According to a Harris Poll released last week, most Americans say they aren’t very knowledgeable about the food choices their family makes. And we wonder why we have an obesity epidemic.
When asked to choose why the majority of Americans are overweight or obese, more Americans attribute blame to our sedentary lifestyles and our lack of physical activity than to our individual food choices and our poor eating habits. Now, I am sure the right answer is really both.
But while waiting for the first 40 of the 45 minutes that I sat on my doctor’s paper-thin-covered- piece of lumber-he-calls-a-bed, I had plenty of time to stare resentfully at his BMI chart (since all the signs artfully displayed said I couldn’t use my cell phone and it was the only non-pharma sponsored wall hanging in the room). And since I go to the gym more than I often than I go to religious services (sorry Mom!), I do actually blame my diet of "What?! sweet potato fries and ketchup aren’t vegetables??" for any extra pounds I still have from pregnancy.
Clearly, I am hardly one to talk. But I am not alone; only 27% of Americans say they feel extremely or very knowledgeable about the health and nutritional values of the food they and their families eat on a regular basis. And, it appears even Mayor Bloomberg himself (that is, the mayor who forced fast-food chains to eliminate trans fats, post calorie counts and cut their use of salt) could use some paternalistic guidance now and then.
What do you think? How knowledgeable do you feel about the food you put into your body?
Enjoyed your blog about how few Americans have a clue about what they eat or why they are putting on weight. March is National Nutrition Month and I am speaking to many groups locally. You can tell from the Q&A how true it is...
Posted by: phyllis | March 23, 2010 at 03:30 PM