The globally-known market research company, NPD group conducted an extensive health study and discovered that while eight out of 10 Americans describe themselves as either “extremely healthy” or “ very healthy” only one-in-five actually have a healthy diet. Their findings indicate that 65 per cent of adult’s body mass index is overweight. Healthy food is not on the menu as much as people proclaim.
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Research does seem to show that most people know that in order to improve their health they have to adjust their diets. When people attempt to improve their diets they either add or take something away from their daily consumption of foods. According to the NPD group, last year 21 per cent of adults reported that they were on diets. When it comes to adding to diets the majority of adults seem to turn to taking vitamins.
Living in Denial Over Junk Food
The U.S Department of Agriculture has been involved in food research as well. They’ve determined that some consumers have a tendency to over-rate the quality of their diets; that they are eating far more junk food than they are healthy food in many cases. Over the last couple of years studies have shown that American’s perception of their eating habits have become more realistic; however, obesity continues to be a big problem.
There are close to 50 thousand fast food outlets across America and for many people it is hard to resist the temptation of a quick and easy meal. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 25 per cent of Americans eat fast food every day. While more and more fast food restaurants offer healthier alternatives, the majority of consumers opt for the unhealthy items on the menu board. Americans spend close to 100 billion dollars on fast food every year.
Functional Foods
If you are concerned about your diet and want to eat healthy food then there is always a long list of functional foods to choose from. Research shows that one in four U.S adults is consuming a functional food or beverage at least once a day. A functional food is healthy food that has a health or disease promoting ability. Interest in functional foods seems to be growing on a daily basis not only in the United States, but around the globe. Below you will find some examples of functional foods.
• Green leafy vegetables
• Fatty fish such as salmon, rainbow trout and sardines
• Flaxseed
• Garlic
• Yogurt
• Tomatoes
• Cranberries
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention junk food and poor diets, along with a lack of physical activity are big contributors to the development of chronic disease. Chronic diseases include diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Seventy per cent of all deaths in the United States are a result of chronic disease.