Past research has linked fast-food consumption to childhood obesity and numerous health problems later in life. But eating such foods may not only affect physical health; a study finds that the amount of fast food children eat may also influence their academic growth.

Share on Pinterest Almost 40% of children’s diets come from unhealthy fats and added sugars.

The research team – led by Katy Purtell, assistant professor of human sciences at Ohio State University – found that the higher the frequency of fast-food consumption in fifth grade, the worse children performed on math, reading and science tests in eighth grade.

They published their findings in the journal Clinical Pediatrics in December 2014.

Many studies have suggested that consumption of unhealthy foods is a major contributor to childhood obesity, while health experts believe junk food drives increasing rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke.

There has been much debate over the marketing of junk food to children, with many experts claiming it encourages unhealthy eating.

According to the Prevention Institute, almost 40% of children’s diets come from unhealthy fats and added sugars, and only 21% of youths aged 6-19 years eat the recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables a day.

In this study, Purtell and her team wanted to determine whether fast-food consumption affects how well a child does in school.

The researchers analyzed data from 11,740 students who were part of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort. All students were in kindergarten in the 1998-99 school year.

When the children were in fifth grade, they completed a food consumption questionnaire. From this, the team found that only 29% of children reported eating no fast food in the week prior to the questionnaire.