A fragment of the letter submitted to the Ministry of National Education can be found on the website of Gazeta Prawna [2], and it reads: “Fast food products, as well as going to fast food bars cannot constitute a form of reward for the child and accompany the celebration of joint celebrations.”
This is the most appropriate approach. As a society, we have a problem with excess body weight. Overweight or obesity is the result of excessive energy supply, which in turn results from easier access to fast food or a sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, if we can influence even one of these factors, we should make every attempt to make it happen.
Obesity
As you can read on the website of the National Center for Nutritional Education, “approx. 10% of children aged 1-3 years are overweight / obese and an additional 18,4% are at risk of excess body weight. The problem of overweight and obesity also concerns almost every third 8-year-old […] among primary and middle school students (10-16 years old), the problem of excess body weight was reported by every fifth student, and it was more common in boys than in girls. ” [1]
What’s wrong with fast food?
The fact that fast food products do not have a positive effect on our health is not a discovery. The main problem is their high calorific value. Eating more calories than we are able to spend leads to excess body weight, which is a risk factor for other civilization diseases. Popular “fast foods” provide saturated fatty acids (EFA), which increase the level of LDL cholesterol, thus increasing the risk of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases. According to the nutrition recommendations for children and adolescents, the consumption of EFAs should be as low as possible. What’s more, fast food dishes are characterized by a significant addition of salt, the excess of which affects pressure spikes, and in the future may result in the development of arterial hypertension.
Moreover, they are characterized by a low nutritional density. The nutritional density determines the value of the product – the content of nutrients, minerals and vitamins in relation to its calorific value. For example, vegetables have a high nutritional density because they are low in calories and provide significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. Their opposite is precisely the highly processed fast food, which has a low nutritional value. It is worth bearing in mind that ceasing exposure to fast food products rich in SFA, salt and simple sugars may reduce the risk of developing diseases such as obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and insulin resistance.
In my opinion, this intervention is extremely important. By influencing children’s eating behavior, we shape their food choices in adulthood. Children shape their habits not only at home, following their parents’ example, but also at school. It is influenced by the entirety of observations – from nutritional education in lessons or the evaluation of dishes offered in the school canteen [3]. School visits to fast food restaurants can have a similar impact.
The scale of the problem
Some of the restaurants dedicate some of the offer to the youngest, encouraging them, e.g. with a toy. This is what it is like at McDonalds. It is, of course, the Happy Meal set. The calorific value of such a set depends on the composition in which they can enter [4]:
- Chicken McNuggets / Cheeseburger / Hamburger.
- Small fries / Carrots
- Water / Juice / Tea
| PRODUCT | KCAL | NKT* (g) | SIMPLE SUGARS (g) | SALT (g) |
| Cheeseburger | 304 | 6,1 | 7,3 | 1,7 |
| Hamburger | 254 | 3,5 | 6,6 | 1,3 |
| Chicken McNuggets (4 pcs) | 174 | 1,1 | 0,3 | 0,8 |
| Fries small | 239 | 1,1 | 0,3 | 0,5 |
| Carrots | 35 | 0,1 | 3,3 | sodium -120 mg |
| Tea without sugar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Orange juice | 98 | 0 | 8,8 | 0 |
| Apple Juice | 112 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Water | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
In the least caloric version – including McNuggets, Carrots, and water – the set will provide about 200 kcal, in the most caloric version, but also the most probable – a cheeseburger, fries and apple juice, the set will provide 655 kcal, which in 42% covers the needs of a child up to years old 9 with little physical activity. Rarely, children will choose a low-calorie option in the sea of tempting smells of fries or hamburgers. Peer pressure and their preferences will certainly influence the choice of more caloric options. On the other hand, the inclusion of carrots as an alternative to French fries seems to be a purely marketing procedure, as it creates the appearance of a healthy meal.
Pay attention to the amount of saturated fatty acids, 7,2 g for a dish with cheeseburger and fries. The addition of salt is also disturbing – for children aged 7-9 years, the sodium requirement is 1200 mg / day (3 g of salt). Note that the popular cheeseburger has more than half the demand.
The set that the older ones choose is the popular 2forU or the set with a sandwich, fries and a cola.
| PRODUCT | KCAL | NKT (g) | SIMPLE SUGARS (g) | SUN |
| Cheeseburger | 304 | 6,1 | 7,3 | 1,7 |
| Hamburger | 254 | 3,5 | 6,6 | 1,3 |
| Chicks | 397 | 2,1 | 6,4 | 1,8 |
| Chicken burger | 308 | 1,7 | 7,1 | 1,6 |
| Fries small | 239 | 1,1 | 0,3 | 0,5 |
| Drink, e.g. Coca-Cola | 106 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
Here, in the worst case, the caloric content of a chikker set with fries is 636 kcal. Considering the volume of a given portion, it may happen that it will not be a single portion.
The table above shows a significant share of simple sugars in sandwiches. It is an addition of sugar to the rolls. Interestingly, even the fries contain simple sugars, and this is the addition of glucose, which is supposed to give them a golden, appetizing color.
The whole initiative is not about boycotting one particular restaurant. It is about outlining the problem, education, and also making parents aware of the health risks that come from eating such dishes. If you want to develop proper eating habits in children and adolescents, you should not compromise on clearly harmful products.
In my opinion, such an intervention is absolutely necessary. As a dietitian, I fully support her.
* NKT – saturated fatty acids
Bibliography:
3. Decyk-Chęcel A., Eating habits of children and adolescents, Probl Hig Epidemiol 2017, 98 (2): 103-109.