assignment 2 final draft pdf

8/18/2019 Assignment 2 Final Draft PDF

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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

UWRT 1104 Ashlyn Walden

Nicholas Harvilla

University of North Carolina at Charlotte


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Background and Information

How many times in the last week have you seen or heard the word “obesity” on the news

or other sources? How many people would you say that you see on an average day that could be

considered near or obese? It seems that now, more than ever, America’s obesity problem is

growing faster that its waistbands. It wouldn’t take much digging to find some of the indicators

of this problem. For one, think of the rise of health foods and organic foods. Years ago, health

foods and organic foods weren’t a concern because most of our diet was healthy and organic.

Yet today people follow lifestyles abstaining from processed foods and the such because those

very foods have become the staple of our American diet. There isn’t much I need to tell you

about obesity that you don’t already know from just being observant of your surroundings. What

you do need to know is that nearly 68.8 percent of all adults are considered to be overweight or

obese. That number is astronomical. Many scientists and researchers question how this crisis

has gotten out of hand so fast in the past few decades.

What I will attempt to do in this paper is to educate you on the American condition when

it comes to diet and binge eating. I will explore with you how our diets have changed over time,

how we eat more as society now thanks to larger portion sizes, how our diets have lost nutritional

value but gained fats and empty carbs, and how more and more people without a psychological

disorder participate in binge eating just by eating what they think to be “normal.” I choose this

topic because nutrition and health has always been interesting to me and I like to eat healthy.

With that being said, I do have biases when it comes to my viewpoints. I am an athletic male

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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 GMO’s. 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.).

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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 1970’s 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


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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&M’s 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&M’s instead of when

the teaspoon was server. This study isn’t 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:

J Breakfast: a bagel and a 16-ounce coffee with cream and sugar

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J Lunch: two pieces of pepperoni pizza and a 20-ounce soda

J Dinner: a chicken Caesar salad and a 20 ounce-soda

According to the NIH ( 2013), in one day you would consume 1,595 more calories than if you

had that same meal 20 years ago. Over a year, that equates to over 500,000 extra calories. It is

no wonder that increased portion sizes directly relate to obesity in America.

With the aid increased portion sizes, Americans overeat now more than they have ever in

the past. The consumption of these huge portions often falls into the realm of “binge eating,” a

term often reserved by psychologists for eating disorders related to lack of control or anxiety.

The National Eating Disorders Association (n.d), formally defines binge eating as, “recurrent

episodes of eating large quantities of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort); a

feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress or guilt afterwards…”

Our bodies naturally developed the mechanisms to binge from our ancestors. When we had

access to a large quantity of food, physiological cues would tell ancient humans to eat since it

was unknown where the next meal would come from. However today, scarcity of food is not the

primary cause of binge eating. One of the key characteristics of a binge eating episode is when a

person eats a portion of food in any two-hour period that is definitely larger than what most

people would eat in a similar time frame given the same circumstances (“Binge Eating

Disorder”, n.d.) Given these facts, binge eating is portrayed as a diagnosable, mental disorder,

which it is, but what about people who fit into the characteristics of binge eating, yet are

completely in control of their eating decisions? They might not have the lack of control required

for the mental disorder, but they still fit the profile with their food intake. Is the normal now


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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 entrée 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 wouldn’t be difficult to obtain.) An entire day’s 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 isn’t recognized

as such, because the individual is eating what is portioned on their plates, not ordering more

entrées 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

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So what should Americans be eating? Well according to “Dietary Guidelines for

Americans,” a proper diet would be rich in vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, fat-free and

low fat dairy, a variety of protein including seafood and lean meat, and healthy oils like olive oil.

The guidelines continue to say that it is essential to limit trans fats, sugars, and saturated fat to

less than 10% of the overall caloric intake. In addition, when interviewing Katie Powers (2016)

a registered dietitian for UNC at Charlotte, she said it is essential to maintain a diet that is

balanced in fats, proteins and carbohydrates that is also “primarily from whole/fresh and

unprocessed foods.” It is also important to remember that while getting the proper nutrition is

imperative, it is counter-productive to eat healthy and exceed 2,000 calories a day. The 2,000-

calorie recommendation is a good starting point for someone’s caloric goal. For instance, if one

would like to lose one to two pounds a week, then one may have to reduce your caloric intake by

500-1000 calories a day (“Finding A Balance”, 2015). However, cutting calories isn’t the only

way to lose weight. “Finding A Balance” (2015), also states that if one maintains an active

lifestyle but still consumes calories beyond what they burn, and then they will still gain weight.

The key to managing weight is to make sure that calories consumed is not in excess to calories

burned.

