America
– The Land of the free and also……………..the Land of the Fat! The stark
reality is that the USA is possibly the fattest country in the world!
More
than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese. Approximately 17% (or
12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.
Over
the past thirty years, the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related
diseases in the U.S. has risen sharply. Since the early 1970s, the share
of children age 6 to 19 classified as overweight has more than tripled,
from 5 percent to 17 percent, while the share of adults classified as
overweight or obese rose from one-half to two-thirds of the population.
Over this same period, the number of fast food restaurants
more than doubled. Exposes such as "Supersize Me" and "Fast Food
Nation" along with reports in the popular press have frequently
suggested that fast food is at least partly to blame for the U.S.'s
rising obesity rates.
Despite
the popularity of this view, it has been difficult to empirically
establish a definitive link between fast food and obesity. The simple
fact that fast food restaurants and obesity have both increased over
time is insufficient proof of this connection, as are studies that rely
on differences in fast food consumption across individuals, since people
who eat more fast food may be prone to other behaviors that affect
obesity.
Of
course, over the recent years the US media has gone to great lengths to
share the risks of obesity and the new concept of wellness, but while
there’s a better awareness of the side effects of eating, there is
little to show in the way of statistical improvements.
So what’s the problem?
Interestingly, while Americans point the finger at the fast food restaurants,
its probably not so much the fast food restaurants that are at fault
but the consumers themselves and, believe it or not, technological
advancement. Remember - a free economy is set up where supply meets
demand not the other way round, and there is no economy as free as the
USA!
Consider the Potatoe: Americans ate large amounts of potatoes in the early part of the 20th
century, in most cases boiled, baked or mashed. In those days potatoes
were generally consumed at home. French fries were not generally
available, either at home or in restaurants.This was because French fry
preparation requiredwork in peeling, cutting and cooking, and given the
cost ofexpensive machinery, these activities took a lot of time. In the
postwar period, a number of innovations encouraged the centralization of
French fry production. Since then,French fries havebeen typically
peeled, cut and cooked in a few central locations using sophisticated
new technologies. They are then frozen and shipped to the point of
consumption, where they are quickly reheated either in a deep fryer (in a
fast food restaurant), in an oven or even a microwave (at home). Today,
the French fry is the dominant form of potato and America’s favorite
vegetable. This change is prevalent in consumption data. From 1977 to
1995, total potato consumption increased by about 30 percent, accounted
for, almost exclusively, by increased consumption of potato chips and
French fries.Given the calories in French fries are around 40- 50%
higher than a regular baked potato it is quite simple to see the
problem.
However,
lifestyle is also to blame. Greater economic demands on families have
generated enormous lifestyle challenges for individuals and families.
America’s consumer driven economy is largely to blame. The economic
realities of running a home in the US usually require that the husband
and wife work in full time jobs. Single parent home generally have broad
pressures as well, so theUS consumer lifestyle requires a fine balance
between work and family time. This balancing act is what created an
entirely new food culture – fast, affordable and tasty – wrapped up in
one single word: “Convenient”. Since the end of WW2, Americans have
migrated towards anything that shaves time from their busy lives.
Giventhat food is a life necessity – here lay the golden egg and
corporations took advantage of this without considering the ‘side
effects’ they were having on their customers. Indeed, the restaurant
industry must take a degree of responsibility in the weight of the
nation - many times, they are serving consumers products such as
sugar-coated burger buns and French fries intentionally to create
cravings. Or, adding corn syrup added to a high number of items. Corn
Syrup has been proven to slow the metabolism and has many other side
effects contributing to the problem of obesity.
Bear in mind that the US restaurant industry
captures 49 percent of Americans' food dollar, according to the
National Restaurant Association. So these restaurant groups have a big
influence on what we eat.
It
is worth noting that many people disagree with the fact that the
consumer is indeed its own worst enemy, and it’s always going to be
difficult for a percentage of the human population to take
responsibility. However, you only have to look at the tobacco industry
which actually tells you that smoking will kill you yet this industry
continues to thrive – so there is probably a need to consider the
reality as opposed to blaming the corporations that are in business to
supply a demand. After all – isn’t that was businesses are supposed to
do?
However,
just as the consumer is broadly at fault for its expanded waistline, it
appears that demand is shifting: Consumers spent $61 billion to trim
down in 2010 — $200 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. Diet
pills and meal replacement solutions accounted for just $3 billion of
that, while the remainder was spent on exercise based products and low
calorie or Health based foods.
Additionally,
the government is taking an interest, and there are a number of
government sponsored proposals in place which are intended to help
consumers make up their minds; Among the most controversial of the
recommendations: Communities could consider a tax on sugary sodas and
offering price breaks for healthier beverage choices.
Unsurprisingly, that prompted outrage from the American Beverage Association.
"Advocating
discriminatory policies that uniquely focus on sugar-sweetened
beverages is the wrong approach," said an association statement that
added those drinks account for just 7 percent of calories in the average
person's diet. This point was seriously subject to tainted statistical
weighting and was of course factually incorrect, but the great thing
about America is that you can always be assured someone will believe
you!
However,
the big change, as with many things these days has been driven by the
internet. The internet is a restaurant’s best friend and its worst
nemesis.Love it or hate it, the internet has been the largest platform
to channel concepts such as Wellness, healthy eating, and the health
implications of fast food and pre-packed / processed products.
The information age, which has accelerated the consumers understanding of good food and bad food, has driven two major changes:
1) Consumer awareness has forced changes in demand – McDonalds now serves salads!!
2)
Underground movements have become mainstream – for example the ‘Farm to
Table’ movement has created its own websites and associated restaurants
[which are becoming chains]. Any well-known chef in the US is promoting
sustainability and locally farmed produce, meats and fish, as well.
Today,
just over a third of U.S. adults are obese. By 2030, 42 percent will
be, says a forecast released by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). The data paints something of a mixed picture of the
obesity battle. There's some progress: Clearly, the skyrocketing rises
in obesity rates of the 1980s and '90s have ended, but Americans aren't
getting thinner.
That's
not nearly as many as experts had predicted before the once-rapid rises
in obesity rates began leveling off. But the new forecast suggests even
small increases will add up.
Over
the past decade, obesity rates stayed about the same in women, while
men experienced a small rise. That increase occurred mostly in
higher-income men, for reasons researchers couldn't explain.
About
17 percent of the nation's children and teens were obese in 2009 and
2010, the latest available data. That's about the same as at the
beginning of the decade, although a closer look by the study shows
continued small increases in boys, especially African-American boys.
The
obesity epidemic may be slowing, and while it is too early to identify a
reversal, a ‘slowdown’ in a fast growing disease is better than
nothing. Clearly, while there are many variables within the modified
eating habits of Americans and the obesity challenge,given that 50% of
dollars are spent on eating out, the restaurant industry
impact is enormous. Nonetheless, businesses serve what their customers
want (at least smart ones do!!), so it will be down to the consumer to
champion their own health!
Incidentally,
the CDC forecast that is mentioned in this article also suggests 32
million more people could be obese in 2030 — adding $550 billion in
health spending over that time span – another great thing about America
is their innate ability to quantify everything into monetary terms – so
let’s just consider this:
$550
billion over 18 years is around $30.5 billion a year which, at, let’s
say, $1 million a restaurant is 30,500 restaurants. Let’s say the restaurant industry
can demonstrate statistically that its efforts in serving healthier
foods will reduce the country’s obesity levels - then maybe the
government will give some of those billions of dollars in health costs
to the restaurant industry to build more health cost saving eateries!!!
One can dream, but you never know, maybe it’s the Next Idea!
