This photo shows what a restaurant serves a single person compared to the actual serving size.
Adolescents are ignorant to healthy foods and their benefits. They really know the advertisements that they see on television. Typically, these ads are promoting unhealthy foods. In this TED talks video, Jamie Oliver talks about how he went to an elementary school and brought in a plethora of healthy foods, and the children couldn't recognize them. It's really sad to see these kids not knowing what the simplest of foods are, and some of these things make up the unhealthy foods that they eat on a regular basis. This constant cycle of eating around the clock has many unsafe consequences. For example, CHD is an effect of obesity, and strokes are another one. This disease, as Jamie said, is preventable. Everything can be eaten in moderation. If this was to be achieved in all places, less people would have to worry about what will happen to their kids or themselves. There would be a lot less stress and those unhealthy people could be taught new habits to continue and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
This photo just shows a few examples of how the makeup of food portions has changed over the past decades.
All over the country and the world, there are fast food chains that make the portion sizes bigger and make the cost of the meal cheaper in order for more people to have to opportunity to have that food. Honestly, they don't need the opportunity to have that unhealthy food, but sometimes, it's all they can afford. If someone lives in a low-income family, they aren't going to reach for the more expensive, natural foods, they want to stretch their budget and make the most of what money they have. Having these foods at a high availability causes people to buy more, and eat more in one sitting.
As Jamie Oliver said, the disease of obesity is preventable, and reversible. If a person believes that they can eat healthy and make healthy decisions about their portion sizes, they can.
This is an informational website from the Australian Women's Health magazine that displays healthy portion size and control.
Sources:
-http://hope4health.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/ever-increasing-portion-sizes/
-http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/wellness/portion-size-then-vs-now
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go_QOzc79Uc
-http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/womens-health/weight-loss/eating-strategies/article/-/18797795/how-to-control-your-portion-sizes/
-http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/4/905.long
Bess, That is really interesting! I didn't know that they increased the size of the plates in restaurants. I love Jamie Oliver and TED talks, they are so insightful. This talk really helped to pull together your post. I'm going to stop eating all of the food that I am given at a restaurant. That's sad about the people with low income that only eat large portions of fast food. Thank you, that was great!
ReplyDeleteHey Bess, great job on choosing a video to tie your presentation together, I definitely agree with Helen on her commont concerning that. Also, I loved your pictures. We are always told that portion sizes have gotten bigger over the years; however, your pictures proved that assumption by providing real life situations in which the food portions have increased over time. I like that they were compared to food portion sizes from the past years. I also, like what you said at the end, that "If a person believes that they can eat healthy and make healthy decisions about their portion sizes, they can" (Bess King). I would agree with your statement. Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to cut out all unhealthy foods from your diet; but instead, if you eat in moderation, you can maintain a good nutritional routine and healthy body. Thanks for this blog!
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures you used to show how portions have changed. The TED video was great. It is so sad how people don't realize there is a problem with food portions. The food portions are already big and sometime people pay a few extra cents to make their meals even bigger. Money plays a big role because like i said, before with a few extra cents you get a bigger meal. People with low income tend to buy cheaper unhealthier food. People need to be more aware, because our health is very important.
ReplyDelete