The number of obese and overweight men, women and
even children has increased dramatically in the United States and other
countries with similar living standards. If you are looking for reasons
you´ll find poor eating habits, lack of exercise but even lack of
self-discipline are main reasons for this doleful tendency.
Recent food related studies published in the "American
Journal Of Public Health", FDA and USDA Agricultural Research Service
revealed that we are not even aware of some
of the major reasons of obesity. Within the past 20 years, the size and
number of meals and portions that are served and consumed outside the
homes e.g. in restaurants, cantinas and fast food facilities has
permanently increased without this fact being made aware to consumer
knowledge.
In the year 1970 food served outside the home had
been counting about 37% of the average american household´s food budget.
Today, this number has grown to almost 50% of the food budget, sometimes
even more, especially in big city single households. The increasing time
and money that people spend eating outside their homes matched with an
increase in portion sizes served in restaurants and fast food restaurants,
exposing a serious health risk for us.
Well, usually we would say "very good, at least
you get something for your money", however food habits out of control
coupled with increase of food portions is not benefiting your health and
beauty, unless you´re a skinny person or mass creating body builder...
But who is to blame? The study has sampled food from both, fast food
restaurants and traditional restaurants with the result that both have
increased their portion sizes dramatically. It was also discovered that
the restaurants with the highest increase in food portion size had been
the ones, being most financially successful. Some portions served had been
exceeding FDA and USDA standards by astonishing 700 (sevenhundred !!!)
percent!
The story does not end here, however. As if you´d
still not have enough, increased or deceptive food portion sizes have
started to penetrate our homes and fridges. MSNBC News recently reported,
that many well known cereal brands were discovered to fill their single
server boxes with much more food contents than stated on the labels. The
USDA Agricultural Research Service has been investigating and found that
this food deception can match anywhere from 10 only to up to as much as
100 extra calories in each individual single food package and that from 3
up to 20 extra carbohydrates can be found in each and every single food
package serving. Also other foods like muffins, pasta, meats, bagels and
cookies had been violated against their official ingredients labels. This
is not an issue to be simply neglected. An ideally weighted and healthy
person may not be affected, however overweight people, people on diets or
even worth, people with diabetic diseases could be seriously harmed.
Due to this abuse of food regulation standars we are
harming ourselves more than we may realize. As the tendency for package
content increase has been coming slowly over the years, we had not been so
much aware of this fact and did not build up critical shopping habits
against it. Many of the foods in violation are full of calories,
carbohydrates and fat and can lead to serious health complications,
especially if consumed in the long run.
The trend to oversizing food portions is leading to
overweighted people. It has entered almost every corner of our lives.
Everything from beverages, candy bars to burgers is increasing in size.
Even cookbooks have increased the number of ingredients to be added,
reflecting the assumption that people do eat more than before.
What can you do to protect yourself?
Well, the first step is done already. By reading
this article you are now at least aware of the problem and you can now
react accordingly. Some recommendations on what you can change to protect
yourself are:
- Do not feel obligated to eat all of your food
when you eat. Do not bother to leave a rest on the plate.
- If available, a smaller portion size is better
for you´re health and feeling.
- When you are at home, serve the family meals in
smaller bowls, tricking the mind into thinking you have more food.
- Do not completely trust food lables, be critical.
- Consult your doctor for any medical questions.
Remember, the food industry is providing meals and
packages. But you are the one eating the meals! Take the action for
yourself and fight back against deceptive food portion sizes.
