In the last 40 years, obesity, and in particular child obesity has increased at an alarming rate in the United States.
The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), which tracked the percent of total daily calories of the range of food groups from 1970-2008, has given us the clues. You can download their Excel spreadsheet here.
If you just look at the differences in Caloric Consumption and the percentages in the daily diet, you will come up with these numbers. I compared the first and last year (1970 and 2008) but you can use the first 5 average and last 5 average and get very close to the same conclusions.
Caloric Consumption change
- Meat, eggs, and nuts +19
- Dairy -10
- Fruit +16
- Vegetables -3
- Flour and cereal products +193
- Added fats and oils and dairy fats +231
- Caloric sweeteners +58
Total increase: 505 Calories (kCal)
Percentage Change
- Meat, eggs, and nuts -3.3%
- Dairy -2.7%
- Fruit no change
- Vegetables -1.2%
- Flour and cereal products +3.4%
- Added fats and oils and dairy fats +5.1%
- Caloric sweeteners -1.3%
So, Why am I fat?
This leads me to a single conclusion:
- Increase in portion sizes
- Increase in calories from carbs and fats
- Sedentary lifestyle.
I am sure the physical activity has not increased 25% due to the increase in caloric intake!
And you have to wonder if the fruit and vegetables are as good as they were 40 years ago due to mineral depletion in the soil. Really, how good are greenhouse produce? They sure look nice, in their colour and bug-free bruises. Plus wax. But how do they taste?
So that means you are eating more (bad) carbs and (bad) fat and getting less vitamins and minerals!
How many of you are supplementing with Omega 3 fatty acids? We all eat too much of Omega 6. I get my fair share of olive oil here in Italy (see my previous article on fats)
You can thank the fast food industry and the packaged food industry and all their portable food!
Take a lesson from Alicia Weber… just get off the couch and move! Dance, run , walk, sing, swim, push-ups, pull ups, dips, yoga, Pilates, Frisbee, disc golf, whatever it takes.
Or, preferably, join your local Track and Field Team.
(If you are interested, click on the graphs below to see the dataset from the Excel spreadsheet quoted above)
Jimson Lee
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Why am I fat? Two words: processed carbohydrates. If God didn’t make it, don’t eat it.
Follow that simple rule and you’ll knock off a lot of weight, clear the arteries, and prove your overall health.
I agree with you Jimson. Blaming fat, sugar, carbs, HFC, etc, has validity to an extent but in the end people are just eating too much #1 and eating too much from bad sources #2.
I think (in America at least) we don’t like to take responsibility for our own problems, so we’d rather blame something: “It’s the conventional wisdom that low fat is the way to go, so I need to go low carb now”
I finished my college track days at around 180 lbs, and then went up to about 200 lbs even though I kept working out (but not track levels).
I did what most people did, said it was age or I could only be fit if I worked out like crazy, I don’t have time, etc.
But around age 31, I just changed my diet. Stopped eating empty calories, stopped eating oversized portions at fast food restaurants, stopped eating fast food.
I dropped about 10 lbs and I wasn’t exercising due to multiple injuries, in fact I was laid off and sitting on the couch all day.
Once I exercised again I finally saw results and got back to where I was in college weight wise.
It wasn’t complicated, I just stopped eating crap and ate when I was hungry and not for fun.
Quite a few of my friends just followed my lead, no more fast food, cut portions, no more “entertainment food”, and had similar results.
I think people make the obesity issue too complex in the U.S.
I think a lot of people struggle because they kind of diet, then go to the Cheesecake factory on the weekend and get the 1,500 calorie meal, supersize the soda, etc, all those calories add up.
@Markham – 4 words can sum up weight loss secrets: eat less, exercise more. Also, as you mentioned, “choose wisely”.
In my opinion, the very best thing you can do for yourself is read Gary Taubes’ book “Why We Get Fat”. I’ve lost 75 pounds from increasing my saturated fat intake, eating a moderate level of protein (adore my eggs, chicken, and grass fed beef), and heaping on the leafy greens (while forgoing the starchy and tuber vegetables). Full fat dairy and 1-2 oz. of nuts are also on the menu. Sugar and grains are gone.This is a meal plan that is very satiating. If I do feel like snacking, it’s some roasted seaweed or a hard boiled egg. Eating less and moving more will ensure you are chronically hungry. I exercise 30 minutes a day to improve my insulin resistance and blood glucose numbers, but it’s not necessary for weight loss. Don’t give up. You can decide food is your fuel and make it the very best for your health. I researched information about the industrial food industry, and have opted out. Thank goodness for Farmer’s Markets and homegrown veggies! It’s not about the calories, it’s about keeping insulin and blood glucose levels stable, so your body can burn fat for fuel instead of glucose. Insulin is the primary fat storage hormone.
@Suzanne, yes, Insulin is more powerful than we think.