Fast Food and Co Modern diet favors obesity

Focus on energy density and portion sizes

Fast food and convenience foods, well-priced XXL packs and snacking are today an integral part of the daily diet of many consumers. These have a significant impact on body weight and obesity risk. An article in the journal Adipositas (4/2015) deals with the relationships in detail.
The two authors - dr. Christina Holzapfel and Professor Hans Hauner, both from the Institute of Nutritional Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, refer to data from various countries, according to which the energy intake has increased continuously in recent years. One of the reasons for this is seen in the consumption of convenience and fast food products. And, like the visit to fast food restaurants, it is increasing significantly, especially among young people.

Fast food and convenience products are characterized by a high energy density (energy content in kilocalories per gram). Studies show that people who eat low-energy meals consume similar amounts and are just as satiated and satisfied as those who consume higher energy densities. With the latter, the energy supply is inevitably higher. This in turn leads to an increase in weight. This tendency is further compounded by the fact that fast food eaters consume a lot of sugary drinks, but usually do not take them into account in the calorie budget.

As a second important trend in modern nutrition, the authors describe the growing out-of-home consumption, which is also associated with increased energy intake. The consumption of "loose" food complicates the assessment of portion size and energy content. And finally, according to the third focus of the analysis, the energy input is directly related to the portion size.

For Obesity Prevention and Therapy, the two authors see an important multidisciplinary approach in improving the transparency of eating out and portion sizes. (Eva Neumann, aid)