Typical Fast Food Seems to Make Us Eat More

Does Changing Portion Size and How Fast Food is Eaten Discourage Gorging? A new study sheds some light.

Eating large amounts of food at a rapid rate is defined as "gorging." This sounds rather close to another certain -ing word (usually attached to the word-purging) and that word is "binging."

No matter what you call it, eating large amounts of food at a rapid rate is not a healthy thing. You want to eat in a slow and mindful way so food is enjoyed and your brain is aware of the eating process and is given time to tell your stomach when it is comfortable and satisfied. No good can come from eating large amounts of food fast. Not only are we likely to take in excessive amounts of calories but I worry about the mental ramifications after someone eats large amounts of food fast-their possible "guilt" and feeling bad about themselves, not to mention possible temptation to purge after these times (which opens the door to eating disorders and all that that includes).

Well, a new study from the Children's Hospital in Boston, used teens age 13 to 17 years and exposed them to three types of fast food meals (all including chicken nuggets, french fries, and cola). Once, lot of fast food was served to them at one time. Another time, a lot of fast food was served in smaller portions but almost at the same time, and a third time where a lot of fast food was served in smaller portions over 15 minute intervals. They looked at how many calories were consumed by the teens in these three situations.

It didn't seem to matter how the large amount of fast food was served, the teens still ate about half of their daily calorie needs in that one meal. The researchers suggested that certain factors related to fast food may be promoting excessive calorie intake:

* fast food being low in fiber
* high in palatability
* high in calorie density
* high in fat content
* and high in sugar in liquid form

My suggestion is to choose fast food options high in fiber (it exists!) that have a lower calorie density and a lower fat content and completely avoid sugar in liquid form. This means choosing fast food restaurants that have these types of offerings.


~~Elaine

Related Topics: Teens and Binge Eating, Fast Food Tips

Technorati Tags: eatingdisorders, binging, fastfood, healthyfastfood

Weighing in on the Fashion Industry and Eating Disorders

Let's just call it like it is shall we? There is a "dark side" to the fashion biz I'm sure, just as I know there are Darth Vader's in the dance world. (I used to dance in regional shows and now both my girls dance competitively.)

For decades people within the fashion industry have been telling women and teenagers that they are too fat or that they need to lose weight. I guess they have a right to prefer skeletal models but I have a right to reject that standard and prefer to buy magazines and clothing that uses models that look "fit and healthy."

While it is possible that some of these size zero models are naturally so, it appears that some are quite possibly maintaining this ridiculous ideal via starvation, purging, and/or drug use. My heart goes out to these girls and women who feel compelled to maintain this size at the cost of their health, happiness, and for some, ultimately it costs them their life.

I personally feel the fashion industry needs to shift and shift quickly towards more realistic and healthful standards. It simply isn't good for our girls growing up in this "music video" culture. I for one, find it refreshing to see models that have natural curves. I look forward to seeing what Oprah, Queen Latifa, Jennifer Hudson, and other beautiful (normally sized women) are wearing at the Oscars. I could care less about the other skinny celebrities, frankly, because I simply can't relate, nor would I want to relate. I have chosen "health" and happiness and I have chosen to not be obsessed with food and body size.

In response to various articles and blogs discussing the rampant eating disorders and underweight standards in the fashion industry and the recent deaths of models due to anorexia, I've read people blaming all sorts of things (including parents) for eating disorders. Admittedly I am not an expert in this very complicated and vital subject but here's what I know and believe about the cause of eating disorders.

* Although no one variable has been found to "cause" an eating disorder, research has found that certain personality characteristics, genetic disposition (thought to contribute to almost half the risk), environment and biochemistry all play significant roles in the development of eating disorders.

* Some experts in the field say that while genetics and biochemistry may load the gun (so to speak), the environment pulls the trigger. Certainly it would help if our culture wasn't putting unrealistic and somewhat skeletal models/celebrities on a perpetual pedestal. Changing this, my friends, will take a lot.

* An eating disorder is considered to be a mental illness. It's a door that once it is opened, it can take someone years of treatment and therapy to completely close. Some women never fully recover and spend the rest of their lives with some degree of disorder.

* Some people develop an eating disorder in spite of being part of a happy, loving family that has not emphasized thinness or food obsession.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING is for people who develop eating disorders to get help as soon as possible. This takes buckets of honesty and courage folks (not to mention buckets of money). But it is these people that have the best chance of fully recovering. It is important that everyone be aware of the signs of eating disorders so that people who develop this illness can be helped as soon as possible. All my love and best wishes goes out to them and their families.

With more than half of American teenage girls and nearly a third of boys using unhealthy behaviors to control their weight, according to the experts at the National Eating Disorders Association, they offer 10 tips to catch the warning signs of anorexia and bulimia:

#1 Dramatic loss of weight
#2 Preoccupation with calorie-counting
#3 Frequent use of a weight scale
#4 Obsession with exercise
#5 Binge eating and/or purging
#6 Food "rituals" like taking tiny bites, ignoring certain food groups, rearranging food on the plate.
#7 Eating alone, or avoiding meals altogether
#8 Use of laxatives/diuretics
#9 Smoking aimed at suppressing appetite
#10 Frequent criticism of self as "fat" which increases despite weight loss.

Here's to a future free of eating disorders and weight or body size obsession!

~~Elaine

Related Topics: Helping Girls With Body Image, Bigger Can Be Beautiful