Recent study results have revealed that nearly a third of US children aged 4 to 19 eat fast food every day. Results also showed that fast-food consumption among children has increased five-fold since 1970. The study of 6,212 youngsters found that children from families with higher household income levels, boys, older children, blacks, and children living in the South ate the most fast food. Children living in the West, rural areas, Hispanics, and those aged 4 to 8 ate the least, however more than 20% of children from these groups said they ate fast food on any given day. Perhaps unsurprisingly, children who regularly ate fast food ate fewer fruits and non-starch vegetables than those who didn’t eat fast food. They also consume, on average, 187 more calories
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Pediatrics 2004;113:112-118.
