Majority Of What Americans Eat Is Junk Food
A new study published just a week ago, from researchers from the University of São Paulo and Tufts University in Boston, has found that over half of what Americans eat- that’s 57.9 percent of our energy intake- is considered “junk food”(it should also come as no surprise that this ‘food’ is nearly 90 percent of all the added sugars). Actually, given that we are talking about ding dongs, cup-a-soup, and other ‘snack-packs’, can that even be called food?
This explains, although many will continue to turn a blind eye, why so many Americans are overweight, have heart disease and why diabetes numbers are increasing. I know someone who drinks multiple 2-Liters of Diet Coke- a day- but because it’s diet, they think they are ok. Needless to say they are obese and I’ve sadly watched their weight simply balloon over the years.
And just so we are all on the same page, when I say ‘junk food’, the researchers defined this as, “Ultra-processed foods…as industrial formulations which, besides salt, sugar, oils and fats, include substances not used in culinary preparation.” Included in that list was also additives and flavorings- nothing you would find naturally. So sad.
From the AJC article:
“The most common ultra-processed foods in terms of energy contribution were breads; soft drinks, fruit drinks and milk-based drinks; cakes, cookies and pies; salty snacks; frozen and shelf-stable plates; pizza and breakfast cereals,” the researchers said in the report.
Analyzing data from 2009 to 2010, from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the researchers were able to account for the eating habits of more than 9,000 adults in the US. Of those people, a daily caloric intake of 2070 (average) was reported; unprocessed foods were only 30 percent of dietary intake and processed foods, like deli meat, cheeses and canned vegetables made up about 10 percent of daily calories. If you do the majority of your grocery shopping at the gas station or 7-Eleven, it is nearly impossible to avoid all the added sugar and calories, yet it seems that is what we have become, a nation addicted to quick and terrible, food.
I probably don’t have to tell my Health Nuts that this type of eating doesn’t add much in terms of nutritional value. But what’s worse is that eating this way increases your risk for chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart attack, stroke and cancer. If you need help learning how to eat more healthfully, click here and watch my story about how I lost weight and have kept it off for years.
You can do this!
XO- Erin
