Fast food reduces thinking ability

The reading and math ability of many fast food students decreased by 16% compared to other children, a US study showed.

In addition to obesity, fast foods also impair students' thinking ability.Photo: babble.com.

Vanderbilt University (USA) scientists study the eating habits of more than 5,500 elementary students and compare them with their ability to do math and reading. They found that more than half of the students have a habit of buying fast food at the restaurant up to three times a week, 10% eating 4-6 times a week and 2% going to restaurants more than 4 times a day.

In general, all subjects were from 58 to 181 points in reading tests (average score was 141.5). After taking into account other factors - such as parental income, race and weight - experts found that the reading results of students using fast food 4-6 times / week were 7 points lower than the medium. Those who ate once a day lost 16 points, while the group ate three times a day decreased 19 points.

The same trend also occurs in math. All subjects achieved 47 to 151 points in the tests (average score was 115). But the score of fast food students from 4 times / week or more decreased by 6.5 to 18.5 compared to the average.

The study provides further evidence of the relationship between poor diet and learning ability.

Dr. Kerri Tobin, the leader of the study, said: 'We found an inverse relationship between the amount of fast food that students put into their bodies and their learning outcomes. It is very likely that sugars and fats in fast food cause negative problems for students 'thinking ability, causing their scores to decrease.'

A McDonald's spokesperson - one of the world's leading fast food businesses - said: 'Most customers buy our food three times a month. With that fact, in addition to the variety of menus, McDonald's can claim that our fast food has no negative impact on most customers. We also do not encourage children to visit our restaurant too often. "