Fast Food Nutrition Information

A joint study done by the Agricultural Research Service with Harvard University showed decreased nutritional dietary quality and increased caloric intake among U.S. children when they consumed fast food.

Comparing U.S. children who ate fast food, with those who did not, consumed more total calories, more calories per gram of food, more total and saturated fat, more total carbohydrate, more added sugars and more sugar-sweetened beverages, but less milk, fiber, fruit and nonstarchy vegetables.

The study also revealed out of the two days surveyed, those children who consumed fast food on only one day showed similar nutrition shortfalls on the day they had fast food. But they did not show nutritional shortfalls on the other day.

Some experts estimate that childhood consumption of fast foods increased fivefold, from 2 percent of daily meals in the late 1970s, to 10 percent of daily meals by the mid-1990s. Significantly, during that time, the number of fast food restaurants nationwide, more than doubled to an estimated 250,000.

The findings are important because childhood obesity is on the increase.

Other fast food nutrition information indicates a lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet is related to obesity-related problems such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Fruits and nonstarchy vegetables may protect against excessive weight gain because of their low energy density and high fiber content.

Adding Vitamins and Supplements to your diet provides anti-oxidants and nutrients, especially one heavy with fast food.

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