In a country where more than two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese, food choices are often made on impulse, not intellect.
Christina Rexrode, Associated Press/Minneapolis (MN) Star Tribune
McDonald's Happy Meal, with produce (apple slices) and a smaller size French fries (1.1 ounces) and a choice of beverage, including new fat-free chocolate milk and 1% low fat white milk. Photo: Bill Parrish
Americans talk skinny but eat fat.
No matter that First Lady Michelle Obama has been on a crusade for a year and a half to slim down the country. Never mind that some restaurants have started listing calories on their menus. Forget even that we keep saying we want to eat healthy. When Americans eat out, we order burgers and fries anyway.
"If I wanted something healthy, I would not even stop in at McDonald's," says Jonathan Ryfiak, 24, a New York trapeze instructor who watches his diet at home but orders comfort foods like chicken nuggets and fries when he hits a fast-food joint.
In a country where more than two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese, food choices are often made on impulse, not intellect. So, while 47 percent of Americans say they'd like restaurants to offer healthier items like salads and baked potatoes, only 23 percent tend to order those foods, according to a survey last year by food research firm Technomic.
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