Angel Carter

Mrs. Thomas

UWRT 1104

24 April 2017

What is Wrong with the American Diet?

Think of your all-time favorite thing to eat, imagine it right in

front of you just waiting for you to take a bite. Now what if I told you that

very meal is a deciding factor in whether you become obese, develop

diabetes or even both? Does it still sound as appetizing? Did it make you

think twice about if it was worth eating? Often time people dont think of the

risks associated with the foods they eat daily. The standard American diet

consist largely of animal products like processed foods, red meat, cheese,

saturated fats, and to top it off lots of cholesterol. All of which in large

quantities can be detrimental to the body. What effects does a poor diet have

on a persons body? What can be done to change it?

Some may wonder if the American diet has always been as bad as it is

now. Sadly, the answer is no. Just in the past 50 years the face of food

production has changed immensely. In the 1890s trans fats were invented

and entered the food supply in 1910. During WWI food processing methods

such as canning and freezing became popular. Advertisements promised

housewives by using these products they could save time cooking. In the

1940s after WWII convenience foods were introduced, things like instant
coffee, dehydrated juices, and boxed cake mix. The first McDonald's and

Dairy Queen were also opened. During this time farmers began using

fertilization and irrigation to increase crop yields. Unfortunately, by doing this

the vitamins and minerals naturally found in the plants were decreased. The

government provided the food industry subsidies for soy and corn leading to,

the use of high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), and

modified corn starches to make processed foods. Also, guidelines for adding

vitamins to grain products were issued to offset the nutrient deficiency in

them. When the 1950s came about, fast food restaurants could be found all

over and processed foods were being mass produced and distributed. Also

during this time TVs and microwaves could be found in most homes and so

were the first TV dinners. Processed foods are high in saturated fats and the

overall quality of the food has significantly decreased. Although having this

information, processed food makes up a sufficient portion of the standard

American diet. In an article written by associate producer for NBC News,

Parminder Deo,mentions that there are studies showing, Starchy, fat-laden,

processed foods raise rates of heart disease and diabetes, as well as cancer.

Processed foods may taste good but is it worth the increased risk of disease?

Another key factor in the average diet of Americans is excess sodium

intake. Salt can be a terrific addition to a meal to perfectly accentuate the

flavor. However, consuming too much salt over a period of time is not so

great. When sodium accumulates, the body holds on to water to help dilute

it. In turn, the excess water increases the volume of blood as well as fluid
that surrounds the cells, making more work for the heart and blood vessels.

If the sodium keeps accumulating, overtime the extra workload out on the

vessels and heart can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Americans average about 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, about 75% of

which comes from processed foods, while only getting about 2,900

milligrams of potassium each day. It is imperative to get enough potassium

in our diets. Potassium plays a key role in sodium accumulation. In the body,

potassium helps to excrete excess salt and lower blood pressure. High blood

pressure accounts for two-thirds of all strokes and heart attacks, and half of

all heart disease. To prevent these things sodium intake should be closely

monitored, especially by those who fall into the categories of, people over

50, having elevated blood pressure, people with diabetes and African

Americans. People that fall into these categories are all at an increased risk

of developing health problem that relate to salt intake.

Sugar, who doesnt love it? Ice cream, cake, candy its all good, right?

Wrong. Executive editor of Harvard Heart letter, Julie Corliss wrote an article

about the link between consuming an excessive amount of added sugars and

dying of heart disease. In her article, she mentioned a study that was

published in JAMA Internal Medicine on heart disease and added sugar. The

results of the study were shocking, participants who took in 25% or more of

their daily calories as sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart

disease as those whose diets included less than 10% added sugar. These

results show an obvious link between how much added sugar a person
consumes and the likelihood they have of getting and dying of heart disease.

