Posted on 06/19/2002 11:02:53 AM PDT by tdadams
Washington --- Fast-food consumers who spend a few extra cents upgrading their value meal also might be supersizing their health risks, a coalition of nutrition organizations said Tuesday.
The study by the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity found that Americans are substantially increasing their calorie and fat intake as chains make it more economical and enticing to order larger serving sizes. The group said the resulting rising rates of obesity, responsible for 300,000 deaths annually, can lead to diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
''Americans are quite literally eating ourselves into an early grave,'' said Carol Tucker Foreman, director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America. ''We are plagued with portion distortion, and it is ubiquitous in the American food supply.''
The coalition said that obesity rates have increased by 60 percent over the last decade and doubled in children during the last 20 years. Diabetes diagnoses, which Foreman said are mostly traceable to poor diet and physical inactivity, have increased 50 percent over the last decade.
The coalition placed some of the blame on efforts to sell larger and unhealthier portions. Because value meals include larger servings of french fries and soft drinks, the report found that it costs more at McDonald's to buy separately a quarter pounder with cheese, small fries and a small Coke --- totaling 890 calories --- than a quarter pounder with cheese extra value meal, which comes with large fries and a drink and packs 1,380 calories.
''As a result of their marketing practices, it costs more to get less,'' said Melanie Polk, director of nutrition education at the American Institute for Cancer Research. ''If I want to control my calorie intake, I pay a penalty for requesting a burger with a small order of fries and a small soft drink. That's wrong, that's backward, [and] that's bad for our health.''
The difference between a small and medium bag of unbuttered movie theater popcorn is only 71 cents --- but 500 calories. The 23 percent price increase corresponds to a 125 percent hike in calories, accounting for two days' worth of saturated fat.
''Supersizing costs you money to buy calories you don't need,'' said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. ''To make informed choices, consumers need to know the cost to their wallet and their waistline.''
The study emphasized that more than vanity is at issue when you answer the question, ''Do you want fries with that?''
''We're not just talking about how we're going to look in our bathing suits this summer," Wootan said. "We're talking about preventing early death and reducing health care costs.''
> ON THE WEB: Center for Science in the Public Interest: www.cspinet.org
American Institute for Cancer Research: www.aicr.org
Hey, Ms. Rocket Science: Buy the value meal and only eat half. No one's forcing you to be a glutton.
Mouthful-of-dirt bump.
Does it have to be said what this will ultimately lead to?
Ouch! There's about 4-5 miles to add to your running shoes' odometer!
Yes, it will lead to double airfare on SW airlines.
I've found it is best for me to forget about getting the "best deal," whether I'm at a fast food place or a grocery store. I've decided my health (and that of my family) is worth the extra dollars I spend.
I also hate seeing these articles because I know it is just another way for the government to try to tell me what's best for me.
Erosion of civil liberties.
The study compared the number of calories people actually ate versus the number of calories they thought they ate. On average, the overweight people underestimated their intake by more than 700 calories a day.
A McD's extra value meal comes with a medium fry, not a large. Furthermore, get Diet Coke or unsweetened tea. That saves about 200-300 calories.
Why not buy what you can eat instead of throwing the other half away. I never buy supersize and I always buy regular fries. I noticed long time ago, that I get just as many fries with regular size or larger size and it's cheaper too
Watch out folks, here they come...
Poor people often buy a single value meal and split it.
What are these people, anti-poor???
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