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Almost three in ten frequently consume the meals and ‘junk’ food has the same effect on kids as it does on adults in spite of their higher rates of metabolism. The study of almost 2,000
English nine and ten year-olds found those who regularly consumed takeaways had increased skinfold thickness - as well as body and blood fats. Meals were more calorie dense while intakes of
protein and starch were less - along with vitamin C, iron, calcium and folate. Dr Angela Donin, of the Population Health Research Institute at St George's University of London, said:
"The higher total cholesterol and LDL (low density or 'bad') cholesterol concentrations observed in the frequent take away meal group, if sustained, are sufficiently large to
increase long term coronary heart disease risk by around 10 per cent. "These results suggest that further increases in takeaway meal consumption, and marketing directed at encouraging
such increases, are likely to have adverse public health consequences and should be actively discouraged. "The government should be considering health protection initiatives to reverse
the current trends in take away meal consumption, in the context of broader efforts to improve childhood diet and nutrition in home and school settings." The study published in
Archives of Disease in Childhood said kids who regularly eat takeaway meals - at least once a week - are raising their likelihood of heart disease and diabetes. They are also more likely to
be consuming too many calories and fewer vitamins and minerals than peers who eat home cooked food. THIS MORNING - CHILDHOOD OBESITY - DISHING UP TOO MUCH FOOD A separate analysis, comparing
the nutrient intake of the previous evening's meal in relation to its source, showed take-aways were more energy dense, and contained more fat and saturated fat than meals prepared at
home. In the UK the consumption of 'take-aways' rose by more than a quarter between 1996 and 2006 alone. This pattern of behaviour has been made even easier with the advent of
online apps and dedicated meal delivery services, said the researchers. Among adults research shows eating too many take-aways is associated with poorer quality diet, more body fat and a
higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Dr Donin and colleagues wanted to find out if a similar diet in children could be storing up similar problems. The participants from 85
primary schools in London, Birmingham, and Leicester were questioned about their usual diets - including the source of their meals - and how often they ate take-aways. One in four children
(499; 26 per cent) said they never or rarely ate take-away meals; nearly half (894; 46 per cent) said they ate a take-away less than once a week; and 555 (28 per cent) said they ate this
type of meal at least once a week. Boys were more frequent consumers of take-aways than girls - as were children from less affluent backgrounds. The schools were part of the Child Heart And
health Study in England (CHASE), which looked at heart disease and diabetes risk factors in pre-teens from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Photos of common foods were used to aid the
children's recall and estimate portion size. Energy density and nutrient levels were calculated from their responses. GETTY Take-aways are more energy dense, and contained more fat and
saturated fat The children's height, weight, waist circumference, skinfold thickness, and body fat composition were all measured. Their blood pressure was taken - as well as a blood
sample to discover levels of circulating blood fats, or cholesterol. There were no differences in blood pressure or insulin resistance between those who regularly ate take-aways and those
who didn't. The differences in blood fats were similar across all ethnic groups. Parents also filled in questionnaires on their employment status and job roles. Around a quarter were in
managerial/professional posts with a similar number in clerical/admin roles. Some 29 per cent did routine/manual jobs while 16 per cent were either unemployed or home makers. GETTY 'In
the UK, takeaway meal consumption is increasing' Dr Donin said it was an observational study so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. Further research would be
needed to explore this. But she said: "In the UK, takeaway meal consumption is increasing. "However, little is known about the associations between takeaway meal consumption and
chronic disease risk markers in children. "Our study suggests children who regularly eat takeaway meals have adverse lipid profiles, higher body fat and poorer diet quality.
"Efforts to reduce takeaway meal consumption in children could have both short and long-term health benefits." In the UK almost one-in-three children are overweight or obese by the
time they leave primary school.