When thinking of high processed foods, some people think “convenient.”

But “convenience” can affect our health. A lot of processed foods have a high intake of sugar and sodium, meaning that the amount taken in can affect our health. High intake of salt can cause high blood pressure and even disrupt the function of the kidneys. Similarly, high intake of sodium can also cause high blood pressure but with a lot more problems. For example, heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. Another effect of high processed foods is kid obesity. Just last year there was a 7% increase in obesity. Think of school lunches. Kids in elementary shouldn't have to take in these harmful products, they should be able to enjoy fresh foods.Another place we see high processed foods is restaurants. The meat in fast food restaurants are not always the real deal. Just recently in September restaurants received their rank according to their meats. 16 out of 25 restaurants received an "F." These meats are filled with antibiotics and chemicals and lack nutrition. Many people are unaware of this issue. We can no longer ignore this problem simply because high processed foods are everywhere.We need to make America a healthier environment, and reduce the intake of high processed foods. We care about our health and we want to see a change in the foods we are given!