Standard American Diet Attributed to Obesity and Poor Health

Recently I heard the typical American diet referred to as SAD – Standard American Diet. I thought this was humorous and ironic as our diet can be pretty SAD. Here we consider ourselves to be one of the most advanced nations in the world, yet many of us can’t grasp basic understanding of nutrition and how to eat a balanced diet.

She may not look sad, but her diet certainly is. The Standard American Diet, or SAD, has been attributed to obesity and poor health.

While there are many other culturally inspired diets in the world, the Standard American Diet is one that many health professionals wish would disappear. Not only does this diet promote poor eating habits with its unbalanced food choices and large portion sizes, but it is also a diet that seems to ignore many health recommendations. Unsurprisingly, the Standard American Diet is one that is attributed to obesity and to poor health. Here’s what you need to know about the SAD diet, why it’s hurting you, and how to get back on track.

Why the Standard American Diet is SAD

The Standard American Diet is one that focuses on food for pleasure and convenience, rather than being a diet that encourages good health. With basic ingredients as beef and potatoes, these foods may be nourishing, but they can also lead to health problems and other dangerous consequences. The SAD diet is typically one in which vegetables and fruits are eaten sparingly or when they are included, they are dipped in butter or sugar or high fat, high calorie sauces. The daily caloric content of this diet is high, generally around 2500 calories for the average adult. And what’s worst about the Standard American Diet is that children are watching adults and the ways they are eating, learning eating habits that are difficult to break as they become older.

How SAD Eating Habits Contribute to Obesity and Poor Health

Food is meant to be a fuel and not simply something to do. In the Standard American Diet, Americans end up seeing a lot of harmful effects:

• Weight gain – People who follow the SAD diet are often overweight, if not obese at some point of their lives.
• Diabetes – When people eat too much sugar, their bodies stop being able to process it well, leading to diabetes.
• Heart disease – If the diet is focused on fats from meats, these saturated fats can clog the arteries and lead to heart attacks.
• Cancers – Without fiber, vegetables, or fruits in the diet, the body can have a greater risk of developing colon cancer, breast cancer, and other harmful diseases.
• High blood pressure – The Standard American Diet is often high in salt as well, leading to high blood pressure readings, which can lead to strokes and to other complications.

What you eat does matter – and the Standard American Diet does not offer a balanced meal plan.

How to Change Your Eating Habits Right Now

The good news is that it’s not difficult to adjust the Standard American Diet to be healthier. One of the easiest ways to enhance this diet is simply to reduce the amount of meat you eat. By eating a diet that has more vegetables and less meat, or by going all vegetarian a few meals a week, you can increase your health and reduce your fat intake very easily. Add vegetables or fruits to every meal if you can.

Another way to make your diet healthier is to limit the amount of fast food and fried foods you consume. This is a no-brainer, but for many of us it’s hard to break ourselves away from these convenient foods. However, if you can reduce or eliminate these types of foods from your SAD you will start losing weight and becoming healthier right away.

Other simple ways to make your diet healthier are to reduce sugar and salt (sodium) intake and increase whole grain carbohydrates in the place of white breads and pastas. Also, try drinking more water and less soda and juices. With just these few simple changes your diet won’t be SAD and your body will be GLAD.

Other Related Posts and Articles you May Find Interesting: “Anti-Cancer Drug Added to Junk Foods”, “Can Weight Loss Make You Smarter?”, “Healthy Weight Loss Diet May Prevent Cancer” and “Diet Changes that Lower Cholesterol”.