It’s a common joke within foreign countries that America is comically obese; everything here seems to be 10x larger.
This statement is not factual, according to the Global Obesity Observatory, the United States is ranked 19th worldwide with a 42.74% obesity rate. The number one spot is taken by American Somoa, with ¾ of the population being considered obese, much higher than that of the U.S.
So why is America deemed the most obese?
The United States’s portion sizes are considerably larger than those in other countries. Business Insider says that the U.S. McDonald’s small and large drink sizes are 89% larger than those in Britain, Medium is 55% larger, and the large fry and chicken nugget meals are 50% larger.
This is similar amongst many fast food chains, America is seen to have much larger sizes than their foreign counterparts.
PubMed Central says that larger portions encourage people to eat more, and it makes it more difficult for people to balance their calories and physical activity.
According to WebMD, the daily caloric intake for adult women is 1600-2400 calories, and it’s 2000-3000 calories for men.
The food industry’s large portion sizes are the norm in the U.S., creating confusion about how much Americans should be eating.
A quarter-pounder with cheese meal at McDonald’s (includes fries and a drink) is nearly 1000 calories, which is half of the minimum daily men’s intake and over half of the women’s.
Obesity is a problem in the United States, the National Institute of Health says that one in three U.S. adults is considered obese.
While some struggle to stay active, many Americans consider fitness a pivotal part of their everyday lives.
“It’s important to me [staying fit] because I noticed that it helps me be more energized,” P.E. teacher Annie Chadwick said. “I noticed that days that I work out I’m a better teacher, I’m a better mom, and I’m a better wife.”
The CDC says that 46.9% of U.S. adults 18 and older meet American physical activity guidelines. This means that nearly half of the U.S. meets the guidelines to be considered fit, or at least do some form of exercise regularly.
Sports, fitness, and staying healthy are common for Americans, but its large-scale and high rates of diversity sway the obesity rates and build the stigma around being overweight amongst other countries.
The U.S. is diverse in the sense of cultures, geography, and types of living. For example, someone from the Midwest is going to differ from someone from the South in the way they speak, the foods they eat, and the traditions that they follow. These differences are evident throughout the U.S.
This can also be seen in the differences between rural and urban living. Living in the big city requires a lot more walking from place to place, while rural people might drive far distances just to enter the nearest town.
All of these factors contribute to what people eat and how many calories they burn.
NHS says that the typical diet of someone who is obese would consist of large quantities of processed or fast food, usually high in calories. This is combined with a low amount of physical activity and fewer calories burned.
Other factors that lead to obesity include alcohol consumption, comfort eating (eating because of other factors in life like low self-esteem or depression), and drinking a surplus of soft drinks.
This differs greatly from] the diet of someone who is trying to stay fit.
Being healthy or eating well is popular among high school students, especially athletes. Senior Payton Brummels, a cross-country runner, said that during the season, she would regularly eat oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast, sweet potatoes with rice or gluten-free pasta for lunch, and chicken with gluten-free pasta with vegetables for dinner. This diet is packed with carbohydrates, which is beneficial for someone who runs long distances.
This can be compared to Junior Asher Christo, a football player’s daily intake. He stated that he would normally drink a protein shake after morning weights, have a school lunch, and eat a protein-packed dinner such as chicken and rice. Strength is vital to football, as it can determine whether or not a player gets a tackle.
“Ever since I graduated college, I’ve had a gym membership,” Chadwick said. “But I’ve always been involved in sports and athletics, whether it was club teams or through school.”
While America has high obesity rates, the statistics don’t account for the many Americans who are determined to stay fit.
