Sugar, fat, portions are out of control

I was not surprised by the statistics of the recent article on the front page of the June 21 Herald regarding overweight Americans (“State’s residents keep piling on the pounds”). Just people watching in a restaurant will verify eating habits – habits that will be hard to change.

The label law requiring amounts of sugar, fat and sodium, etc. has been most helpful to us as senior citizens who have diabetic and heart problems.

I know the statistics for the number of meals eaten out in restaurants – and it is significant.

1. Serving sizes are way beyond what the calorie intake should be. It is almost like a contest with restaurants trying to outdo each other. The truth of the matter is we will eat what is put before us. Then the mind’s eye perceives that size as the norm.

2. Calories from fat in fast food and snack foods is a significant figure in the total amount needed for the balanced diet figure for any one day. If only we could reprogram our mindset to add a total day’s fat and sugar in our head, we could probably avoid buying that one hamburger that consumes all those allowed calories at one time and leaves us hungry for the rest of the day.

3. Why do so many food items that do not need sugar have sugar added to them anyway? Cereals and hot dogs – a mainstay in the diet of children – are prime examples.

My perception on this problem is education, education, education. We must start with the manufacturers of foodstuffs and work down to the restaurant industry, fast food industry and on to the insurance companies who cover all the complications of the health problems. That might present an overall picture of responsibility to everyone concerned to help control this problem.

Arlington

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