The following data was obtained from The Healthy Eating Guide. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that no more than 7% of total calories consumed should come from saturated fat sources. A Harvard study is investigating the possible link between trans fat consumption and its role in 30,000 premature coronary deaths annually. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that trans fats account for less than 1% of total caloric intake for a 2,000 calorie diet. This percentage equates to less than 2grams daily.
Simple diet modifications such as substituting whole grains (complex carbohydrates) for simple carbohydrates (found in refined grains) could reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 33%. Whole grains also contain many healthy nutrients that the refining process destroys. Complex carbohydrates also take longer for the body to break down and digest. This produces a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time and can aid weight loss.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults consume .4g of protein per pound of body weight daily. Americans typically consume more protein than recommended and obtain protein from high fat and saturated fat sources such as red meat. Ideally protein sources should come from lean meats such as poultry or fish, or sources such as soy.
A National Institutes of Health study on sodium found that adults with hypertension who reduced sodium intake by 25-35% had a 25% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease over a 10-15 year period after following a reduced sodium diet. This study suggests that small changes in diet can have significant and long term health benefits. Another small change in diet that can have substantial health benefits is the reduction of soda consumption. The average American consumes 526 12oz. sodas annually or 1.5 cans daily. Omitting soda can reduce more than 6,000 calories per month which equates to 21bs. of weight loss per year.
Fast food consumption is an unfortunate staple of American’s diet and their ever expanding portions and waist lines of Americans indicate the health problem that fast food is becoming. Over $140 billion dollars is spent on fast food annually in the U.S. More than 25,000 fast food chains exist in America an astounding 1,000% increase since 1970. American children are also targeting by fast food corporations. In 2007, fast food advertising franchises spent $294 million on marketing that was directed at children. A typical cheeseburger kids meal at McDonalds contains 640 calories and 24g of fat.
This one meal contains more than half of the total calories that a child should consume in a day. Since the 1970’s fast food portions have tripled in size. It’s no wonder that concurrently child obesity rates have also tripled, while adult obesity rates have doubled. Current estimates conclude that 30% of children ages 2-19 are overweight or obese and that 1 in 3 children born in 2000 while develop diabetes in their life time. Obesity in infants is also on the rise. In infants ages 6-23 months the obesity prevalence in this demographic increased from 7.2% in 1976-80 to 11.5% in 2003-04. In 2003-04 nearly 14% of children ages 2-5 were overweight which an increase from 10.3% in 1999-00. An unpublished study from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine found that the artery walls of obese children and teens or those that have high cholesterol ( a common health problem from obesity) are as thick as the artery walls of a 45 year old.
Approximately 40% of adults ages 40-59 are obese. If current trends continue, by 2048 100% of Americans will be overweight or obese. Not one American will be of a healthy body weight. From 1960-2004 the prevalence of overweight increased from 44.8% to 66% in U.S adults ages 20-74 while obesity prevalence increased from 13.3% to 32%. The majority of these increases occurred in only three decades, beginning in 1980.
