Junk food

Junk food is a broad, non-technical term applied to foods that provide substantial calories while offering relatively little dietary fiber, protein, vitamins or minerals. The label commonly covers confectionery, sugar-sweetened beverages, salty snacks, many desserts, heavily sweetened breakfast cereals and other highly processed convenience foods. It is often associated with fast food, but the two categories are not identical: fast food describes speed and mode of service, whereas junk food is generally used to express a judgment about nutritional composition. A salad served quickly may be fast food without normally being called junk food, while packaged candy sold in a supermarket may be junk food without being fast food. The term is pejorative rather than a precisely bounded scientific classification. Nutrient-profiling systems, including the approach used by the United Kingdom's advertising regulator, assess positive and negative nutritional attributes such as energy, saturated fat, total sugar, sodium, fruit, vegetable, nut, fiber and protein content. Foods scoring highly on the less desirable components and poorly on the beneficial components may be classified as high in fat, salt and sugar, or HFSS. Other approaches emphasize the degree of industrial processing and use the related concept of ultra-processed food. These systems do not always produce identical results, and some foods, including burgers, tacos or protein-rich products, may fall on different sides of the boundary depending on ingredients, portion size and preparation. The expression was in use by the early 1950s. A 1952 newspaper headline used junk foods in connection with malnutrition while reprinting an earlier health column that criticized products made largely from refined flour and sugar. Michael F. Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest is often credited with popularizing or coining the modern expression in 1972, although earlier printed uses are documented. The category became closely connected with the expansion of mass-produced, branded convenience foods and American popular culture. Cracker Jack, a candy-coated popcorn and peanut product first registered in the late nineteenth century, is frequently cited as an early mass-market example of a named junk-food product. Junk food's appeal is usually explained through a combination of taste, convenience, price, availability, social habits and marketing. Manufacturers have developed products around combinations of sugar, salt and fat that many consumers find rewarding, while packaging, branding and advertising encourage repeat purchasing. Children's exposure to marketing has been a particular policy concern. The term also carries a socioeconomic dimension: research has reported higher overall consumption among poorer populations, although the reasons may involve food prices, time constraints, neighborhood availability, economic insecurity and the immediate reward offered by energy-dense products rather than a simple difference in knowledge or taste. Frequent consumption of diets dominated by such products has been associated with obesity and increased risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions. Research has also examined possible links with digestive problems, depression and emotional well-being. Evidence varies by food, amount and overall dietary pattern, so the category should not be treated as a medical diagnosis or as proof that every individual product is harmful in every portion. Critics argue that junk food is nutritionally imprecise and can obscure the importance of dietary balance, while public-health advocates use it as accessible shorthand for products that are high in nutrients of concern and heavily promoted. Governments and public-health bodies have responded with dietary guidance, front-of-package labeling, school-sale restrictions, taxes and advertising controls. Chile introduced comprehensive warning-label and marketing restrictions in 2016. Denmark briefly applied a tax on foods high in saturated fat, Hungary taxed selected products high in sugar, salt or fat, and Mexico introduced excise measures on certain unhealthy foods and drinks. The United Kingdom and Spain have also developed restrictions on advertising HFSS or child-targeted food products. Thus, junk food is not a corporate brand with a single owner or product portfolio; it is an internationally recognized descriptive and evaluative category used in nutrition, commerce, media and public policy.

The expression junk food emerged in twentieth-century English as a dismissive way to describe products perceived as filling or pleasurable but nutritionally inadequate. Printed evidence reaches at least the early 1950s. A 1952 issue of the Lima, Ohio, News used the phrase in a headline about malnutrition while reproducing an earlier article from Utah. That article criticized foods made principally from refined white flour, refined sugar or syrup, listing examples such as white bread, crackers, cake, candy, ice-cream drinks and sweetened carbonated beverages. The older expression cheat food also appeared in newspapers before junk food became established. Michael F. Jacobson, associated with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, is often credited with coining the term in 1972. The attribution reflects the term's popularization in modern nutrition advocacy rather than an uncontested first use. During the postwar expansion of industrial food production, the category became associated with branded, packaged and convenient products that could be mass-produced, distributed widely and promoted through television and other media. Confectionery, soft drinks, snack foods and sweetened cereals became recurring examples. Cracker Jack, a Chicago-originated candy-coated popcorn and peanut product registered in 1896, is often described as an early successful name-brand example. Definitions have remained unstable. Some writers define junk food by its nutrient profile: high energy, sugar, saturated fat or sodium combined with low levels of fiber, protein and micronutrients. Others use the term for highly processed or ultra-processed foods, although processing and nutritional quality are related but not interchangeable concepts. Fast food is also frequently treated as synonymous with junk food in popular discussion, but fast service does not by itself determine nutritional value. A food such as a hamburger or taco can vary substantially according to its ingredients, cooking method and portion size. The category became part of popular culture as mass advertising and convenience-food retail expanded. Its appeal has been attributed to combinations of sugar, salt and fat, sensory engineering, low preparation time, portability, price and strong brand associations. Public discussion increasingly focused on children, whose preferences and purchasing behavior may be influenced by advertising, packaging and product placement. Researchers have also examined the relationship between food environments, economic insecurity and consumption patterns, rather than treating individual choice as the sole explanation. Health concerns became central to the term's modern use. Diets that regularly contain large quantities of energy-dense, nutrient-poor products can displace fruit, vegetables and other nutrient-rich foods and are associated with obesity and chronic disease risks. Studies have investigated links with cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, digestive problems, depression and emotional health. Animal research has explored reward-system changes associated with prolonged access to highly palatable foods, while human studies have examined dietary patterns and child behavior. These findings concern patterns and frequency of consumption, not an absolute claim that every food called junk food has the same effect. Public policy responses have included dietary guidance, nutritional profiling, taxes, warning labels, school restrictions and advertising controls. The United States McGovern Committee brought salt, sugar, fat, overeating and food marketing into a major national nutrition debate and published Dietary Goals in 1977. Denmark introduced a short-lived saturated-fat tax in 2011. Hungary, Mexico and the Navajo Nation adopted measures targeting selected foods or drinks through taxation. Chile's 2016 law combined warning labels, child-marketing restrictions and school-sale limits. Spain and the United Kingdom subsequently pursued further controls on advertising to children and on HFSS advertising. Critics continue to argue that junk food is a vague moral label, while proponents regard it as useful shorthand for products and marketing practices associated with unhealthy dietary environments.

