Do French Fries and Potato Chips Really Pack on the Pounds?

Reports that certain foods pack on the pounds have been published all over. In particular, french fries and potato chips are held as culprits. Reports were that these foods pack on the pounds, even after controlling for their calorie content. That is, if you eat 300 calories (for example) of french fries instead of 300 calories of (say) yogurt, you will gain weight. Well..... sort of. Those are the headlines.

While no one (certainly not me) is going to claim that potato chips and french fries are healthy, looking at the numbers behind the study reveals that "pack on the pounds" may be a bit of hyperbole. If you look at the numbers, you see that adding a serving of potato chips or french fries every day (but keeping calories consumed constant) means an average weight gain of about 2.5 pounds every 4 years. Wow! A little over half a pound a year from eating chips or fries every day! Two and a half pounds in four years. That's packing on the pounds alright! Let's see.... 2.5/4 = 0.625 pounds a year. That's 0.03 ounces every day. That's right. A fraction of an ounce!

Of course, usually, you don't eat french fries instead of yogurt. You eat french fries in ADDITION to yogurt. And a burger. Or two. With ketchup. And maybe beer. That will pack on the pounds. According to Calorie Count, a medium order of fries has 427 calories. If you add that to your diet and don't take anything away, you will gain about a pound a week, or 52 pounds a year. Now that's packing on the pounds!

Sources:
http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-french-fries-i21138?size_grams=134.0

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/06/23/137362885/to-keep-off-pounds-pass-the-nuts-hold-the-chips