A study found that American adults eat almost an entire ‘extra meal’ every day and the reason is something we can all relate to.
More and more research is being conducted to bring more awareness to eating habits as it directly impacts our overall well-being. While we told you about a “superfood” beneficial for your mental health, here’s a common habit you must avoid that’s affecting the majority of Americans.
Study shows American adults eat an ‘extra meal’ every day
A team of researchers from Ohio State University surveyed over 20,000 Americans and found that they consumed 400 to 500 calories each day just by snacking.
The results were alarming because the snacks offered little nutritional value, but amounted to more calories than a typical breakfast. The junk food alone made up nearly a quarter of their daily calorie intake.
The lead author of the study Christopher Taylor said: “Snacks are contributing a meal’s worth of intake to what we eat without it actually being a meal.”
The research studied the eating habits of 23,708 U.S. adults over the age of 30 using the 24-hour dietary recalls from each participant – “detailing not just what, but when, all food was consumed.”
It was found that the snacks consumed by the entire survey population accounted for anywhere between 19.5% and 22.4% of total energy intake without offering the needed nutritional values.
Sugar isn’t the only issue
The study tries to draw attention to the fact that your snacking habit doesn’t become healthy by only eliminating sugar.
Christopher said: “We’ve gotten to a point of demonizing individual foods, but we have to look at the total picture. Removing added sugars won’t automatically make vitamin C, vitamin D, phosphorus, and iron better. And if we take out refined grains, we lose nutrients that come with fortification.”
He further noted that every food item eliminated owing to its poor nutritional value must be replaced with something healthier.
As well as watching what you eat in your regular meals, it’s also important to form a healthy snacking habit.
“We think about what we’re going to pack for lunch and cook for dinner. But we don’t plan that way for our snacks. So then you’re at the mercy of what’s available in your environment,” the researcher said.
