The Way We Eat Now

It begins by describing journalist Morgan Spurlock's now infamous experiment of eating his whole diet at McDonalds for a month. (His experiences have now been made into a film: 'Supersize Me'). It identifies increasingly sedentary lifestyles as one of the most important factors in rising rates of obesity, as evidenced by the enormous amount of time spent by the average American in front of the TV. This is important not just because people are inactive whilst watching the box, but because they are exposed to more advertising for processed food and also tend to eat such foods 'mindlessly' whilst absorbed in the programmes they watch. The increase in portion sizes, along with the tendency to eat anywhere - in cars, on the train and at your desk is also implicated. (These are all things I have noticed while visiting the US, and, increasingly, here in the UK). The types of foods consumed are also highly processed, which may be unhealthy in itself, but, perhaps more importantly, the fact that they are processed means that they have been made to be as 'palatable' as possible. The easiest and cheapest way to do this, manufacturers have discovered, is to add plenty of salt, sugar and fat. For an interesting antidote to all this, have a look at the website of the Slow Food movement.

The article also points out a further impact of processing (such as cooking) on our food, that it means it requires less energy to eat than in prehistoric times. It means that compared to other primates, such as chimps, we spend much less time not only finding food, but also in simply chewing the food we need to get enough calories. This means that we are likely to in more calories than we need.

The article concludes by examining recent ideas in nutrition, including the importance of glycaemic index to maintaining consistent blood sugar levels and criticism of the traditional 'food pyramid'.

Fascinating reading, thoroughly recommended.