ISLAMABAD, January 05 (Online): People who eat too much fast food gain more weight and are more likely to develop early signs of diabetes.
That`s the conclusion of a study of more than 3,000 white and black American adults. Participants reported their fast-food dining habits for 15 years, starting when they were 18-30 years old.
"Appropriate action would be to reduce portions to normal sizes, and to sell burgers of lean meat, whole-grain bread or buns, fat-reduced mayonnaise, more vegetables, lower-fat fried potatoes, and reduced-sugar soft drinks," writes Arne Astrup, in an accompanying editorial in The Lancet.
In the study, those who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds during the study than participants who ate fast food less than once a week. They also doubled their insulin resistance, a sign of early diabetes.
It`s no secret that many people struggle with their weight. Nearly two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, according to University of Minnesota researcher Mark Pereira, PhD, and colleagues.
Diabetes is also widespread. More than a million new cases are diagnosed each year, says the American Diabetic Association.
A little more than 6% of American adults have diabetes. It`s even more common among older adults. About 18% of people aged 60 or older have diabetes, according to the American Diabetic Association. Diabetes can lead to heart attacks, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure.
The researchers don`t exclusively blame fast food. They also note other lifestyle choices. For instance, frequent fast-food eaters who were white said they drank more alcohol, were less physically active, watched more TV, and ate a less healthy diet. The same was not true for black participants.
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