Portion sizes of nearly all foods in restaurants and in homes have increased in recent years and may be contributing to the rising rates of overweight and obesity in the U.S., according to a new study.
The rate of obesity in the U.S. increased about 15 percent from 1971 to 1999. Correspondingly, researchers analyzed data from national surveys conducted between 1977 and 1998 and found that portion sizes also increased.
For example, an average soft drink increased from 13 ounces and 144 calories to nearly 20 fluid ounces and 193 calories, while the average cheeseburger grew from 5.8 ounces and 397 calories to 7.3 ounces and 533 calories.
Salty snacks grew from 1 ounce to 1.6 ounces, and calories from 132 to 225.
Of the foods in the study, pizza was the only one that didn’t increase in portion size or calories. Portion sizes of pizza actually decreased during the study period.
The study, which included more than 63,000 people, found that portion sizes in fast food restaurants were the largest between 1994 and 1998, however for foods such as hamburgers and desserts, portion sizes were actually largest in homes.
It’s possible to gain 10 pounds in a year by consuming only 100 additional calories a day. The study points out the importance of controlling portion size to control weight, but points out that the larger portions offered by fast food restaurants, which are often a better deal economically, may make people resistant to change.
JAMA January 22, 2003;289:450-453
Super-sizing tempts you to spend more money to buy extra calories you don't need. Those extra calories may make Americans feel like they are getting a bargain but are also contributing to the country's 66 percent rate of adult obesity.
As I said last summer:
Don’t fall for the "supersize" savings gambit. Yes, the food may cost you less in the short run, but it will cost you far, far more in the long run. The money you save pales in comparison to the amount you might spend trying to regain your health.
The United States has nearly 200,000 fast food restaurants and over 3 million soft drink vending machines. We also have an extremely wide variety of processed foods available in our grocery and convenient stores.
About 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food goes toward processed foods.
How can you possibly be healthy with that much processed food in your diet? Your goal should be to reverse that ratio and strive for a diet of 90 percent non-processed food and only 10 percent from other sources. Not only will you enjoy numerous health benefits, but you will gain the satisfaction of preparing meals and being able to control the ingredients.
The proportion of restaurant/fast food establishments and the desire for convenience has increased considerably since the late 1970s. Among 19- to 39-year-olds, away-from-home food consumption just about doubled between 1977 and 1996.
In 1996, 28 percent of young Americans said they had eaten out on any given day, compared to just 14 percent two decades earlier.
Yes, it takes more time and energy to follow the nutrition plan than to eat fast food, but doing so could:
So, stay away from processed and fast foods and either hire someone to prepare your non-processed food meals or prepare them yourself.
Like many people, I have almost no "free time" in my life, but still I am committed to preparing over 95 percent of my meals in order to preserve my health. It is a commitment, but a truly important one, and it can be done.
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