Europe versus US

[Andromeda18_]

I don't completely agree with that statement. I've just turned 25 and still practically live off junk food. If you are willing to do a bit of exercise, then the weight doesn't really become a factor (although I do take vitamin supplements... I came to the realisation that junk food like it's namesake has no nutritional value... no matter how much maccas tell you its healthy). Then again, I really do love my food and am willing to exercise (more if need be) to maintain my eating habits.

You can live off junk food without getting fat just as long as you don't eat more than you need. Let's say that at the moment you need 2000 calories a day and you eat 2000 calories of junk food a day, you're not going to get fat because of that. However as you get older your metabolism slows down so by the time you're 27 you only need 1800 calories a day (note that these values are completely made up) but you still intake 2000 calories. You can be sure you're going to start gaining fat. What your body doesn't need will be stored as fat. The problem with junk food, when compared with other kinds of food, is that you can consume a large amount of calories by eating a little amount of food, not to mention junk food is extremelly unhealthy (we all saw how unhealthy the guy from Super Size Me became in only a month). It's very easy for people in their 20's to get away with it but trust me it's not going to be like that forever. You can compensate it by doing more exercise and by training with weights which will increase your metabolism but you won't be able to counter all the other nasty effects of junk food. I'm not saying people shouldn't eat fast food, I had McDonalds for lunch yesterday and it tasted like heaven, I'm just saying it's not something we should do daily.