Spring Break
Home > News
Fat food
Cheap food is often the least healthy option
by Trevor Davis | News Reporter
Getting more food for less money may be appealing to students, but health experts say portions at fast food restaurants have been getting larger since the 1970s and are contributing to America's obesity epidemic. The food often contains high amounts of calories, sodium and fat.
Although fast food chains like McDonald's have phased out their super-sized portions, health experts say fast food portions are still too large.
One out of four Americans eats fast food every day for convenience and price, according to the nonprofit group Helpguide.
Becoming a nation that eats out more and more poses serious health risks because a single burger can come close to, or even exceed, a day's worth of calories and fat.
Government food guidelines released two years ago recommend that people keep their total daily fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calorie intake. (The recommended amount of dietary fats is different for everyone because daily caloric needs are different.)
Someone on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet would be allowed 65 grams of fat each day, but eating a Double Six Dollar Burger at one of the six Carl's Jr. restaurants in Eugene and Springfield would provide 1,520 calories and 111 grams of fat - nearly twice the amount of fat in one day than the recommended amount.
Carolyn Raab, food and nutrition specialist at Oregon State University, said portions at fast food chains are getting larger because customers have been responsive and often order the meal option or upgrade their meal.
"More is not necessarily better," she said. "It's a real temptation to take a value meal without thinking about the extra calories."
University marketing professor Lynn Kahle said the trend is occurring because customers want more food for less money.
"Customers in America always want bigger, and they think bigger means better, even though more French fries aren't always better for you," he said.
A New York University study found that food portions are consistently larger than in the past, and the large portion sizes are contributing to the obesity epidemic in America. A large order of French fries in the 1950s, for example, is now the small size at one chain. The small is now one-third the weight of the large.
Although fast food chains like McDonald's have phased out their super-sized portions, health experts say fast food portions are still too large.
One out of four Americans eats fast food every day for convenience and price, according to the nonprofit group Helpguide.
Becoming a nation that eats out more and more poses serious health risks because a single burger can come close to, or even exceed, a day's worth of calories and fat.
Government food guidelines released two years ago recommend that people keep their total daily fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calorie intake. (The recommended amount of dietary fats is different for everyone because daily caloric needs are different.)
Someone on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet would be allowed 65 grams of fat each day, but eating a Double Six Dollar Burger at one of the six Carl's Jr. restaurants in Eugene and Springfield would provide 1,520 calories and 111 grams of fat - nearly twice the amount of fat in one day than the recommended amount.
Carolyn Raab, food and nutrition specialist at Oregon State University, said portions at fast food chains are getting larger because customers have been responsive and often order the meal option or upgrade their meal.
"More is not necessarily better," she said. "It's a real temptation to take a value meal without thinking about the extra calories."
University marketing professor Lynn Kahle said the trend is occurring because customers want more food for less money.
"Customers in America always want bigger, and they think bigger means better, even though more French fries aren't always better for you," he said.
A New York University study found that food portions are consistently larger than in the past, and the large portion sizes are contributing to the obesity epidemic in America. A large order of French fries in the 1950s, for example, is now the small size at one chain. The small is now one-third the weight of the large.
Be the first to comment on this story