What America Eats
This article is part of a series of insights into what an Average American life really looks like.
In 2019, Bloomberg published the “Healthiest Country Index”. The Index ranked 169 economies based on variables including life expectancy and eating habits while imposing penalties on risks such as tobacco use and obesity. It also took into consideration environmental factors including access to clean water and sanitation.
With a health score of 73.02/100 points, the U.S. ranked as 35th place.
Spain ranked as the healthiest country in the world, with an average life expectancy that is projected to become a world leading 86 years by 2040. Research has long heralded the Mediterranean diet as one of the world’s best and Spain couples this with one of the finest healthcare systems in the world to provide a better life for its citizens.
Meanwhile in North America, Canada’s 16th-place ranking far surpassed the U.S. (35th). Life expectancy in the U.S. has actually been trending lower due to deaths from drug overdoses and suicides.
We already know that Americans are eating way too much added sugar, but what else is going on?
Researchers have found that Americans still get most of their proteins from animal foods, particularly unprocessed red meats and processed meats. Fewer Americans get the majority of their proteins from fish, whole grains and nuts (Spain’s Mediterranean diet).
Additionally, Americans get a disproportionally high amount of their energy from low-quality carbohydrates. Refined grains, fruit juice and potatoes accounted for 21.2 percent of energy intake. Foods and drinks with added sugars accounted for another 14.4 percent.
National Geographic published “The Future of Food” with a section entitled “What the World Eats”. They highlighted the varying diets around the world and compared where each country gets its calories. Let’s take a look:
The U.S. is the world’s top oilseed producer, with Americans consuming more than two and a half times as many grams of vegetable oil per day than they did 50 years ago. This has accounted for more than half of the 26% increase in calorie consumption over the same time.
No country consumes as much of its calories from sugar and fat as the U.S. (37% of intake), nor does any country consume as many calories per capita each day. America continues to lead the way! Oh, wait..
Closing thoughts
Diet is a difficult one to talk about. Our choices are often a product of our environment. Since posting about added sugar two weeks ago I’ve been paying closer attention to the levels present in my food. To save you the headache, a rule of thumb — if it’s convenient, it probably has sugar added to it. Just about every dish from every restaurant in NYC has added sugar, even our famous NY slice adds it to both the sauce and the crust. Other places where we find convenience and low prices are traps too. It’s estimated that the US percentage of food-insecure households, those with limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways, rose to above 15% last year. When your grocery store is the dollar store, healthy options won’t be available. For millions of Americans, the choice has been made for them. This is our diet and yes, it is killing us, at least faster than that of other nations.
I swear I’ll find something more positive for next time, unless of course we talk about obesity. That’s not likely to end well..
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Stephen
For more from this series:
The Holidays: America’s $1 Trillion Industry
Why Many American’s Are Wary of the COVID-19 Vaccine
Can the Average American still afford to live in America?
The Death of an American Dream
Over 65% of Americans will take drugs today
Here’s how much the average American actually makes in a year