Children's Hospital Boston | Children's News Online

Clear link between fast food, obesity

ast food consumption has risen 500 percent since 1970 and today pervades nearly every segment of society, including some public school cafeterias. At the same time, obesity among children has tripled. This month researchers led by David Ludwig, MD, director of the Optimal Weight for Life program, published a study in the journal Pediatrics that strengthens the scientific footing of that link.

(The fast food industry insists it bears no responsibility for this epidemic--check out this industry-sponsored group's reaction to Ludwig's research).

By examining data from surveys of 6,212 children and adolescents, the researchers found that children who ate fast food consumed more total and saturated fat, more total carbohydrates and added sugars, less dietary fiber, and more calories per gram of solid food than children who did not eat fast food. Not surprisingly, they also consumed less milk, fiber, fruit and non-starchy vegetables.

Thirty percent of the children in the survey ate fast food on any given day during the survey, and they ate an average of 187 calories a day more than those who did not eat fast food. These additional calories could account for an extra six pounds of weight gain per year, according to Ludwig.