1. SHETH N.K.T.T. COLLEGE OF COMMERCE,
KHARKAR ALI, THANE (W).
Project On
“Impact of Junk Food”
Subject : Research Methods In Business.
Class : S.Y.B.M.S. Div : A Semester : IV
Prepared by
Rishikesh Suryakant Garude
Academic Year : 2010 – 2011

2. Junk Food…..

3. DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the project title “Impact of Junk Food” which I
am submitting to SHETH N.K.T.T. COLLEGE OF COMMERCE, KHARKAR ALI, THANE
(W). for the partial completion of Internal Evaluation of S. Y. B. M. S. Sem. – IV
in the subject of “Research Methods in Business” is our own based on the
interaction with the people of the society and is not substantially the same which
has been submitted to any other institution.
I am thankful to all the concerns for their assistance and help received during
the course of completing this project.
Completion of a project properly balancing theory and practice is a difficult
task. Perhaps words would not be adequate in expressing a sense of gratitude and
feeling to the project guide. I therefore express sincere thanks to the guiding
faculty Prof. Nivedita Mukharjee for her valuable guidance, timely support
and encouragement.
Sr. Name of the Student Roll No.
No.
1. Rishikesh S. Garude. 01
2. Rutika Dani. 02
3. Achal S. Sakore. 08
Place: Thane
Date: 18th Feb 2011.

4.  Hypothesis –
1) Junk Foods serve favourableness to the health of human being.
2) Junk Foods are substitutes to the traditional food items.
 Objective –
1) To study the variety of readymade/ Fast Foods items.
2) To study the impact of Junk Food on the Human Health.
 Scope –
Since there are number of food items made available in the market, the
project discusses about the impact of junk food on the health of human being.
Thus, the project is restricted to the junk food and its impact on human health only
and doesn’t cover other aspects.

5. CONTENTS –
 Hypothesis.
 Junk Food – An Introduction.
 Types of Junk Food.
 Observation.
 Impact of Junk Food.
 Need to avoid Junk Food.
 Fast Food and Health Concerns.
 Ways to Avoid Junk Food.
 Suggestion/s.
 Conclusion.

6. IMPACT OF JUNK FOOD
 Junk Food-An Introduction-
Any food that has poor nutritional value is considered unhealthy and may be
called a “Junk Food.” A food that is high in fat, sodium, and/or sugar is known as a Junk
Food. Junk food is easy to carry, purchase and consume. Generally, a junk food is given a
very attractive appearance by adding food additives and colors to enhance flavour, texture,
appearance, and increasing long self- life. A junk food has little enzyme producing vitamins
& minerals and contains high level of calories. When we eat these empty calorie foods, the
body is required to produce its own enzymes to convert these empty calories into usable
energy. This is not desired as these enzyme producing functions in our body should be
reserved for the performance of vital metabolic reactions. Junk Food is also known as Fast
Food, Processed Food, and Ready-Meals.
Junk food refers to fast foods which are easy to make and easy to consume. They
are zero in nutritional value .They have only fats lying in it causing ill effects on the health of
the consumer. The taste is the most attractive feature in junk foods. Their contents are rich in
sodium salts and/or sugar and fats which provide high calories yet useless in value. A quick
look at junk food facts tells us junk food and diet does not go hand in hand. Perhaps this is
the reason why junk foods are also called as empty calorie foods. Nevertheless, junk foods
are popular because of their simplicity to manufacture, consume and of course, their taste.
People have their own notions about a certain food being listed as junk. However, chocolates,
burgers, pizzas, potato wafers and fries will surely find their way into everyone's list.
“Remember, junk foods are empty calories. An empty calorie lacks in micro-nutrients such
as vitamins, minerals, or amino acids, and fibre but has high energy (calories).”

