A study reveals the danger of fast food on children’s bones

A study reveals the harmful effects of fast food, especially to young children who are still developing.

The study, published in the Journal of Bone Research, is the first comprehensive study of the effect of widely available nutritional products on the development of the skeleton.

A team of researchers has proven a link between highly processed foods, or what is known as fast food, and low bone quality, revealing the damages of these foods, especially for young children who are still developing.
The study provided the first comprehensive analysis of how these foods affected skeletal development, and examined laboratory rodents whose skeletons were in the post-embryo stages. Animals exposed to ultra-processed foods suffered developmental delays, and their bone strength was adversely affected.

Through a histological examination, the researchers discovered high levels of cartilage build-up in her growth plates, which are the engine of bone growth. By further examining the cells, the researchers found that the genetic profiles of cartilage cells in mice exposed to these foods showed characteristics of poor bone growth.

According to the study, ultra-processed foods, or fast food, are food products that undergo multiple stages of processing, contain non-food ingredients and are popular with consumers because they are easy to access, relatively inexpensive, and ready to eat directly from the package.

The increasing proliferation of these products worldwide has directly contributed to the increase in obesity, mental effects and metabolic problems among consumers of all ages.