Changes in Consumption Patterns, Food Production and Recommendations in the Last 100 Years

Changes in Consumption Patterns and Food Production

People in the United States are consuming more food and more calories than they did 30 to 50 years ago, and the rate of increase is three times greater in women than men.^36,37 In 1971, women were consuming, on average, 1,542 calories per day. In 2000, this had increased by 22% to 1,877 calories per day. Men also showed a marked increased in calorie consumption from 2,450 calories per day to 2,618 calories, a 7% increase.³⁸ This was not accompanied by greater physical activity levels, however. With the rise in "desk jobs," time-saving technology, neighborhoods that don't encourage walking and other factors, Americans are more inactive than ever before.

Saturated Fat Consumption Has Decreased
We Are a Nation of Meat Eaters
Soda vs. Milk
Added Sugars and Fats Are Everywhere
Processed Convenience Foods Have Become More Readily Available
Portion Sizes Have Increased

Saturated Fat Consumption Has Decreased

Although people in the United States eat less saturated fat today than we used to, some of us still cook with saturated fats such as butter or lard. Those of us who were raised before World War II will remember that lard was once more available and cheaper to use than butter or olive oil. Americans who grew up in the 1950s and later, when margarine became popular, may have abandoned cooking with butter and lard in favor of margarine and vegetable oil, only to be confused in later decades when "trans" fats (a type of fat found in nearly all processed foods, including many margarines) were brought to light by the media as a new, more dangerous potential cause of heart disease.³⁹

We Are a Nation of Meat Eaters

Americans eat less cholesterol today than we did 40 years ago, probably due at least in part to the fact that we eat fewer eggs.⁴⁰ However, we eat 57 pounds more meat per year than we did 40 years ago!⁴¹ While the extra protein from meat does not pose a health threat if it is low in cholesterol, it is taking up more space than necessary on our plates and crowding out vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Also, some types of meat -- particularly deli meats, sausages, and canned meats -- are high in sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure in some individuals when eaten in large quantities.

Meat, particularly bacon and sausage, continues to be a part of the traditional American breakfast. This habit dates back to the time when people worked long hours in the home, fields, factories, and railroads, and needed high-calorie breakfasts to meet the demands of intense physical labor. Many older adults today grew up on or near family farms. Today, the majority of the U.S. workforce hold white-collar or office jobs.⁴²

Soda vs. Milk

Food consumption trends show that Americans today drink less milk than we did in the 1950s.⁴³ Soda consumption has been on the rise since the 1950s. Larger bottles and more frequent consumption have contributed to this increase.

Added Sugars and Fats Are Everywhere

Not only do Americans eat more food nowadays, but an ounce of food today may be more calorie-dense with added fats and sugars than it was in the 1950s. American sugar consumption has grown astronomically between the 1950s and the 1990s. In 1997, the average American consumed 154 pounds of added sugars per year, in the form of table sugar, corn syrup, sodas, and other sweetened beverages and sweet-tasting foods. This amounts to 45 pounds more sugar per year than we ate in the 1950s. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) calculated that Americans eat 33 teaspoons per day of added sugars, or about two to three times as much as the USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends for most older adults.⁴⁴

Food produced in America has more added sugars than ever before. Food manufacturers add sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup to all kinds of foods -- and not only sweets. Breads and frozen dinners often contain corn syrup because it makes the food brown more easily when warmed in the oven and helps preserve the texture of frozen foods.⁴⁵

Mass marketing of low-fat and low-carbohydrate diet strategies has resulted in the introduction of more than 1,000 snack food products to the market, many of which contain added sugars. These strategies and products encourage those of us who are trying to lose weight to eat more calories that are "guilt free" but low in vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring fiber.⁴⁶ A recent Consumer Reports article stated that the low "net carbs" advertised on many of these products are actually achieved by adding sugar alcohol and fermentable carbohydrates, which are not digested in the same way as regular carbohydrates but still contribute calories.⁴⁷

Some "low-carb" products actually have more calories than similar, nondiet foods. For example, one brand of low-carb rocky road ice cream has 270 calories per serving -- almost double the calories found in many regular ice creams -- and twice as much fat.⁴⁸ Scientists predict that the growing variety of "low-carb" foods will make it difficult for the many Americans on low-carbohydrate diets to cut calories and lose weight, since the more variety in our diet, the more food we eat.⁴⁹

Processed Convenience Foods Have Become More Readily Available

Food technology arising from the world wars, as well as changes in family structure, women's roles, and the economy since the 1950s have led to major shifts in lifestyle and eating habits. While nearly two out of three women worked in the home in the 1950s, today about two out of three women work outside the home.⁵⁰ Although women continue to take the larger amount of responsibility for preparing food in many households, they have also taken on increased responsibilities outside the home. Without the assistance of other members of the household, they often find themselves needing to prepare food quickly for the whole household.

