Since studies have proven that more Americans are becoming overweight, then it can logically be concluded that we are consuming a high number of calories or not using up the calories we regularly intake or a combination of both regardless of our genetic makeup. .
What has happened to our eating habits in the past twenty years that has allowed for so many American's, both children and adults, to have such a high intake of calories? The answer is the growing multibillion dollar fast food industry. A Jack in the Box Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger has 1120 calories, more than half of the recommended daily calorie intake, not to mention 75 grams of fat. A slice of regular pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut contains 280 calories and 13 grams of fat. One Krispy Kreme raspberry filled donut has 21g of fat, that's 32 percent of the recommended daily fat intake. The list goes on, {colon: to set up the list}: McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Dominoes Pizza, and many other fast food chain restaurants which also have an unhealthy amount of fat in their food. According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, fast food compared to home-prepared food contain more of the nutrients that Americans over consume such as fat and saturated fat. The National Restaurant Association estimated that fast food sales in 2002 totaled more than $115 billion dollars. Such a large amount of money spend on fast food proves that Americans are purchasing more fast food but and as the Center for Disease Control reports, larger portions of it. Adults are not the only ones eating fast food. According to the 2000 California High School Fast Food Survey brand name fast foods have become a staple on high school campus. This survey demonstrates a general behavioral eating pattern for America's youth and can serve as a possible explanation for why 15 percent of American's under the age of 19 are overweight or obese. Almost all overweight and obesity cases are a result of an excess caloric intake.
