Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.
Foods that are high in salt, sugar, fat or calories and low in nutrient content are called Junk foods. Children, especially adolescents influenced by advertisements consume foods which are high in fat, sugar and salt. These foods are high in calories but not nutrient dense. Junk foods give generally 'empty calories'.
One of the important reasons for the rise in obesity among children is consuming junk food.
Salted snack foods like chips, candies, French fries and sweetened carbonated beverages are considered as junk foods. Bakery products like cakes with icing and biscuits are mostly made with Maida, saturated fat and sugar also come under the category of junk foods. Puffs and karo biscuits, get the characteristic layers due to addition of trans and saturated fat. Increase in serving size of foods like popcorn in theatres is not desirable. Idli, vadas and dosa contribute protein and vitamin requirements in addition to calories. These foods are not junk foods.
Junk food should be restricted in diets and occasionally consuming them may not harm the body. Pizzas nowadays made with whole wheat flour. Addition of more vegetables make it more nutritious. Cheese present in pizzas contribute to protein requirement.
Indian sweets like jalebi made with maida and sugar can also be considered as junk food. All sweets should be consumed in limited quantities due to high content of sugar and trans fats and occasional consumption may not imbalance nutrient intake.
Foods like vadas and bhajjis can be consumed occasionally though they are rich in protein they are also rich in calories.
Milk based beverages like milk shakes and lassi either sweet or salt contain lot of sugar and salt. One need to appreciate those foods with no or limited sugar and salt.
Most of the junk foods are processed. Limiting processed foods and outside foods, is desirable. Appreciating natural foods like fruits and nuts as snacks would pave the way to good health.
In 2016 the Central Board of Secondary Education had sent out a circular to its affiliated schools stating that junk food should not be sold in campuses. Many organizations over the last few years have been calling for a blanket ban for the sale of junk food across schools and colleges.