The American Diet

It's the Wild Wild West all over again and this time there's no gold rush. The American way of eating is once again linked to health problems. From the "supersize it" phenomenon of the fast food industry to the age of convenience with microwavable meals, the possibilities for dietary choices are endless. With busy schedules and a limited time to do it all it becomes easy to just grab a bite and go. But, with yet another study released about the American diet we may want to think about slowing down a bit.

So unique is our way of eating that is has been coined the Western diet. According to Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, of Lennox Hill Hospital in NYC, this term yields to the belief that as Americans we "cannot eat any worse." The study findings which appeared in the January 22 issue of Circulation noted that over 60% of the participants had or either developed metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a composite of certain risk factors which contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. A person with three or more heart disease risk factors are considered to have metabolic syndrome. The risks are obesity, hypertension, diabetes and poor cholesterol (high triglycerides and low HDLs). The dietary link to metabolic syndrome is not well understood. Despite this, the majority of the study's participants with metabolic syndrome had a Western diet. The dietary association though not clear does exists.

The new study used data from a government-sponsored research project on Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities. The study collected information taken from 10,000 people who completed a questionnaire consisting of 66 items. Based on their responses people were assigned either a "Western-pattern" or "prudent-pattern" eating designation. The Western-pattern consisted of a diet high in refined grains, processed meat, fried food, red meat and eggs. Unsurprisingly, soda was also included in this type of diet. But, a new twist provided interesting information that supports the claim of a previous study that indicated diet soda as a culprit in increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome.

In the study, it was demonstrated that those with the highest scores had an 18% risk of developing metabolic syndrome over those who scored lower. Also, there was a 26% risk for the syndrome in those who ate higher amounts of meat.

The prudent-pattern supports a healthier diet that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry. Dairy products, unlike fried food and diet soda, have been associated with a decrease in the risk for metabolic syndrome. Finding a balance between eating healthier, exercising and make better choices when eating out is the key to living healthier.

Strides have been taken to improve consumer awareness of foods that are not good for them. Since January 1, 2006, a federal law passed requiring all food companies to indicate the trans fat content on labels. In NYC, changes have been made so that the food service providers become more responsible in the way meals are prepared for consumers. The ban on NYC restaurants required the elimination of all trans fat from food by July 1, 2007 and one year later all food products purchased from outside vendors are required to be trans fat free. So the trans fat free movement has not only affected restaurants but food manufacturers and suppliers as well. Now other cities across the US have followed in NYC's footsteps or are considering implementing similar methods to assure healthier eating options.

The Western diet is an epidemic facing Americans. The Harvard School of Public Health has linked trans fat to heart disease since the 1990s. Now almost two decades later, studies continue to confirm this association between our eating habits and health problems.

But, there has also been a wave of action toward the promotion of healthier living taking place across the country. Aside from clearer labels on food packages and restaurant bans on trans fat the movement toward better health is a national challenge with various resources to help us fight for a different kind of prize - a healthier heart.

Weight loss challenge resources: http://www.specialk.com/?id=challenge, http://health.discovery.com/national-body-challenge/national-body-challenge.html, http://www.50millionpounds.com

Sources: http://body.aol.com/condition-center/heart-disease/article/_a/another-study-links-western-diet-to/n20080122165009990097
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/review/spring07/spr07transfat.html