The Foods Making Americans Fat (And Skinny)

In the most comprehensive study of its type, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the cost of obesity at $170 billion a year in 2008 dollars. Twenty five percent of US adults are overweight, and the number continues to increase rapidly.

The reasons people gain weight are simple. They eat too much and exercise too little.  Scientists have identified the food and drinks that are the most to blame for America’s bulging waste lines. A recently published study in The New England Journal of Medicine entitled “Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men” based its findings on the health histories of 120,877 U.S. women and men. The people were “free of chronic diseases and not obese” as each began the study. The average person in the study gained 3.34 pounds over four years. The study by Harvard scientists included factors which could influence weight loss and weight gain such as exercise and smoking.

24/7 Wall St. examined the results in the Harvard report and compared them to data from the CDC and the United States Department of Agriculture to see which foods may worsen or lessen the effects of obesity.  It was a sobering experience.

If Americans were to ever take these results to heart, which seems unlikely, it would have a major impact on the food business. For example, the study found thee the single largest contributor to weight gain is the amount of potato chips people consume. Fast food chains, food retailers, and  food processing companies make billions of dollars a year from their sale.

These are the six foods that cause the most weight gain per serving, and the five foods that cause the most weight loss. They are the Foods Making Americans Fat And Skinny.

The Six Foods Making Americans Fat

6. Alcohol use
> Pounds Gained Every Four Years: .41 pounds per drink per day
> Leading Producer: Anheuser-Busch InBev, SAB Miller, Diageo
> Why It’s Bad For You: Contains alcohol, high in carbohydrates, calories
> Diseases it can Lead to: Liver Disease, Obesity

in 2008, Americans consumed 25.7 gallons of alcoholic beverages per capita, slightly more than the amount of coffee they drank. Nearly 85% of this is was beer, which is high is calories, carbohydrates, and sugar. Besides the effects of long-term alcohol consumption, which can lead to liver damage, alcohol (beer especially) is high in fattening “empty calories” as well as carbohydrates. While .41 pounds over four years may not seem like much, the impact is significant because it’s compounded. This means that someone who drinks 2 drinks per day will average a gain of .8 pounds. Someone who averages 4 drinks per day will gain ten pounds over 20 years, even if they eat an otherwise perfect diet.

5. Processed meats
> Pounds Gained Every Four Years: .93
> Leading Producers: Hormel, Oscar-Meyer, Cargill
> Why It’s Bad For You: High in fat, sodium, carcinogens
> Diseases it can Lead to: obesity, heart disease, cancer

Processed meat includes deli meat, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. According to the Orange County Register, “Americans eat 20 billion hot dogs a year – an average of 70 hot dogs per person.” Most meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, but a separate Harvard study published in 2010 found that “processed meats contained, on average, 4 times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives (than unprocessed meats)” High sodium, as well as saturated fat and cholesterol, can all lead to heart disease and obesity. Preservatives have been linked to cancer. According to The American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund, there was a strong link between certain kinds of cancer and processed meats, such as hot dogs and bacon. According to nutrition data compiled by search engine Wolfram/Alpha, a single hot dog (without the bun) contains roughly a quarter of recommended daily values for fat, saturated fat, sodium, and protein, as well as 270 calories.

4. Unprocessed red meat
> Pounds Gained Every Four Years: .95
> Leading Producers: Tyson, Cargill
> Why Its Bad For You: high in saturated fat
> Diseases it can Lead to: heart disease, high blood pressure

In 2008,  Americans consumed more than 108 pounds of red meat per capita, according to the USDA. Unprocessed red meats, which include beef, pork, and lamb, are for many reasons healthier for you than processed meat. According to a  Harvard study published last year, unprocessed meat is less likely to cause heart disease and diabetes. Without the presence of preservatives and other chemicals, it is less likely to be carcinogenic. Red meat still contains high amounts of fat, and when eaten in excess, can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease.

3. Sugar-sweetened beverages
> Pounds Gained Every Four Years: 1
> Leading Producer: Coca Cola, PepsiCo
> Why Its Bad For You: high sugar content
> Diseases it can Lead to: obesity, diabetes, heart disease

One of the biggest scapegoats for the growing concern over obesity in the U.S. are sugar-sweetened beverages. These include punch, juice, and, primarily, soft drinks. This may not be an unreasonable accusation. A single can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of sugar. This is equal to 20 sugar cubes. According to the most recently available data released by the USDA, Americans consume roughly 47 gallons of soft drinks each year. According to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Americans who drink at least one soft drink per day are 27% more likely to be overweight than those who avoid them.

