Navigating the
Fast Food Maze
Fast Foods
Highly accessible
Healthy Foods
Less accessible
Convenient
Less convenient
Great tasting
Not as good tasting
Promoted heavily
Not promoted
Inexpensive
More expensive
Percent of Food Spending
Used on Fast Food
Total Food Spending Is
Increasing (billions)
Away from home
Number of Fast Food
Restaurants in the U.S.
Paeratakul, JADA 2003:103:1332-8
Percent of adults who are
overweight or obese
67%
2/3 of adults are
overweight or
obese
Life Expectancy in the U.S.
2-5 year decline
in life expectancy
Is Fast Food to Blame?
People Who Eat Fast Food:
● Eat
more fat
● Eat more saturated fat
● Eat fewer fruits and vegetables
● Have more body fat
● People
who live near fast food restaurants
are more likely to eat more fast food.
● People who have more fast food restaurants
in their neighborhood are more likely to
have heart disease and die early.
● States with the most fast food outlets per
square mile have the highest rates of
obesity
Calories Children Eat with
Fast Food or at Home
The most common vegetable
consumed?
25% of all vegetables eaten in the U.S.
Fast Food Reaches Africa
COMPUTERS Reach Africa
Nintendo Reaches Africa
“We always, always have kidrelated programs.”
Mary Miller, McDonald’s VP
Childhood Obesity
●
27% of children are overweight (CDC,
2003)
Food quantity has changed
(serving sizes)
8 oz
12 oz
16 oz
20 oz
34 oz
48 Teaspoons Sugar
16 oz
32 oz
44 oz
52 oz
64 oz
French Fries
20 Years Ago
210 Calories
2.4 ounces
Today
610 Calories
6.9 ounces
Turkey Sandwich
20 Years Ago
320 calories
Today
820
calories