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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Comment [1]: I like how you started off with the topic of
obesity. You labeled it as a "problem" which I could not
agree more with. The 68.8% fact gives your first
paragraph credibility.
Comment [2]: This is a great way to start off your
paper. The beginning is interactive with the reader and
makes them think and relate. Plus, you added in facts
to support the direction in which you are headed.
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
who exercises often and adheres to a healthy diet. I cannot relate with people who eat two-thirds
of their daily allotment of calories in a single meal because I have never done that. I cannot
relate to those who eat cheap, preservative packed food because I was raised on healthy and
organic substitutes. However, I will do my best to put these biases aside and present the data and
observations I collect in the most neutral tone possible. Finally, I am doing this research because
I think it is the duty of people to take care of themselves and armed with the right knowledge,
anybody is capable of anything, even if that means changing their diet in the right direction.
Literature Review
It is undeniable that in this modern era, our diets have drastically changed. With these
changes, food has taken on new forms with new ingredients. Now is the era of preservatives and
genetically modified foods or GMOs. Food preservatives are, a group of chemical
substances added to food, sprayed on the outside of food, or added to certain medications to
retard spoilage, discoloration, or contamination by bacteria and other disease organisms (Frey,
n.d.). Many of these preservatives are considered safe but the list is constantly in flux as more
research is done on the effects of these compounds. The disruptions these substances have on
our body internally and as a whole are largely unknown. Their link with obesity and well-being
is also unknown. Many researchers believe that 50%-90% of obesity is attributed to
predisposition in genes however, genetics alone cannot account for the rise of obesity (Daniels,
2006). According to Daniels (2006), the average American diet exceeds dietary guidelines for
fat, simple carbohydrates, and salt Additionally, many Americans have diets low in fruits,
vegetables, dairy, and healthy oils (Dietary Guidelines for Americans, n.d.).
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Many health professionals claim that a poor diet is linked to lack of income and
availability of healthful foods. One study done by the U.S Department of Agriculture Research
Services found that individuals with a family income of $0-$24,999 had a diet lacking in Vitamin
C, K, E, B, and D, Calcium, Iron, Copper, Zinc, and other nutrients as compared to individuals
whose income exceeded $75,000 (What We Eat in America, 2010). However, individuals who
had an income between $0-$24,999 met or exceeded the consumption of fats, sodium, and
carbohydrates, compared to the individuals whose income was in excess of $75,000 (What We
Eat in America, 2010). From this data, one can assume a correlation between inexpensive foods
that are low in nutrition yet high in calories. The prevalence of fast food in American towns and
cities shows a shift of the American cuisine to inexpensive, fattening foods. Many Americans
who lack the ability to purchase more expensive, healthful foods turn to fast foods as their source
of subsidence.
Thanks to modern technology food has become significantly cheaper and more
plentiful than in previous generations. Never before, has there been such an abundance of food
especially meat. The cattle inventory in the United States has gone from a measly 12.5 million in
1920 to a staggering 29.9 million in 2012 with the inventory peaking in the late 1970s at a
number beyond 40 million. What effect does this increased production of meat have on the
public? Well for one, as Americans, our consumption of meat in total has increased 5.8 times
from 9.8 billion pounds in 1909 to a whopping 52.2 billion pounds in 2012 (Barclay, 2012).
This breaks down to an average consumption of 270.7 pounds of meat per person per year
(Barclay, 2012). Americans on average weigh 173.5 pounds but yet eat nearly twice that weight
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
in meat. What does that say about American portion size especially related to proteins such as
beef? There is much debate, but the general consensus is that portion sizes have increased
exponentially compared to their 20th century cousins. According to the National Heart, Lung,
and Blood Institute (2013), larger portion sizes contribute directly to obesity. They go on to
compare some common food items that have grown compared to twenty years ago. Bagels have
gone from 3 inches in diameter to over 6, a cheeseburger used to weigh 4.5 ounces but now
weighs over 8, a medium bag of popcorn used to be 5 cups 20 years ago but now contains 11
cups, and sodas have nearly tripled in size from 6.5 ounces to 20 ounces. Thanks to the
increased portion sizes and super sizing, American restaurants have distorted what Americans
consider to be be a normal, healthy portion size (Yes We Can!, 2013). The question remains,
if portion sizes are larger, does that mean people actually eat more? The answer is a resounding
yes. One study done by Geier, Rozin, and Doros (2006) showed that there is a correlation
between the size of a portion and the amount of food ingested. The experiment involved
M&Ms being placed in a hotel lobby with either a teaspoon attached or a quarter cup attached
for serving, in addition to a sign that stated, Eat your fill. The researches concluded that when
the quarter cup spoon was attached, people on average ate more of the M&Ms instead of when
the teaspoon was server. This study isnt conclusive but it suggests that since more of the food is
available in the portion, people will on average eat more. So if an average American goes out to
eat, they will undoubtedly consume more calories due to the larger portion sizes present. The
NIH (2013) gives an example meal of:
Breakfast: a bagel and a 16-ounce coffee with cream and sugar
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
actually normal? Given our current social constructs, it would be considered acceptable for a
person to go to a restaurant and have an appetizer, order an entre with one to two sides, maybe
