Tight Pants & YOUR Favorite Food

Pants don't fit?

Well, a new study in the American Journal of Public Health, the Journal of Nutrition, and the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that the average size of many of our foods, be they from fast-food chains, sit-down restaurants, or even the grocery store, has grown by as much as 138 percent since the 1970s. Portion sizes vary by food source, with the largest portions consumed at fast food establishments and the smallest at other restaurants.

Between 1977 and 1996, food portion sizes increased both inside and outside the home for all categories – except pizza. The largest increase? Soda! Followed in the number two position by fruit drinks. Underscoring the importance of us curbing those sugared calorie laden drinks! The smallest increase? Actually surprisingly, salty snacks.

What is YOUR favorite food?

A lot depends on where in the U.S. you actually live. Using the most recent 2014 estimates from the American Community Survey and Dun and Bradstreet, the experts at FindTheHome.com discovered the most popular food in every state. The food type with the highest density per 100,000 people is considered the most popular. Pizza is the fan favorite in most states, with baked goods and Mexican food taking the lead in many others.   

Looking at current obesity rates, early onset of diabetes and heart disease and the ineffectiveness of national health policies such as Healthy People 2020, the  federal initiative to eliminate preventable diseases including obesity, it’s clear that what we’re doing isn’t working regardless of where we live. That is except for Hawaii, where the top food type is bakery, followed by chinese food.  Pizza in those islands rank at No. 5.