As a result, processed foods, such as commercially prepared white bread, instant stuffing, and ready-made pie crusts, have displaced homemade breads and pie crusts made from scratch. Furthermore, the move to suburban areas and small cities, away from the farm and rural areas where people made nearly everything from scratch, has caused people to become afraid and sometimes disdainful of home techniques for preserving food, such as canning and pickling, and to rely on store-bought foods for their safety and reliable taste.

The problem with processed convenience foods is that they are higher in fats, sugars, and sodium than homemade foods usually are. Their use can make it more difficult for people to moderate their food and nutrient intake, although many brands of prepared foods offer healthier alternatives, such as low-sodium canned soups, low-fat frozen dinners, and reduced-sugar or sugar-free ice cream.

Portion Sizes Have Increased

Between 1957 and 1997, the USDA documented the following changes in portion size. Portion sizes in full-service and fast-food restaurants and in prepared convenience foods have all grown. Packaging also makes things confusing at times. For example, look at the food label on a snack food, frozen dessert, or soda bottle. What many people think is a serving for one person (say, one soda bottle) may be listed on the food label as two servings. This can be confusing to many people because the calorie and nutrient content information on the food label will be for one serving. If you drink the whole soda bottle, for example, you are actually consuming twice the amount of calories, etc., than what is listed.

Portion size increases documented by the USDA:

• The average hamburger grew from 1 ounce of cooked meat in 1957 to 6 ounces in 1997
• A large soda in 1957 measured 8 fluid ounces, compared with 32 -- or even 64 -- fluid ounces in 1997
• The 1957 theater serving size for popcorn was 3 cups, compared to 16 cups for a medium-size theater popcorn in 1997
• A muffin, about 1½ ounces in 1957, now weighs in at 5 to 8 ounces

³⁶ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Feb. 6, 2004) "Trends in Intake of Energy and Macronutrients -- United States, 1971-2000." MMRW Weekly 53(04):80-82. Available at CDC on the World Wide Web: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5304a3.htm.

³⁷ Putnam, J. (1999) "U.S. Food Supply Providing More Food and Calories." Food Review 22(3):2-12.

³⁸ National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. (February 5, 2004) "Calorie Consumption on the Rise in United States, Particularly Among Women." Press Release. Available at CDC on the World Wide Web: www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/04news/calorie.htm

³⁹ The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter: Health After 50. "Nutrition and Weight Control." Available at Johns Hopkins on the World Wide Web at: www.hopkinsafter50.com/html/silos/nutrition/nwLIB_HA50_SeriousDisorders.php

⁴⁰ Putnam, J. (1999) "U.S. Food Supply Providing More Food and Calories." Food Review 22(3):2-12.

⁴¹ Ibid.

⁴² Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (March 26, 1999) "Largest employment share by industry reported in services in 1997." Available at BLS on the World Wide Web: www.bls.gov/opub/ted/1999/Mar/wk4/art05.htm.

⁴³ Putnam, J. (1999) "U.S. Food Supply Providing More Food and Calories." Food Review 22(3):2-12.

⁴⁴ Ibid.

⁴⁵ Severson, K. (Feb. 18, 2004) "Sugar coated: We're drowning in high fructose corn syrup. Do the risks go beyond our waistline?" San Francisco Chronicle. Available at the S.F. Chronicle on the World Wide Web: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/18/FDGS24VKMH1.DTL.

⁴⁶ Consumers Union. (June 2004) "The truth about low-carb foods." Consumer Reports 69(6):12-15.

⁴⁷ Consumers Union. (June 2004) "Talk the talk: Low-carb lingo." Consumer Reports 69(6):14.

⁴⁸ Consumers Union. (June 2004) "The truth about low-carb foods." Consumer Reports 69(6):12.

⁴⁹ Ibid.

⁵⁰ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (Feb. 16, 2000) "Changes in women's labor force participation in the 20th century." Available at BLS on the World Wide Web: www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2000/feb/wk3/art03.htm.