Eating between meals and large portions are two of the biggest enemies of a healthy diet, according to a study published in the journal PLoS Medicine.
Compared with the 70s, the number of obese people rose sharply in many Western countries. In 30 years, the average caloric content of food consumed by Americans daily has increased by nearly one-third, reaching 1 kilocalories.
A team of researchers at the University of Carolina analyzed the results of nutrition surveys from the 70s and 80s. and the 90s of the twentieth century and the last decade. Contemporary studies accurately recorded the foods and drinks consumed by a person over a 24-hour period. It turned out that in 1977-78 the daily intake was 1803 calories, and in 2003-2006 – 2374 kilocalories.
Over the past decade alone, daily calories have increased by 229 kilocalories. It was influenced by both the calorific value of the food itself per mass unit, as well as the portion size and the number of meals and snacks during the day. Although all three parameters increased, the portion size and frequent snacking had the greatest impact on the caloric value of the diet. Therefore, less frequent meals and smaller portions seem to be key elements in fighting the obesity epidemic. (PAP)