Health Organization Grades America on Its Poor Diet

30 Sep 2016 --- Americans are eating too much of everything, according to a report card on the changing American diet published in Nutrition Action Healthletter. The ‘report card’ from The Center For Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), also states that it’s not just how much Americans are eating, but also what they eat, that needs work.

The average American consumes about 2,500 calories per day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, which is up from about 2,000 calories a day in the 1970s.

The CSPI has added that the types of food eaten by Americans are largely unhealthy and over consumed.

Grading the types of foods by category, the CSPI gave the American diet a D+ in the category of Meat, Poultry, & Seafood.

Despite chicken beginning to edge out beef starting in 2004, Americans still eat more red meat (beef plus pork, lamb, and veal) than white meat. Red meats, especially processed meats like bacon, ham, hot dogs, and sausage, raise the risk of colon cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

CSPI gave Americans’ Fruit & Vegetable consumption a B-, adding that its clear Americans are ignoring experts’ advice to fill half their plates with vegetables and fruits.

Vegetable consumption (minus white potatoes) climbed in the late 1980s but has been inching down since.

Fruit in the diet (minus juice) was given a a C-, and on Grains it’s apparent Americans are still eating far more mostly white flour in bagels, buns, tortillas, muffins, cupcakes, doughnuts, cookies, pasta, and pizza crust than in the 1970s.

Due to the Census Bureau stopping collecting data on fats and oils in 2011, the CSPI was unable to give the American diet a grade on Fats & Oils.

On the dairy front, cheese consumption is at an all-time-high with no sign of slowing down. Yogurt consumption has doubled since 2000 and has quadrupled since 1985.

Despite a drop from their peak, soft drink consumption is still too high, with the CSPI issuing a D+ on beverages, because sodas, which are mostly sugary, not diet, are still the dominant beverage.

“It’s clear that Americans aren’t now following, nor have they ever followed, the advice dished out by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other health authorities,” said CSPI nutrition director Bonnie Liebman, author of the Nutrition Action article.

“Americans are eating the diet recommended by food manufacturers and restaurants’ marketing departments, which encourage overconsumption of everything except for fruits and vegetables.”