According to latest reports, junk takeout food is the major cause of obesity among children in the United States. The trend of ordering takeouts is on an alarming increase. The study was carried out by researchers at the University of North Carolina. According to experts, the takeout food that seems to be the favorite of kinds if prepared from food sold in stores, supermarkets and fast food joints. The food contains high sugar levels as well as calories. As a result, children who binge on these foods tend to accumulate more calories than necessary and put on weight.

Researchers say that the trend of consuming food prepared in supermarkets and stores has largely increased the calorie intake among consumers. According to available data, between the period of 1977 and 2006, there has been an increase in the calorie consumption from 23.4% to 33.9%. While kids get to eat their normal calorific requirement at home, the additional food that they eat outside is the major cause of obesity.

Jennifer Poti, the lead author of the present study pointed out that eating food outside home is adding unwanted calories and leading to a number of health problems. The author belongs to Gillings School of Global Public Health of the University of North Carolina. She also said that the trend of bringing home fast foods is on a rise. This trend can lead to lowering of the amount of healthy food eaten at home and takeout food can form a very undesirable substitute for healthy and nutritious home cooked food.

Bringing food home is on an increase when compared to eating out. Poti said that although the precise reasons for this trend are unknown, time constraints and convenience are probably the two most influencing factors. She says that energy intake is influenced by the kind of takeout food consumed as well as the location where the food is consumed. She urges parents to give a serious thought to the trend and see that children do not become obese.

The report, which is supposed to be published in the Journal of he American Diabetic Association, will appear in the August issue. 29,217 children between the ages of 2 and 18 were considered for the study. The period of study was 19777 to 2006. The results of the study showed a higher intake of calories when children ate in fast food outlets as compared to the calories consumed when they ate at home or school.