an alcoholic drink or two, and given the occasion: a dessert. To a majority, that would sound like
a normal meal at a restaurant and is in no way considered to be excess. However, given that
our portion sizes have drastically increased, one could assume that most meals of that nature
would be in the 1500-2000 calorie range (given that most restaurants post their nutrition
information online, this information wouldnt be difficult to obtain.) An entire days worth of
recommended calories would be consumed in one sitting from this theoretical meal. Remember,
the entire time, the person is very aware of what they are doing, and they are not having a loss of
control. This type of behavior should be considered binge eating. However, it isnt recognized
as such, because the individual is eating what is portioned on their plates, not ordering more
entres or extra dessert. That is the issue with our American way of thinking when it comes to
food. Take for example typical dining halls on college campuses. Once an individual is granted
access, he or she can literally eat as much as they want. Sure they have healthy options but many
institutions also provide a less-than-healthy majority of food choices. Our portion sizes have
spun wildly out of control to the point where as long as it is one portion, consuming 2000
calories in a meal either knowingly or unknowingly is okay because it is only one portion, right?
Until portions presented by restaurants and other food distributors comes under control, obesity
in America will run rampant and will become an increasingly ubiquitous issue for our future
generations.
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
noticeable are the positive effects on health, mood, the immune system, diabetes prevention, and
bones. According to Dr. J.H. Rimmer from the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and
Disability, People who don't get regular physical activity are more likely to gain excess weight.
One study showed that an hour of walking daily cut the risk of obesity by 24%. It can be
assumed that people who exercise regularly also make it a point to eat well balanced diets. In
addition to reducing the risk of obesity, people who exercise often feel better (Reifschneider,
Hamrick, Lacey, 2011). Results of a survey called American Time Use Survey reported, on
average, people who were in excellent health exercised an average of 25.2 minutes a day;
whereas people who were described as obese only exercised on average 8.7 minutes a day. In
addition, people who self-described themselves as being in excellent health exercised an average
25.9 minutes a day and people who believed that they were in poor health exercised only 11.8
minutes a day.
So what is the takeaway from this? The key points are: eat healthy, stay away from fats,
sugars and sodium, exercise regularly, and dont eat too many calories. These aphorisms seem to
be easy to follow yet many Americans struggle to live by one or two of them. Perfect health is
only achieved when we eat the right amounts, eat the right foods, and exercise enough. A
possible way to motivate people to eat healthy would be to show them what a poor diet does to
their body but also tell them how beneficial a proper diet is to their brain. If someone eats a diet
balanced in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats it can increase the level of tryptophan in the brain
(Rodgers, 2012). Tryptophan is the precursor for the chemical serotonin, which controls
physiological processes like aggression, sleepiness, appetite, depression, and impulsiveness. The
more serotonin in the brain the more elated and energized a person will feel. It is the
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
responsibility of our generation to change eating norms and to promote a proper diet rich in
nutrition. The more knowledgeable people are about the absolute importance of a healthy diet
the less likely they are to become obese or face other health issues.
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
pertains to them. Everyone likes to think that they are the exception to the rule. Yes I smoke,
but I wont get lung cancer, theres no way, or, Yes I text and drive, but Im too good of a
driver to wreck, or, Yes I drink and drive, but theres no way that I will get caught-- Im really
lucky. More often than not, people will think that they are untouchable and the negative
consequences whatever actions they are doing wont affect them, because its them. It is
attitudes like these that are causing the issues with our society especially when it comes to
obesity. I understand that genetics do have a large role in whether or not someone becomes
obese, but also people need to be responsible when it comes to eating. It is sickening to see a
severely overweight child. Yes, that child could be predisposed to obesity, but if you really think
about the issue, the child eats what the parent provides. Giving a child a poor diet is being
completely irresponsible when it comes to food since it isnt just the life of the parent that is
being affected, but the life of their child. For some reason, situations like that arent averted
even though there is an expansive plethora of research on food. There needs to be a new study
that people can relate to in their lives. A study that shows that the food industry is rigged against
them. A study showing that what theyve been taught is wrong and that how standards have
changed solely because the times have too. I would like to create a study in which we explore
how Americans participate in binge eating without being conscious of it. How ordinary
Americans with no sort of psychological issues binge eat on a daily basis and may be totally
ignorant to it. Not because they choose not to care, but because they may not know any
different. I would like to find out how many calories are typically consumed in a binge by a
known binge eater. From there I would need to research how many calories are typically
consumed during a meal by a person. Additionally, the study would ask the person their
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
thoughts on their meal and whether or not they thought they eat too much or too little. This
would be especially significant in a restaurant setting where calories and portion sizes arent
controlled by the individual. The goal I have in mind while creating this study, is to educate the
average American and alert them to the importance of making healthy decisions when it comes
to food.
