Junk food contributing to health problems in kids

There are countless health problems that junk food can pose to children. As well as being terrible for skin, causing spots and maybe losing popularity with friends, junk food can contribute towards tooth decay, is primarily responsible for the increasing childhood obesity epidemic that is sweeping across Britain – now being thought to increase the risk of liver disease in children and even leading to experts designing a childhood obesity risk calculator which can predict a new-born’s chance of becoming obese as they get older.

However, thanks to a study conducted by researchers based at New Zealand’s Auckland University, the list of health problems in kids that can be attributed to the consumption of junk food can now be increased.

More specifically, they are coincidentally the same issues that a survey published last week found could possibly be connected to the failure of Brits to wash their bed sheets at least once every week – asthma, eczema and rhinitis.

The study was a project examining the dietary habits of 181,000 youngsters aged six to seven within 31 different countries, in addition to 319,000 teenagers aged 13-14 from 51 countries.
Both the kids and their parents were given questions regarding the youngster’s diets and if the kids suffered from symptoms of asthma, or had itchy eyes, runny noses and eczema – a skin condition that causes itching and red/dry skin that can be appear cracked or broken.

From the results of the Auckland University study, health experts are now concerned that a diet comprising of high levels of saturated fat can be detrimental to children’s immune systems. This is because it was discovered that teenagers who ate food such as burgers three times a week or more were at a 39% higher risk of developing severe asthma, whilst younger kids were found to be 27% more at risk.  In fact, regardless of gender or financial status, junk food was the only type of food to show similar health problems across both age groups.

Those who ate junk food at least three times each week were also more susceptible to the eye condition rhinoconjunctivitis (rhinitis) – characterised by various symptoms including sneezing, red eyes,  runny nose and nasal congestion. However, the researchers also learned that by consuming about three portions of fruit and veg each week could reduce the risk by 14% in the younger group and 11% for the teenagers.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the study authors state that their findings do not prove a definite cause and effect, but comment: “Fast food may be contributing to increasing asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema. Regular consumption of fruit and vegetables is likely to protect against these diseases.”

If you have suffering with Allergic rhinitis and/or asthma then Medical Specialists are at hand to help. We have a vast range of medications to help both asthma and allergy sufferers, all at fantastic prices. If you are suffering from asthma-like symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately for a diagnosis.

Your doctor is able to prescribe medication if he feels you have asthma. If you have already been prescribed an inhaler or have lost your inhaler or run out and cannot get a prescription immediately, we are able to supply you an inhaler to help your asthma symptoms. We have both blue (relievers) inhalers such as Ventolin and Salbutamol, and brown (preventers) inhalers such as Qvar Beclomethasone and Qvar Easi-Breathe.

If you suffer from hay fever or allergies we have many options for you including Alomide allergy eye drops, Loratadine tablets, Nasonex spray, Prevalin allergy nasal spray and Prevalin allergy kids nasal spray.