• 2026

  United Kingdom HFSS advertising restrictions take effect

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  The referenced material states that UK restrictions on specified television and online advertising for foods high in fat, salt and sugar became effective on 5 January 2026.

• 2022

  Spain's child-advertising restrictions take effect

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  Restrictions on advertising several categories of foods and drinks to children were reported as taking effect in Spain.

• 2016

  Chile implements warning labels and marketing restrictions

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  Chile introduced front-of-package warnings, restrictions on child-directed marketing and bans on school sales for products exceeding nutrient thresholds.

• 2015

  Navajo Nation junk-food tax takes effect

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  The Healthy Diné Nation Act introduced a 2% tax on specified junk foods sold within the Navajo Nation, targeting obesity and diabetes concerns.

• 2011

  Denmark introduces a saturated-fat tax

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  Denmark imposed a surcharge on foods exceeding a defined saturated-fat threshold; the measure was withdrawn after a little more than a year.

• 1977

  Dietary Goals for the United States

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  The McGovern Committee published dietary goals addressing salt, sugar, fat, overeating and food advertising, helping establish a policy lineage for later federal dietary guidance.

• 1972

  Modern popularization attributed to Michael F. Jacobson

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  Michael F. Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest is frequently credited with coining or popularizing the modern public-health usage of junk food.

• 1952

  Early newspaper use of “junk foods”

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  A US newspaper headline used the term in a discussion of foods high in refined flour and sugar and low in nutritional value.

• 1896

  Cracker Jack is registered as a branded snack product

  [1]Junk fooden.wikipedia.org

  The candy-coated popcorn and peanut product is commonly cited as an early successful branded example of the type of mass-market snack later associated with junk food.

A widely understood but contested category label for calorie-dense, highly palatable and heavily processed foods that are commonly high in sugar, saturated fat or sodium and comparatively low in beneficial nutrients.

• Candy and sweets

  Confectionery

  Candy, chocolate products and similar sweets are among the most commonly recognized examples of junk food because they often contain substantial added sugar and energy while providing limited fiber, protein or micronutrients.

• Soft drinks

  Sugar-sweetened beverages

  Sweetened carbonated drinks and related beverages are frequently classified as junk food or HFSS products because they can deliver considerable added sugar and calories with little fiber or protein.

• Snack foods

  Salty snacks

  Chips, crisps and other packaged savory snacks commonly fall within the category because they may be energy-dense and high in sodium or fat while offering limited micronutrient value.

• Breakfast foods

  Highly sweetened breakfast cereals

  Some breakfast cereals made primarily from refined grains, sugar or syrups are treated as junk food, although the classification depends on the specific formulation and nutrient profile.

• Bakery and frozen desserts

  Packaged bakery goods and desserts

  Cakes, cookies, ice cream and related packaged desserts are frequent examples because many formulations combine refined carbohydrates, added sugar and fat with comparatively little fiber or protein.

• 2021United Kingdom HFSS advertising policy

  United Kingdom

  The UK proposed restrictions on online advertising and television advertising before 9 p.m. for foods high in fat, salt and sugar.

  Outcome. The referenced material states that the restrictions became effective on 5 January 2026.

  Source
• 2016Chile Food Labeling and Advertising Law

  Chile

  Chile combined front-of-package warning labels with restrictions on marketing to children and school sales of products exceeding specified sugar, salt or saturated-fat levels.

  Outcome. The law became an internationally prominent example of a comprehensive approach to unhealthy-food regulation.

  Source
• 1977Dietary Goals for the United States

  United States

  The McGovern Committee used public nutrition guidance to draw attention to dietary patterns high in salt, sugar and fat, as well as overeating and the influence of food advertising.

  Outcome. The recommendations were controversial but helped precede the Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued from 1980 onward.

  Source

• 2016

  Chile adopts comprehensive nutritional controlsOther

  Background

  The policy responded to concerns about products high in sugar, salt and saturated fat and their promotion to children.

  Action taken

  Chile mandated warning labels, restricted child-directed marketing and prohibited certain school sales.

  Aftermath

  The framework became a prominent model in international debates over food labeling and advertising.

  Source

• 2015

  Navajo Nation introduces a junk-food taxPrice change

  Background

  The measure addressed obesity and diabetes concerns in the Navajo Nation.

  Action taken

  The Healthy Diné Nation Act applied a 2% tax to specified junk foods.

  Aftermath

  The act became effective on 1 April 2015 and remains a notable subnational example of a junk-food tax.

  Source

• 2011

  Denmark adopts a saturated-fat taxPrice change

  Background

  The policy sought to reduce consumption of foods containing more than 2.3% saturated fat.

  Action taken

  A surcharge was imposed on qualifying foods, including products made from natural ingredients.

  Aftermath

  The unpopular measure lasted a little over a year before being withdrawn.

  Source

1. 1Junk fooden.wikipedia.org