Carbs and Junk Food in Children's and Teenage Diet Refined Unhealthy Carbohydrates - High Glycemic Index Values	Carbs in Food Glycemic Index GI of Carbs Glycemic Load of Carbs GI Diet - Low GI Diet
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Carbs and Junk Food in Children's Diet

According to recent estimates, as many as 20-30 percent of American children are either overweight or suffer from obesity. In addition, rates of juvenile diabetes, as well as teenage eating-disorders, such as binge-eating, are climbing dangerously. Lack of physical exercise is also a growing concern.

Refined Carbohydrates, Sodas and Other Junk Foods

One of the causes of this upsurge in childhood and teenage obesity, is the over-consumption of refined carbs and junk food, encouraged by food advertising campaigns aimed at children. Refined carbs, being high-glycemic value foods, are now strongly associated with blood-sugar management problems, leading to increased risk of obesity, diabetes and other health problems.

For example, consider these points:

Carbs and Refined Food Advertising

"The average American child sees 10,000* advertisements each year on television alone. 95 percent of these are for one of four types of foods: fast foods, sodas, candy-coated cereals and candy." (Kelly Brownell, Professor of Psychology, Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University.) [* 2004 estimates are as high as 30,000]
Fast food chains are now estimated to spend $3 billion on television advertising, per year. (Fast Food Nation, Schlosser E, 2001)
According to one US study the National Cancer Institute spent $400,000 on a campaign to encourage the eating of more fruit and vegetables. In the same year one cereal manufacturer spent an estimated $32 million dollars to advertise just one carb product - sugar-frosted flakes.
In a recent survey by the UK Food Commission, of 385 food products whose advertisements were aimed at children, only 10 percent could be regarded as "healthy", while over 75 percent contained excessively high levels of saturated fat, sugar and sodium.
Fast food manufacturers and soda manufacturers aim much of their food and drink advertising at children. For example, in 1996, the Walt Disney™ Company signed a 10 year global marketing agreement with the McDonald's™ Corporation. Corporations like Burger King™ and Coca-Cola™ sign advertising and supply contracts with US school authorities to boost fast-food and carb-rich soda sales among school children.
US researchers have found that the strongest predictor of weight gain in children aged 11-12 years, is the consumption of sodas - the classic high-glycemic-index food. Apparently, calories in liquid form appear to blunt the appetite less than calories in solid foods. (The Diet Bible, Wills J, 2001)
American kids (aged 6-14) eat in quick-serve restaurants 157 million times a month.(Eating Out Food Counter, by Natow and Heslin 1998).

Carbohydrates Definition
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Complex Carbs Guide
Simple Carbs Guide
Starch/Starchy Carbohydrates
Sugars Carbohydrates
Carb Counting Guide
Facts About Carbohydrates
Diabetes, Carbs and Diet

Fiber in Diet
Dietary Fiber
Types of Fiber
Best Sources of Fiber
Benefits of Fiber
Daily Fiber Needs

Nutrition & Carbohydrate
Nutrition in Carbs
Minerals in Carbohydrates
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Phytochemicals in Carbs

Carbs and Glycemic Index
Digestion of Carbs
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What is Glycogen?
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What Affects Glycemic Value?
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GI Values in Carbohydrates
GI Value For Beans
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Carbohydrate in Foods
Atkins Diet Foods
Bagels
Beans/Legumes
Beer
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Cereal
Cake
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Donut
Dressings
Energy Bars
Flour/Baking Foods
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Noodles
Nuts/Seeds
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Carbs in Food cont/
Pasta
Pies
Pizza
Popcorn
Potatoes
Pretzels
Rice
Sauces
Soda
Soup
Soy Food
Sugars
Syrups
Vegetables
Zone Diet Foods

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Diabetes, Insulin, Obesity
Diabetes Information
Hyperglycemia - High Blood Glucose
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Obesity Information
Diabesity, Diabetes and Obesity
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Types of Insulin
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Insulin Resistance Syndrome

Carbs-Information.com provides general information about different types of carbohydrate, like monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, as well as nutritional value of carbohydrates, carb-content of foods, plus details of GI values of all food groups, plus advice about diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. But no information is intended as a substitute for medical advice. Copyright 2003-2006.