| As portion sizes have increased so have the | | | | purchased separately. Every fast food attendant is |
| waistlines of Americans. Obesity is one of the leading | | | | taught to up sell the buyer to a bigger meal size, |
| challenges facing public health today. Two thirds of | | | | from regular to super size, from super size to king |
| Americans are considered overweight or obese. The | | | | size. Yes there is a better value in terms of the |
| rate of obesity has risen 60 percent over the past | | | | amount of food for the amount of money being |
| 20 years in adults and has doubled for children over | | | | spent, but the calorie intake is increased to levels |
| the same time period. It is the second leading cause | | | | that far exceed what an average person should be |
| of preventable death in the United States just behind | | | | consuming for a single meal. The regular sized |
| smoking. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, | | | | Quarter Pounder Extra Value meal is 890 calories, |
| diabetes, stroke, and many cancers. Along with | | | | when super sized it soars to 1550 calories yet only |
| inactivity, increased portion sizes can be partially | | | | cost 8 cents more than the regular sized items if |
| blamed for the rapid growth of obesity. | | | | purchased separately. |
| Food portion sizes have grown over time, in the | | | | Fast food chains are not alone, look around any |
| 1950's a "Family Size" bottled of Coke was advertised | | | | convenience store and jumbo sized items are |
| as 26 ounces. Today single serving bottles are sold at | | | | everywhere. Candy bars, bags of chips, and even |
| 20 ounces per serving. McDonald's original burger, | | | | half gallon fountain drinks. 7-11's Double Gulp Coke is |
| fries, and a 12 ounce Coke provided 590 calories. | | | | 64 ounces, priced around $1.09, and packs a |
| Today's Extra Value Meal that includes a Quarter | | | | whopping 744 calories, more than 1/3 of the |
| Pounder with cheese, super sized fries, and a super | | | | recommended daily intake. Sure you are getting more |
| sized Coke contains 1550 calories. Twenty years ago | | | | for your money, it's only.20 cents more than the |
| bagels were between 2 and 3 ounces, today's bagels | | | | regular size, but your health will ultimately pay the |
| are between 4 and 7 ounces. | | | | price for consuming triple the amount of calories. |
| In the 1970's portion sizes started to rise, but in the | | | | There needs to be a campaign educating consumers |
| 1980's they began to soar and have continued to | | | | the true cost of "super sizing" and the benefits of |
| increase since then. This trend has run parallel to the | | | | "normal sizing". In 2008, New York became the first |
| increase in the number of overweight people and the | | | | city to implement a law meant to educate customers |
| number that are obese. In 1978 the average daily | | | | on how many calories they were consuming. Menus |
| caloric intake was 1876 kcal, in 1995 it rose to 2043 | | | | must post the calorie count beside the price for |
| kcal. The 167 calorie per day increase equates to an | | | | every item and in the same font and the same size |
| extra 17 pounds of body fat every year if there is | | | | as the price. People quickly started to realize how |
| no increase in physical activity or a change in | | | | unhealthy the foods that they ate were. Even when |
| metabolism. | | | | consumers thought they were eating healthy foods |
| Americans are ingrained with the thought that bigger | | | | the new calorie postings show otherwise, like a |
| is better. When it comes to portion sizes, all of the | | | | chicken salad at T.G.I, Fridays with over 1300 calories, |
| national fast food chains realize this. Value meals are | | | | 100 calories more than the cheeseburger and fries on |
| much cheaper as compared to the same items when | | | | the same menu. |