2. Potatoes
> Pounds Gained Every Four Years: 1.28
> Leading Producer: Ore Ida, J.R. Simplot Company
> Why Its Bad For You: (when fried) fat, saturated fat, sodium
> Diseases it can Lead to: heart disease, obesity

In 2008, Americans consumed an average of 36.7 pounds of potatoes per capita. While potatoes by themselves are not particularly bad, containing some nutrients and low levels of fat and calories, they can be very unhealthy when fried. French fries, the standard side dish on most fast food menus, are high in fat, saturated fat, trans fat  and sodium. All of these can contribute to obesity and diabetes.

1. Potato chips
> Pounds lost or gained: 1.69
> Leading Producer: Frito Lay, PepsiCo
> Contains: high amounts of Sodium, Trans Fat
> Major Diseases Prevented/Caused: heart disease, obesity, diabetes

In 2005, potato chips accounted for more than a third of the entire snack market. In that year, potato chip sales were more than $16 billion worldwide. Generally fried and seasoned with heavy amounts of saturated  fats, sodium, and often sugar, chips are the most commonly consumed snack food in the country. Some chips still contain high levels of trans fatty acids. Trans fat has been outlawed in some countries, as well as a few American cities,  because of its strong link to obesity, as well as artery blockage, which leads to heart disease.

The Five Which Make Americans Skinny

1. Vegetables
> Pounds Lost Every Four Years: .22
> Leading Producer: General Mills, Del Monte
> Why Its Good For You: contains essential vitamins, low in fat, high in fiber
> Diseases it can prevent: heart disease, high blood pressure, viruses, cancer

Americans on average consumed nearly 400 pounds of vegetables per person in 2008, according to the USDA. Nearly half of this included fresh vegetables. Because vegetables include so many categories, the health benefits are widespread. Vegetables have essentially no fat, sodium or sugar. Whatever small amount of sugar can easily be processed by the body. Vegetables contain dozens of important vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. As a result, eating them several times each day can help reduce heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, digestive problems, vision problems, and likely cancer as well.

2. Whole grains
> Pounds Lost Every Four Years: .37
> Leading Producer: Kellogg, General Mills
> Why Its Good For You: Helps with digestion, cholesterol
> Diseases it can Prevent: diabetes, obesity

Whole grains include products made from wheat, oats, barley and rice that have not been refined, meaning the nutrient-rich parts of the seed are still included. Americans consumed nearly 200 pounds of flour and cereal products in 2008. Most of this likely includes foods like white bread and white rice, which are high in calories but low in nutritional value. Whole grains, however, are quite healthy, and have been shown to reduce obesity and the risk of type II diabetes. Whole grains also raise LDL levels, which help improve good cholesterol and reduce bad cholesterol.
3. Fruits
> Pounds Lost Every Four Years: .4
> Leading Producer: Del Monte, Dole, Chiquita
> Why Its Good For You: low fat, high in fiber and nutrients
> Diseases it can Prevent: obesity, viruses, high blood pressure, cancer

Americans eat 250 pounds of fruit each year. Slightly more than half of that is fresh. Watermelon is the most popular, followed by apples, and bananas. While fruit can contain a lot of sugar, it is unprocessed, natural sugar, which is much easier for the human body to process. Fruit also contains a high amount of fiber, which improve digestion. Most fruits are high in vitamins, including A, C, potassium, and iron, which aid the immune system. Vision, blood pressure, and the cardiovascular system also enjoy its benefits. Many fruits are also high in antioxidants, which may fight against cancer.

4. Nuts
> Pounds Lost Every Four Years: .57
> Leading Producer: Planters
> Why Its Good For You: high in unsaturated fat
> Diseases it can Prevent: bad cholesterol, heart disease

Americans consumed nearly ten pounds of nuts per capita in 2008. Most of this was peanuts, – raw, salted, or in peanut butter. Nuts contain unsaturated fat, which helps reduce bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Nuts are also high in Vitamin E and Magnesium. One study, conducted by Loma Linda University, showed that “those who consumed nuts five times a week had about a 50% reduction in the risk of heart attack.” Salted nuts, however, can be very high in sodium, which is one of the leading causes of heart disease.

5. Yogurt
> Pounds Lost Every Four Years: .82
> Leading Producer: Danone
> Why Its Good For You: high in calcium, relatively low in fat
> Diseases it can Prevent: dental problems, obesity

In 2008, Americans consumed over 11 pints of yogurt per capita. Several kinds of yogurt can actually be unhealthy, especially when sweeteners or sugary fruit preserves are included. However, on its own, it is low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol, and high in protein and nutrients such as calcium and vitamin B12. Calcium can help strengthen teeth and bones. Yogurt also contains bacteria which aid healthy digestion, something advertised by brands like Activia.

Michael A. Sauter and Douglas A. McIntyre