Obesity in America
The Problem With the Western Diet
Sep 12th
There has been a lot of medical research into the increase of obesity of people in the USA and the UK. Since the end of the Second World War people in Western countries have increased in weight, size and shape. Ironically, nutritional foods have become more widely available since the end if the war. Before then, the war caused many restrictions. You would have thought that having more foods with a higher nutritional value would have resulted in people having a healthier body weight. However, there are two main causes that have increased the propensity of people becoming more overweight and obese. These two causes can be linked to people’s lifestyles and diet.
The other trends that have happened since the Second World War is the increase of refined and processed foods. The problem with these foods is that they have a very high fat and sodium content. They also contain a lot of chemicals and preservatives. These foods have become ever more popular due to the way society has changed. With past generations it was mostly the men who would be out at work all day while the wife stayed indoors to look after the house, children and prepare the meals. This situation started to change about 30 years ago. Nowadays, there is usually no one in the house during the day. The majority of husbands and wives or male and female partners now work in a full time job. At the end of the day they either have no time or energy to prepare or cook a meal. A micro wave dinner solves that problem.
Another way our lives have changed is in the way are children understood food. In generations past children had a greater understanding of where food originated from. They would see their mother prepare the food which would be in a raw state from vegetables to meat. Today’s generation of children see food from a completely different perspective. Modern kids see their food either coming from a box or a metal container. The food is already prepared which makes their knowledge of it very limited.
These convenience foods that are now becoming the mainstay of the Western diet are high in fat and include next to no nutritional value whatsoever. There must be a change in the way that people are eating or else there are going to be serious health issues for many people in the future. We must move away from diet of processed and convenience foods and eat a healthier diet. The most natural way to eat food is in its raw form. Natural foods are best for the body because they are highly nutritious and low in fat.
Always seek a doctor’s advice if you have a medical condition or food allergy before changing your diet.
Kids Meals to Avoid For a Better Weight and Better Health
Sep 12th
Many children from six to nineteen years of age are either obese or at risk for becoming obese. This can lead to them being at higher risk for heart attacks, stroke and even an earlier death. This is why it is important to not only make sure your kids eat healthy but that they learn and follow these healthy habits when they are with other people. One meal that should be avoided if you go to Olive Garden is the fettuccine Alfredo. It has eight hundred calories and forty eight grams of fat and a large amount of sodium. A better meal option would be the cheese ravioli. It only has three hundred calories and eight grams of fat.
If you are going out to eat with your kids, grilled cheese is almost always a choice on most kid’s menus. However at Applebee’s the grilled cheese and fries is 1,020 calories and fifty four grams of fat. Eating a hot dog with applesauce instead is only three hundred calories and thirteen grams of fat. This will provide them with fewer calories and some nutritional value. Another kid’s meal that is high in calories and fat is the chicken fingers and fries meal from Outback. It has 1,030 calories and sixty grams of fat. A healthier option would be the kids’ sirloin with vegetables. It only has four hundred and thirty-five calories and twenty-eight grams of fat.
It may be a challenge getting our children to eat healthier and make better choices, but if we start as early as possible, chances are we have a better shot at the healthy habits sticking around long into adulthood. This way our children really will grow up to be big and strong and lead long happy lives.
