Why the American Diet is Making Us Fat and Sick
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
My husband and I love to travel and have visited many different countries around the world in the last decade. One thing we notice whether we are traveling to large European cities or more remote countries like Costa Rica, is that America has a weight problem.
Although people in other countries can be obese, the evidence is clear even to us visiting that Americans are larger by a long shot.
Americans have earned a reputation around the world for being fat. Experts have even coined the term “SAD” (Standard American Diet) to represent our food culture.
Scientific research supports this assertion, with a reported 42% of Americans being classified as obese or overweight. Moreover, almost half of Americans currently suffer from a preventable chronic illness associated with their weight.
Obese or overweight people are at a higher risk of chronic illness such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, sleep apnea, or even cancer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we became increasingly aware that being overweight is also a comorbidity for other common illnesses like the common cold or flu viruses.
I say all of this not to shame Americans into feeling bad about our weight problem, but to bring more awareness as to how and why it exists.
There are a few reasons Americans are statistically fatter, and learning why can empower us to make necessary changes. Some of these reasons are directly associated with the food itself, while others are related to lifestyle.
We are going to cover a few aspects of the American diet that lead to obesity including added sugar, sodium, and fats in packaged foods, higher levels of stress; lower nutrient density from farming practices, and lower activity level overall.
Read on to learn more about how you can empower yourself to challenge these setbacks and reverse disease.
Added sugar, sodium, and saturated fats from packaged and restaurant foods
One of the biggest contributors to America’s weight issue is the prevalence of convenience packaged foods.
In Costa Rica, my husband and I were amazed to watch restaurant staff cut plantains right from the tree outside the restaurant and serve them to us. This would never happen in the U.S.
Food Availability
Despite the amount of access and privilege we have in this country, many cities in America are actually considered food deserts, with less access to fresh food than even remote cities in developing countries.
Further, whether you live in a big city or more remote town, packaged foods are generally cheaper and more readily available than healthy, fresh foods.
Think about your local grocery store. While the perimeter of the store contains unprocessed produce, meats, fresh bread, dairy, and eggs, the aisles that make up the majority of the store are filled with packaged and processed foods largely devoid of nutrients and chock full of added sugar.
Depending on where you live, the availability of fresh foods can be extremely limited.
Added Sugar and Salt
Have you ever wondered why the food you cook at home is never quite as good as what you get in a restaurant? Do you know why that is?
It’s added sugar and salt.
Get this- the CDC states that more than 70% of the salt that Americans consume is from processed foods or restaurants.
In addition, the average American is consuming about 17g of sugar per day, more than three times the recommended daily allowance of 6g per day for women.
Added sugar and sodium can be sneaky, appearing in foods you would never assume, even jarred pasta sauce!
Salt is added to packaged foods to help preserve make them more shelf-stable. Sugar is added simply because it makes the food more palatable.
In restaurants, chefs add way more salt and sugar than we would ever use at home, which makes the food tastier, but far worse for our health.
Compared to other countries, Americans consume a lot of convenience food. From takeout to processed and frozen foods, the additives add up without you even realizing it.
Farming practices lead to less nutrient dense produce, causing you to eat more.
A 2004 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that the nutrient density of many commonly farmed foods declined significantly from 1950 to 1999.
Yep, you read that right. Food produced in America has actually declined in nutritional value over the last half century. Why?
One reason is due to the over-farming and monoculture practices that have dominated the American farming industry. These practices prioritize a higher yield which has consequently stripped the soil of nutrients.
Other than a decline in soil health, farming practices also favor fast growth rate, bigger size, and pest resistance.
Despite all of the advancements in farming over the decades, we have prioritized all of the wrong things, inadvertently sacrificing the nutritional value of our food in favor of a higher yield.
For example, an orange eaten in 1950 would have more vitamin A than you would get by eating eight oranges today.
Have you ever had a tomato fresh from the garden? There is nothing better, despite the fact that the tomatoes you grow are usually smaller and sometimes a wonky shape.
Compare that to the beautiful tomatoes you get at the grocery store. Even though they are bigger, the nutritional value is much lower because their bigger size is all water, sacrificing flavor.
Finally, Americans are used to eating their favorite produce all year long. We ship food from across the world in order to keep eating tomatoes and avocados in the winter. As a result, produce is often picked before it is ripe in order to remain fresh until they reach our supermarkets.
High levels of stress lead to overeating and fat retention
Let’s take a step back from the actual content of what we are eating and think about how our bodies are processing that food.
Stress is a major issue in American culture and one that causes us both to overeat fatty, sugary foods, and changes the metabolic systems that process and store foods.
Here’s how it works:
Have you ever had a really bad day and turned to your favorite comfort food to cheer you up? There is a reason we call them comfort foods after all.
When our bodies are under stress, we crave foods that are high in fat and sugar because they cause a release of dopamine that combats the negative feelings we are experiencing.
Aside from simply craving fattier, sweeter foods, stress also impacts the way your digestion works.
Stress causes your body to release a hormone called cortisol which is linked to the flight or fight response in animals. Cortisol causes your body slow down the processes that occur at rest (like digestion) so that you can put all of your energy into dealing with the immediate threat.
So, even though you aren’t facing down a predator, when you feel stressed, your body acts accordingly, slowing down processes such as your metabolism so that you can fight or flee those psychological demons like work deadlines or calling customer service.
It’s a double whammy. Stress causes you to eat more and metabolize slower.
America, more than many other countries, sees a high level of stress in our daily lives. We work longer hours, make less money, have a higher cost of living, and live more sedentary lifestyles.
One of the best things you can do for yourself is learn to manage your stress.
Americans just aren’t as active.
The final thing I want to touch on is that Americans tend to be much less active that people in other areas of the world. There are many reasons for this, starting with our jobs which require us to drive to an office where we sit for long hours indoors.
When we return from work, we often order delivery and sit back down to engage in sedentary activities like watching television or playing video games.
Further, making it to the gym can be difficult for those of us who work long hours and commute.
European cities tend to be more walkable and have robust and accessible public transportation. Other countries also have better work/life balance. Instead of driving to work, people in other countries might walk to the nearest train station or just walk to their office.
It’s not our fault that American cities lack walkable streets and access to public green spaces like parks. However, it is within our power to make a greater effort to be more active.
I like to spend my lunch hour going for a quick walk around my office. Not only do I get to be more active but the midday activity actually gives me energy to make it through the afternoon.
On the weekend, maybe instead of meeting a friend for lunch, you can meet them at a nearby park and go for a walk or hike. Whatever you do, making an effort to be more active throughout your day is an easy way to better your health.
How can you do better?
I think the most important step toward a healthier lifestyle is taking the time to learn about and acknowledge the way our culture contributes to our health both good and bad.
By gaining an understanding of what your limitations are in terms of food availability and quality, stress, and activity you can better empower yourself to make good choices that support you and your health.
Choose to reach for nutrient dense, fresh foods whenever you can. Frozen vegetables are a good alternative if you can’t find fresh.
Be intentional about moving your body as much as possible, and do your best to engage in ways to lower your stress.
If none of these are possible, you could always move to Europe! I might be right behind you.
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