This poses a question: Where do Americans fall when i t comes to recommended caloric

intake and exercise? It is quite common to hear the words “sedentary lifestyle” when describing

risks for things such as cardiac disease, or other disorders; but what about obesity? A sedentary

lifestyle is when a person fails to participate in regular exercise. There are many benefits

associated with living an active lifestyle. Almost too many to mention but some of the most

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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 don’t 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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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.

Entering the Conversation

There has already been extensive research conducted regarding humans and food. It

seems that scientists are obsessed with studying things especially when it comes to us as a

species. Everything from what food we eat, how it’s created, how it’s purchased, how we eat,

how fast we eat it, how often, how it affects us, and so on forever. Almost every relationship

between human beings and food has been studied, observed, analyzed, critiqued, and reported.

However, with all this great research, America still has issues when it comes to food. If someone

knows the consequences of an action, why do they still choose to do it? If everyone knows that

smoking kills, how come the tobacco industry continues to thrive? Everyone knows that it is

recommended to eat 2,000 calories a day, yet people still eat more on a daily basis. With all the

countless research people have done, Americans ignore it and continue to do what they think is

right particularly when it comes to food. It comes down to really a few reasons why: the first is

that people flat-out don’t care what researchers have to say and instead believe that they know

what is best for their body even if “what’s best” is McDonald’s every other day. The second is

that it is possible that people don’t have access to the information collected by researchers,

however that isn’t much of an excuse considering the connectivity of modern America with the

help of the Internet and cellphones. The last could be people don’t see how the research really

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pertains to them. Everyone likes to think that they are the exception to the rule. “Yes I smoke,

but I won’t get lung cancer, there’s no way,” or, “Yes I text and drive, but I’m too good of a

driver to wreck,” or, “Yes I drink and drive, but there’s no way that I will get caught-- I’m really

lucky.” More often than not, people will think that they are untouchable and the negative

consequences whatever actions they are doing won’t affect them, because it’s 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 isn’t just the life of the parent that is

being affected, but the life of their child. For some reason, situations like that aren’t 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 they’ve 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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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 aren’t

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.

Research Question and Development

Before I began my research, I would need to figure out what exactly it is that I am

researching. For me, I know that I would like to find out how my typical portion sizes compare

to that of the rest of America. Stemming from this, I would like to figure out on average what

size portions people eat of different foods. The easiest way to do this, would be to ask how

much food a person typically eats during a meal. Or if they eat a different food from what is

typically consumed during a certain meal, then ask them if they were given a stereotypically

American food during a certain meal, how much of it would they eat. Additionally, I would also

like to know how big portion sizes have become in years and compare that to how many portions

people would eat in a sitting. Next I would like to figure out in a binge-scenario what are the

total calories consumed and how those compare to that of a person who isn’t eating in a binge-

scenario. I think the most significant part of this study would be showing how people eat on a

daily basis and how close it comes to a binge-level of calorie consumption. If you were able to

show an individual that when they go out to dinner at a restaurant and consume in excess of 75%

of their total daily calories, they would no longer believe that they aren’t invulnerable to the


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negative aspects of food. This study could bridge the gap between people believing a

researcher’s 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 isn’t 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 that’s would be ideal, if not that’s 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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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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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 Applebee’s or T.G.I Friday’s. In addition, home cooked

food isn’t 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 wouldn’t 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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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

isn’t 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 haven’t 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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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 individual’s 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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Sources

Barclay, E. (2012, June 27). A Nation Of Meat Eaters: See How It All Adds Up. RetrievedMarch 14, 2016, from http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/06/27/155527365/visualizing-a-nation-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), 40–50. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/29745999

Finding a Balance. (2015). Retrieved March 13, 2016, fromhttp://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/calories/

Frey, R. J., PhD. (n.d.). Artificial preservatives. Retrieved March 13, 2016, fromhttp://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), 521–525. Retrieved fromhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/40064403

Haslam, D., Sattar, N., & Lean, M.. (2006). ABC of obesity Obesity—time to wake up. BMJ:

British Medical Journal , 333(7569), 640–642. Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/40700318

Reifschneider, M. J., Hamrick, K. S., & Lacey, J. N.. (2011). Exercise, Eating Patterns, andObesity: Evidence from the ATUS and Its Eating & Health Module. Social Indicators Research, 101(2), 215–219. 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, fromhttp://www.nchpad.org/403/2216/Sedentary~Lifestyle~is~Dangerous~to~Your~Health

Questions With a Registered Dietitian [E-mail interview]. (2016, February 8).

We Can!® Community News Feature. (2013, February 13). Retrieved March 14, 2016, fromhttp://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 andcognitive 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/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines-americans

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2012. Nutrient Intakes fromFood: Mean Amounts Consumed per Individual, by Family Income (in Dollars) and Age, WhatWe Eat in America, NHANES 2009-2010. Available: www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/fsrg.


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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 person’s 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.

assignment 2 final draft pdf

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