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
negative aspects of food. This study could bridge the gap between people believing a
researchers information and dismissing it.
Method
The study would have to be in the form of a 30-day study. Ideally I would like to get a
sample of regular participants, anywhere from 75-150 people. I would like to get people from
different locations, income levels, and ethnicities so that the data isnt skewed in a direction. For
example, if I collected a group of 100 affluent, wealthy people, my data would more than likely
be skewed in the direction of non-binge level eating since wealthier people tend to have greater
options when it comes to food and possibly more knowledge about what they are consuming. In
this sample I would generate a form for people to fill out about their current demographics.
Height, weight, age, income, race, education level, and then a set of questions asking them about
their current feelings towards their diet. These questions on the form would allow me to
formulate an average profile of the participant. The study itself would consist of the
participants keeping a log of what they eat for 30-days and if they know the calories of what they
consume thats would be ideal, if not thats okay. In a perfect world, people would not forget to
log their consumption as well as log their consumption honestly. I know that there would
obviously be some discrepancies from the truth and the results so I would have to come up with
some sort of margin of error.
While the food logging study is going on, I would then take to the second part of the
study by researching binge eating. For this part of the study, I would attempt to collect at least
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
30 binge-eaters. I would like to have them fill out a log after a binge episode about how much
food they consumed during the binge. The issue with this method is that people may be reluctant
to admit to going through a binge. This could skew the data since they may decide to lie or omit
food items from their consumption. When I complete this portion of the research, I will be able
to formulate an average binge and use that as my benchmark to compare with the other results.
At the end of the 30 days I would do research to compare portion sizes from different
decades and now. I will use any sort of information I could find that has past portion sizes. I
could use advertisements, newspapers, grocery store ads, recorded data from the government or
some other means to complete this section.
Data Analysis
The last part of my research would come from comparing data from all of the surveys and
logs I completed. First, I would compare the portion sizes. I would take the information
gathered in a survey and compare it to the data I collected on historic portion sizes for the same
foods. Through this I would be able to come to some sort of conclusion on how much portion
sizes have grown in the previous years. I would also be confident enough to say because a
person lives in this time frame, on average, they consume more calories now than they would
have if they lived 20 years ago solely because portion sizes are so much larger. This section of
the experiment should be very alarming to those individuals who eat many portions on a single
occasion.
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Next I would be able to compare what non-binge people logged for their consumptions
and what binge-eaters logged for their consumptions. By comparing the two I could show how
some average people actually eat a binge-level amount of calories without even knowing it. This
is especially important to individuals who eat out frequently. Oftentimes sit-down
establishments do not list calories on their menus. Many people may order what they believe to
be a normal meal actually end up consuming many more calories than if they had known how
many calories were actually in their meal. One would be surprised on how many calories are
actually in a burger at somewhere like Applebees or T.G.I Fridays. In addition, home cooked
food isnt invulnerable to a high calorie count. Many times people will consume a copious
amount of calories of foods prepared at home because of the false belief that they are healthy
since they are home cooked. It wouldnt matter if a person ate two hamburgers, two servings of
baked beans, two servings of mac and cheese at home versus at a restaurant; they both contain a
huge amount of calories.
Outcome
After completing this experiment, it is my hope that the results are what I expected them to be:
Americans consume bigger portions more frequently that rise to the level of binge eating
episodes. However, this is a negative result, but the impact of this such result could be
substantial. This study could be the study that takes everyday Americans viewpoints on food
and completely turns them upside-down. It would be hard to ignore the facts in a study like this
where everyday Americans, not a select group, not a social class, not a regional class, are tested
and compared to people who eat food because of a psychological disorder. I would hope that
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Americans after seeing this study would strongly reconsider their consumption of food and work
to move towards a healthier diet. Additionally, I would like to see the definitions of binge eating
change after a study such as this one. I think the results would be able to show that binge eating
isnt necessarily a psychological disorder but rather a way of life for people whether it is
knowingly or unknowingly. Through this study, awareness could be raised for binge eating by
consuming too many calories in a single meal. Finally, this study could put pressure on the food
industry by holding them responsible for their blatant disregard for the obesity crisis and their
actions to increase portion sizes. Following a study like this, we could see portion sizes and
overall consumption of foods diminish along with the rate of obesity in America today.