7.  Types of Junk Food - -
Burgers and sandwiches perhaps the most popular fast food items that might have
attained popularity with the big-names but are now available at every nook and corner and
every eatery or every single food joint. Burgers with vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian
patties are available however since most of the burgers available use deep fried patties, try
and look for healthier options like burgers with grilled patties and lots of greens as well. Use
of ketchup, mayonnaise, excess butter, fat, should be avoided due to the excessive amount of
fat or sodium in some cases. Hot dogs are another popular fast food item available easily at
negligible prices. Cold drinks and soda that often accompany these fast food items also
belong to the same category. Even salads are a part of fast food but what matters are the
ingredients of the salad and the dressing that has to be picked out wisely. Do not choose salad
dressings with too much butter, oil, mayonnaise, cheese, yogurt or any other fatty substances.
If you are using ingredients like fried chicken in the salad obviously it will not be as healthy
as the green salads with grilled or roasted portions of chicken. Tacos, nachos, and vegetarian
and non-vegetarian wraps are also some of the popular fast foods, which are very popular
with the fast food generation. Another category in the fast food section is the Chinese fast
food, which includes an mixture of noodles, Manchurians, Momos, Rice, and Crispy Fried
Nuggets that are sold either at proper food joints or even roadside kiosks. India also has its
share of fast food with samosa, vada pav, parathas and various types of chat. Most of the
fast food items sold anywhere in the world have the same issues – lack or a relatively lower
percentage of essential nutrients and presence of excessive fats.
The habit of taking in junk food is seen particularly with children, teenage and young
adult and in the long run it can tell on their health. The main factor that attracts people to eat
junk food is their taste. This taste must be substituted with food that is cooked well and
delicious, but at the same time healthy for the body while intake eating salads and fruits must
be taken up and even increased.

8. Types of Junk Food……..

9.  Observation-
In order to know the impact of junk food, a simple questionnaire has been
prepared. The students-group has selected the respondents of teenagers particularly
undergraduates and also some residents, both male and female. Some of them are
habituated, where as some they have suffered a lot. The project is based on, face-to-
face interaction and the information collected through the secondary sources of
information such as publications and internet. Thus, in general, it is the study of 150
respondents and in particular, a sample of a group of 15 respondents and based on
both, primary and secondary sources of information. About 86.66% respondents
responded to the students group.
Following are the significant observations from the information provided by the
respondents-
• Most of the respondents are aware about the junk food. They purchase it from the
nearby stalls, hotels, restaurants, canteens etc.
• The junk food experience by the respondents includes pizza, burgers, French fries,
chat, pav bhaji, vada pav, samosa etc
• They opinioned that it is oily, different from daily food, tasty, unhygienic,
economical, unsuitable to health of Indian consumers as it causes many diseases
like diarrhea, stomach-pain, food poisoning, liver pain etc.
• The promotional strategy followed by the junk food providers includes massive
advertising, free gifts, discounts etc both in quantitative and qualitative and in
economic and kind forms.
• They said that they have attracted towards junk food through advertisements,
convinced by the friends and relatives, its takes, organisation/work culture etc.

10. • They experienced that the junk food is harmful the health of human being due to
poor quality oil, improper combinations of the various ingredients, methodology
of preparing; storing etc.
• They also opinioned the junk food has good prospects as it cover a very small
market segment.
 Impact of Junk Food –
Here are some Junk Food Facts that help you understand the harmful effects of eating
them. Some of them are long term while others are short-term effects.
• Lack of energy:
This is known as a short-term adverse effect resulting from eating junk foods. As junk
foods don't provide you with essential nutrients, even though they can be very much
sufficing, you feel weakened. Consuming deficient nutrients could be as a supplement.
• Poor concentration:
This is another result of junk food habit. These are traced to affect in immediate and
medium term periods. When you have a sumptuous junk meal rich in oil you feel
drowsy and fail to concentrate. Over sustained periods of junk food eating, blood
circulation drops due to fat accumulation. Lack of vital oxygen, nutrients and proteins
particularly can stale your grey (brain) cells temporarily.
• Heart Diseases:
Junk food diet is a major cause of heart diseases. Myocardial infarction (a severe heart
failure) is due to plaque formation in arteries which demands heart to put in extra
effort to pump blood on the downstream. On the upstream, there is lack of returning
blood to heart. This causes two damages to heart - heart fatigues by the continuous
extra effort it makes and it suffers oxygen supply.
• High Cholesterol:

11. Apart from forming plaques and constricting arteries, cholesterol also affects liver
where it is metabolized. High cholesterol from junk food and diet strains liver
damaging it eventually. This is a long term effect.
• Diabetes:
Caused by high sugar levels that cannot be regulated by the body itself due to a lack of
insulin of the body's inability to make use of insulin, diabetes type too can occur in
obese people due to excess of junk food.
 Need to avoid Junk Food –
Junk food is very tasty and no one goes by not noticing it and wanting to bite into
it. Resisting junk food is difficult, but with age, taking in junk food is something to be
desisted as they do not have a healthy effect on the body. How harmful can junk food is
exactly on human body?
• Junk food is made using a lot of saturated fats. Such fats are unhealthy and on
digestion can release a lot of toxins into your body. Human body gets food but not
healthy food.
• Junk food is sometime made using ingredients that are not very clean. This can in the
long run spoil stomach, liver and intestines of the human beings.
• Junk food does not contain vitamins and minerals and much of the nutrients seen in
properly cooked food and in raw food. The body is not getting the necessary vitamins
and minerals necessary to have good health and immunity from diseases.
• Junk food causes weight loss. People who have obesity or morbid obesity are those
who have a preference for junk food and snacking.

12. • Eating junk food can make you prone to diabetes, because it contain too much of
sugar. One can also become susceptible to heart disease and blood pressure because
of the salt and high fats found in this kind of food.
• Packed junk food contains preservatives and coloring, both of which contain
carcinogenic substances.
• In the long run, junk food actually fastens the effects of aging. People show signs of
old age faster because of continuously eating junk food. This is because continuous
eating of junk food exposes the body to long periods of bad nutrition. The result is
release of free radicals which are the chief factors responsible for aging effect.
 Fast Food and Health Concerns-
Most of these quick and convenient meals contain high amount of sodium, which
increases and aggravates the risks of high blood pressure. Excessive use of fat, butter, in
cooking, increases saturated fat intake as well as the calorie intake. Regular and excessive
consumption of fast food often results in obesity, which is one of the gripping problems
for children as well as adults. Obesity can also lead to other complications like increase in
the cholesterol level, blocking of the arteries, the increased risk of coronary diseases, and
physical discomfort. Fast food is not considered a healthy option, which is why you can
hear all the doctors and dietitians advising people to eliminate or reduce the consumption
of fast food in diets.
Fast food and its ill effects on health are plenty. Be it obesity, diabetes, heart
problems or any other chronic disorders, it is now a well known fact that regular
consumption of fast food can have serious ill effects on a person’s health. Due to the

13. increasing awareness about the risks of fast food, more and more people are either trying
to avoid the consumption of fast food or looking for healthier alternatives and
modifications to it - which is one of the reasons why you see most of the fast food joints
themselves coming up with a variety of non-fat or low fat foods to cater to the needs of
the population of health conscious people who want to avoid fast food.
 Ways to Avoid Junk Food –
Clever junk food advertising and the attraction of convenience in addition to taste
get people to junk food addiction. Awareness on junk food facts is lacking dramatically
in every corner of the society. Here are some useful tips to avoid junk foods.
• Junk food and children have a strange affinity to each other. This is partly so
owing to junk food advertising. Do not let children to get habituated to junk
foods.
• Controlling children from eating junk foods in schools is another step that helps in
a long term. Schools administration along with parents has a responsibility to
educate children about junk foods in schools.
• Junk food, the name itself is tempting enough. Eliminating the temptation is one
way to avoid it. Keeping good food nearby and having meals right on time may
help in this direction. Controlling the temptation is not as hard as alcoholism can
be.
• Develop awareness for fitness. This helps you separate junk food and diet from
your regimen.
 Suggestion/s-
• They also opinioned the junk food has good prospects provided strong it is
favourable to the health of consumers.
• There should limited consumption of the junk food.

14. • Preference should be given to the traditional and home-made food.
• The junk food providers should follow health care and safety methods /measures.
• It is necessary to have strong awareness, education and guidance programmes.
 Conclusion –
From the study, it may be concluded that the junk food are not suitable to the health
of Indian consumers. It needs to be developed from different directions.