These results remained true despite age, gender, physical activity level or

body mass index. The sugary foods and drinks that we often indulge in are

full of empty calories. They do not provide the body with any nutrients,

hence the name. Added sugar is also known to lead to weight gain and

cavities. Sugar can be found throughout our diets in fruit juices, yogurt,

refined carbohydrates, breakfast cereals, the list goes on. You may have

heard of sugar alternatives like artificial sweeteners, agave syrup, honey and

stevia. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin and sucralose

(commonly known as Splenda), often are labeled as made with sugar. In

reality they are all chlorinated sweeteners which are known to have harmful

effects on health. Agave is another sweetener often mislabeled. Many agave

syrups are labeled to be natural but are usually highly processed and made

mainly of fructose. On the other hand, honey and stevia are naturally sweet

and derived from natural sources. Honey even provides antioxidants. Excess

sugar can be reduced by replacing refined carbs with whole grains, eating

fresh fruits rather than canned and drinking sugar free drinks or even just

water.

Coast to coast fast food chains can be found almost everywhere. They

offer you good convenient food, quick service all for cheap. These

restaurants offer something good for the whole family. For the kids, they

have kids meals with cute little toys and late hours and value menus for

teens and young adults. Many chains now even serve breakfast. But of
course, there is a downside to this. Most fast food is highly processed in

factories and pumped full of unhealthy fats. During processing, many of the

natural flavors in the foods are destroyed. To compensate, additives like beef

extract and various other animal products are used to give the food flavor.

Fast food is very high in salt, fat, and sugar this is what makes them taste so

good. As we know salt, fat, and sugar can all lead to various health concerns

and obesity in particular.

More and more each year Americans are faced with diseases and

conditions that are linked to poor diets. Obesity is very common in the United

States. 1 in 3 (0:35) Americans are considered to be obese. Obesity is

known to increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. In the United

States, heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women.

Physical inactivity, excess alcohol consumption, poor diet, along with being

overweight or obese all put you at a higher risk of getting heart disease. A

disease that is rather common in the U.S. is diabetes. Diabetes comes in two

main forms, type I and type II. Type I diabetics bodies do not produce insulin

and are required to take insulin daily to stay alive. Type I is often diagnosed

in children and young adults. Type II diabetes is the most common type. In

this case, your body either doesnt make insulin properly or it doesnt use it

correctly. Although type II diabetes can occur at any age it is most often seen

in middle aged and older people. Over time diabetes may lead to more

health concerns such as, eye problems, kidney disease, stroke, and nerve
damage. These things can all be prevented by taking precaution and

changing the way you eat and exercising.

Overall it is very well known that there is something not quite right

with the American diet, but with the information will people change their

lifestyles for a better quality of life? A person must want to change their

situation in order to make it happen. A drastic diet change is not easy to do,

especially if it means not being able to eat some of your favorite foods. I

speak from personal experience. A few months ago, I stopped eating pork

and beef in order to improve my health. I began to eat a lot more fruits,

vegetables, and whole grains as a part of my diet. The transition was not

easy but it can be done. Along with exercise I feel much better and have

more energy. I made the choice to give up unhealthy eating habits to have a

healthier lifestyle and it was well worth it. Having the ability to control what

you eat is a great thing. Your diet can be revised, just take it one step at a

time and stay consistent, in the end your body will thank you.

Works cited
Corliss, Julie. Eating too much Added Sugar Increases the Risk of Dying with

Heart Disease. Harvard Health Publications,

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugar-increases-

the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021. Accessed 1 April 2017.

Health Risks and Diseases Related to Salt and Sodium. Harvard T.H. Chan

School of Public Health, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-

sodium/sodium-health-risks-and-disease. Accessed 1 April 2017.

Diet-Related Disorders: Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, and Celiac Disease. Films

Media Group, 2009, fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?

wID=149262&xtid=42223. Accessed 6 Apr. 2017.

Deo, Parminder. Study Confirms Half of What We Eat is Junk nbcnew.com.

March 10,2016. Web. Accessed 24 April 2017

Processed Foods History: 1910s to 1950s modernpioneermom.com. July 5,

2012. Web

Katie The Harmful Effects of Sugar wellnessmama.com. April 13, 2017.

Web