Junk food makes you stupid.

If I haven't given you enough reason to give up junk food already... here's another one.  Junk food can make you stupid as well as fat!

Researchers have found that 14-year-olds who had a higher intake of junk food scored lower in cognitive tests by the time they were 17 years old.

The study found that participants who had a higher intake of take-away food, fried potatoes, red and processed meat and soft drinks had negative associations that affected their reaction time, mental ability, visual attention, learning and memory.

Those participants were compared to participants who had a higher intake of fruits and leafy green vegetables.  The healthier eating participants had a positive cognitive performance.

Researcher Dr. Anett Nyaradi told Science Network that this difference could be due to the increased mircronutrient content found in leafy green vegetables, which has been shown to enhance cognitive development.  She went on to explain that several factors may be involved in the diet-related decline in cognitive skills, including the higher level of omega-6 fatty acids in fried foods and red meat.

Science Network explained that the metabolic pathways function best with a balanced 1:1 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but the western diet shifts this ratio to 1:20 or 1:25 ratio.

Dr. Nyaradi aslo explained that a high intake of saturated fat and simple carbohydrates has been linked to impairment in the functioning of the hippocampus, the part of the brain centrally involved in learning and memory that increases its volume during adolescence.

"Adolescence represents a critical time period for brain development.  It is possible that poor diet is a significant risk factor during this period... indeed, our findings support this proposition," she said.  "These findings have important implications for future health policies and health promotion programs."

 And it isn't just adolescents.  In another study 4,000 Scottish children between the ages of 3 and 5 were examined to compare the intelligence dampening effects of fast food consumption versus meals made at home with fresh ingredients.

It was found that higher fast food consumption by the children was linked with lower intelligence, even after adjustments were made for wealth and social status.

Another Australian study from the University of Adelaide, published in August 2012, showed that toddlers who consume junk food grow less smart as they get older.  The study included 7,000 children who were examined at the ages of 6 months, 15 months, and 2 years to examine their diet.  When the children were examined again at 8 years of age, those consuming the most unhealthy diet had IQs up to 2 points lower than children eating a healthy diet.

So, what do you want for yourself and your family?

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com