Conclusion
With all the research completed in the past and in modern times on human beings, as a
society we still havent figured it out how to eat properly. Some cultures have the right idea
when it comes to food like France, whose portion sizes are relatively small compared to that of
Americans. Yet America is facing an epidemic of obesity that is literally crushing our society
under its weight. It is no lie that our diets as a society are mostly lacking in the proper nutrients
(Dietary Guidelines for Americans, n.d.). As time has gone on and thanks to the aid of modern
technology our food has been cheaper and more affordable to produce but with that it has
become increasingly unhealthy. Our palate has also changed drastically, especially when it
comes to meat (Barclay, 2012). With an increased consumption of meat Americans put
themselves at risks for a whole host of issues from hypertension to colon cancer. That coupled
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
with a diet rich in fats, oils, and carbohydrates obesity has gone from a rare occurrence to a very
scary reality. It is through my research that I have come to the conclusion that even though I am
not apart of it, there is a serious problem when it comes to American diets. Whether or not it is
the individuals fault in entirety, someone or something is responsible for the current state of our
country.
It was my goal to research how Americans eat today in general and how their
consumption compares to someone with a binge eating disorder. Through my research, I have
found that many scientists and organizations are fearful of the way Americans choose what to eat
and how much they choose to eat. The hypothetical survey I proposed would help shed light on
the increasingly worrisome eating habits of Americans. It could show how ordinary Americans
consume more than they should because of things like portion sizes and convenience of food.
The survey would be able to change the definitions of binge eating because of the rate at which it
is occurring to Americans unknowingly. It would also help reinforce the idea of larger portion
sizes over times like the ones analyzed by the NIH (2013). It would be my hope that Americans
would take the results of my research very seriously as it can probably pertain to them in some
way, shape or form. Until we as society come to realize that our current eating habits are at fault,
the obesity epidemic will rage on.
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Sources
Barclay, E. (2012, June 27). A Nation Of Meat Eaters: See How It All Adds Up. Retrieved
March 14, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/06/27/155527365/visualizing-anation-of-meat-eaters
Binge Eating Disorder | National Eating Disorders Association. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16,
2016, from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/binge-eating-disorder
Daniels, J.. (2006). CE Credit. Obesity: America's Epidemic. The American Journal of
Nursing,106(1), 4050. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/29745999
Frey, R. J., PhD. (n.d.). Artificial preservatives. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from
http://www.diet.com/g/artificial-preservatives
Geier, A. B., Rozin, P., & Doros, G.. (2006). Unit Bias: A New Heuristic That Helps Explain the
Effect of Portion Size on Food Intake. Psychological Science, 17(6), 521525. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40064403
Haslam, D., Sattar, N., & Lean, M.. (2006). ABC of obesity Obesitytime to wake up. BMJ:
British Medical Journal, 333(7569), 640642. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40700318
Reifschneider, M. J., Hamrick, K. S., & Lacey, J. N.. (2011). Exercise, Eating Patterns, and
Obesity: Evidence from the ATUS and Its Eating & Health Module. Social Indicators
Research, 101(2), 215219. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41476432
Rimmer, J. H., PhD. (n.d.). Sedentary Lifestyle is Dangerous to Your Health : NCHPAD Building Inclusive Communities. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from
http://www.nchpad.org/403/2216/Sedentary~Lifestyle~is~Dangerous~to~Your~Health
We Can! Community News Feature. (2013, February 13). Retrieved March 14, 2016, from
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/news-events/matte1.htm
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Peter J. Rogers (2001). A healthy body, a healthy mind: long-term impact of diet on mood and
cognitive function. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 60, pp 135-143.
doi:10.1079/PNS200061.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2016).
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Retrieved from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/2015-2020dietary-guidelines-americans
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2012. Nutrient Intakes from
Food: Mean Amounts Consumed per Individual, by Family Income (in Dollars) and Age, What
We Eat in America, NHANES 2009-2010. Available: www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/fsrg.
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Exploring the American Condition Relating to Well-Being, Proper Diet, and Exercise
Revised Proposal:
An area of research I will be interested in looking into will be the effects of a poor diet;
including: excess calories, high fat diets on people in general. First, I will research what the
average persons diet consists of and compare it to the diet recommended by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. I will be able to estimate based on what I find how
much the average person either adheres or eats in excess to the recommended diet. I also want to
see how portion sizes have changed in America, and what that means for obesity Finally, I will
attempt to show how the current definition of binge eating as a psychological disorder may need
to be expanded since many people binge eat unknowingly just by eating what they think to be
considered normal portion sizes.