How does eating food prepared outside of home affect my health and weight?

Research shows that every year Americans are eating more meals away from home. In fact, almost half (43%) of all meals in 2012 were prepared at sit-down restaurants, fast food places, or other locations away from home.¹ These outside meals tend to have more calories, more saturated fats and refined sugars. They also have fewer nutrients like calcium, iron, and fiber. In other words, this trend is causing Americans to be overweight and malnourished. (This means they are not getting the nutrients needed for health, growth, and the body to work properly).

Reasons Americans eat meals outside of the home include the following:

• Fewer Americans know how to cook food at home.
• Fast food restaurants and home delivery companies are convenient and inexpensive.
• Today’s active families have less time at home to prepare food.
• Modern restaurants offer more varieties of foods.
• TV advertising for fast food and restaurants has increased.
• Food deserts are becoming more common. (See the next question below).

When you eat food prepared at a restaurant, you have less control over what you eat. Since the 1970s, meals have become supersized. Portions have become two to five times as large as they were twenty years ago.² Part of this rise in portion size is happening because people are demanding more bang for their buck. They feel bigger portions mean they’re getting a better deal.³ Our plates are getting bigger while the healthfulness of our food is getting worse.⁴

What are food deserts?

We mentioned above that food deserts are increasing in the United States, and this is one reason why people eat out more often.

A food desert is an area in the United States where at least one third of the people lives at least one mile away from a supermarket.⁵ Low-income areas in cities may not have access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods at supermarkets. If you live in a food desert and don’t have access to a supermarket, consider trying some of the ideas below.