Q. How often should my teenage kids eat fast food?

A. No more than twice a week, according to a recent US study. The CARDIA study, the first over the long-term to investigate the link between fast-food consumption and ill health, showed that the more fast food consumed the greater a person's health risk.

It reported that teens who eat fast food regularly are far more likely to gain weight and develop insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, concludes a US study.

Young adults who consumed fast food two or more times a week experienced significant weight gains of approximately 4.5 extra kg and doubled their increase in insulin resistance, compared to participants whose fast-food consumption averaged less than once per week.

It's good to see some chains offering salad menus, fruit and cereal options, and scaling down the size of their portions.

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