Side Effects of Giving Up Fast Food, According to Science
If you frequently turn to fast food joints when you’re hungry or pressed for time, you’re far from alone. According to a 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a whopping 36.6% of Americans eat fast food on any given day. It’s not just your wallet that will hurt if you keep this habit up—the consumption of fast food has been linked to everything from weight gain to chronic disease. Fortunately, giving up fast food could help you get healthier in a hurry.
You may crave the foods you ditched.
But your desire for healthy food may increase.
You’ll lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
You’ll slash your diabetes risk, too.
You’ll lower your Alzheimer’s risk.
Your mood may improve.
You’ll likely lose weight.
It’s not just your waistline that’s being affected by those trips to the drive-thru—your cognitive capability may be at risk, too. "Fast food is energy dense and nutrient poor, it lacks the vitamins and minerals needed for cellular function, especially when it comes to brain health," says Monisha Bhanote, MD, FCAP.
In the long term, the consumption of fast food can cause "structural changes in the brain can occur which affect our memory," according to Bhanote. A 2019 study conducted by researchers at Australian Catholic University even found that, over time, consumption of fast food is associated with various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Continue reading to see the latest science.