fox, she said that the program has changed her and that she was shocked upon finding out what fast food can do to the body. She also highlighted the fact that the adverse effects do not only affect the physical aspect but the brain as well. She even termed it as “brain fog.”

Staggering Statistics

Fox stated that she believes that the problem is getting worse. Approximately 2/3 of the population in the UK felt that they’re too busy to cook at home. About 850 million takeaways are being ordered every year. Out of the age group between 18 to 25, it was found that one in six would have takeaways twice in a day.

The long study involved 15 young volunteers who were recruited by Liverpool John Moores University. These individuals were given the reason to “pig out in the name of science.” They were tasked to eat two fast food takeaways every day. At the end of the study, the volunteers experienced vomiting, stomach cramps, insomnia, and lethargy. They also put on weight, and blood flow to the brain decreased.

As per Fox, she is not eating again after finding out about the ill effects of eating fast food. Unlike in supermarkets where foods are labeled, the same cannot be said with fast food. To limit the kind of damage that it will create in the body, Fox suggested undertaking a brief exercise 18 hours before buying fast food. This helps stop the blood fat from getting so high and also avoids the blood vessels from becoming so stiff.