| From 1988-1994 the number of Americans who | | | | vegetable, a bag of organic baby carrots cost |
| were over weight or obese was 56%. That | | | | about $2.00. When it was all said and done, a |
| number rose from 1999-2000 to 64% according | | | | healthy home cooked dinner for a family of four |
| to NAASO.org. Oregon is one of the highest with | | | | costs about $25.00. This is not including the time |
| 23% of its population being obese. There are | | | | spent making the dinner and doing dishes |
| many reasons why people become obese or | | | | afterwards. |
| over weight. Many times it is genetic but that is | | | | Lack of health choice at restaurants makes eating |
| something you can not change. What you can | | | | right difficult. According to Foodfacts.info, in 2005 |
| change is the way you eat, what you eat and | | | | fast food chain, Wendy's, pulled their fruit salad |
| how much you eat. If our society as a whole | | | | option after only ten months on the menu, |
| does not change the way we eat, we will be at | | | | sighting low sales. Many fast food chains have |
| high risk of diabetes, hypertension and heart | | | | started to offer healthier choices such as Subway |
| attacks. In 2004 obesity related deaths ranked | | | | which offers raisins and yogurt, and Wendy's |
| number two, smoking came in first. By 2005 | | | | offers mandarin orange fruit cups in place of fries. |
| obesity related deaths was expected to pass | | | | Some sit down restaurants have followed suit |
| smoking as the number one cause of death, | | | | such as Red Robin which will allow you to order |
| according to | | | | either a petite hamburger patty or a Boca Burger |
| The idea of an American family and dinner time | | | | substitute for any of their burgers. Unfortunately |
| has changed. Americans lead busy lives, in a | | | | other places do not offer alternatives or the |
| typical family home, both parents work a forty | | | | alternatives are not well advertised by the |
| hour week, most arriving home late. Most of | | | | prospective restaurant. Red Robin might offer a |
| those families would rather relax than think about | | | | Boca patty substitution but it is in fine print which |
| making a well balanced meal for everyone. Usually | | | | is barley visible at the very bottom of their menu. |
| they will grab what it closest or easiest such as a | | | | Eating out has taken the control over serving |
| microwave dinner, take out or order a pizza. We | | | | sizes away. A burger at Red Robin is normally a |
| all want to spend time with our families and watch | | | | one pound patty with unlimited. At McDonalds, a |
| our favorite TV program. The last thing anyone | | | | medium fry package now has nutritional facts |
| wants to think about is cooking after a long day | | | | listed on the side. It shows how many calories are |
| at the office. | | | | in that amount of fries along with the sodium |
| Eating out was once thought to be expensive, | | | | content. What they are not taking into account is |
| now because of places like Jack in the Box and | | | | the amount of salt added to the fries after |
| McDonalds, it is affordable. You can go to | | | | cooking, and the person filling the container usually |
| McDonalds and feed a family of four for less than | | | | over fills. Therefore the nutritional facts and |
| twenty dollars. It is fast, easy, tasty and most of | | | | serving size information provided is inaccurate. |
| all cheap. To feed a family of four a balanced | | | | Gastric bypass surgery is the second only to |
| meal, for example chicken with rice and a | | | | breast augmentation, as the most common |
| vegetable, costs more in both time and money | | | | surgery among young adults. The time is now for |
| something we are all short on. Fred Meyer, a local | | | | us to start setting a good example for all people |
| grocery store chain in Oregon, usually has pretty | | | | and start making smarter choices of food, make |
| good deals, but look at what it costs to feed a | | | | the effort to cook healthy meals, and rethink |
| family of four. I went to Fred Meyer hoping to | | | | what a serving size is. Sure it might require more |
| spend less than $20.00. Foster Farms offers three | | | | effort and more time and sacrifice but when you |
| chicken breasts in a package for around $9.00, | | | | look at the health risks and concerns associated |
| but you would have to buy two in order to feed | | | | with obesity, it just makes sense to spend a few |
| a family of four. One package of Uncle Ben's | | | | extra dollars, a little more time and make a few |
| instant wild rice only has two to three servings | | | | better choices in order to make a better future |
| per container for $2.50 which means again you | | | | for you and your family. |
| would have to buy two packages. As for a | | | | |