At the beginning of the new year, a lot of people start to make resolutions to be better or to change something about their lifestyle. A very popular New Year’s Resolution is to go on a diet or start going to the gym. Starting to eat healthy might be a good resolution for many teens across the nation. A study done by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics found that at least one third of teenagers in America consume fast food every day.

  There are a couple reasons why fast food is so popular with adolescents. Most fast food restaurants have very cheap prices. These cheap prices are very convenient for teens who may not have a lot of money to spend on wholesome food from the grocery store. It is also very quick to get. Most teenagers have a certain amount of time permitted during their lunch at school; driving to the nearest Bojangles and grabbing a meal might take at most 5 minutes, and save them time. Unhealthy foods can also be very hard to resist whenever there is a sudden craving for some sugar. This is because fast food companies market to us constantly. The average American sees around 3 to 5 fast food ads each day. Senior Alex English said, “Sometimes I go off with my friends if we do not want the school food. We always end up going to a fast food place.” Easy access and cheap menu prices greatly impact a teenager’s decision to eat out for lunch. However, eating sugary processed foods almost everyday can lead to many health problems. Weight gain, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure are all effects caused by unhealthy eating habits.

Luckily, there are many helpful tips to start healthier eating habits. Experts say that getting the recommended amount of sleep (8 hours) each night will significantly affect how often a person wants to eat. This is because fatigue often leads to overeating. Another fool-proof tip is to start the day with a wholesome breakfast. A lot of people choose to not eat breakfast because they either do not have time or they just simply are not hungry in the morning. It has been proven many times that eating breakfast gets your metabolism going and gives your body a chance to wake up and get things moving. Eating a good breakfast reduces the chances of cravings for meals from a fast food restaurants. Also, eating small snacks and drinking water throughout the day keeps your energy up and increases the chances of weight loss. Anyone can use these tips to start the new year on a slightly healthier note.