- People are getting fatter. Percent increase in caloric in-take in the U.S. between 1970 and 2010: 25%
- Fraction of Americans are overweight or obese:
- Overweight: about 2/3 (69%)
- Obese: about 1/3 (35%) or ~ 1/2 the # of overweight people
- Fraction of people worldwide are overweight or obese:
- Overweight: about 2/5 (39%)
- Obese: about 1/8 (13%) or ~ 1/3 the # of overweight people
- Insufficient fruit and vegetable intake: Top 10 contributor to death (2.7 million worldwide)
- Recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables (source: Dietary Guildelines for Americans):
- Fruits: 4 servings
- Vegetables: 5 servings
- But only 6% to 8% of Americans consume this amount
- Daily sugar intake:
- Recommended: 6-9 teaspoons
- Typical intake: 22 teaspoons
- Food allergies prevalence:
- Adults: 4%
- Children: 8%
- Food allergies: Hospital visits each year:
- Emergency room visits: 30,000
- Hospitalizations: 2,000
- Deaths: 150
- Food-borne illnesses: Hospital visits each year:
- Illnesses: 48 million
- Hospitalizations: 128,000
- Deaths: 3,000
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Every year, over $1 billion is spent advertising unhealthy foods to children.