What’s making US kids fat?
Childhood obesity has risen because children are eating more and exercising less. Exactly which foods are responsible is unclear. In this study, information gathered by the US Department of Agriculture between 1909 and 2007 shows that the major contributors are oils, shortening, meat, cheese and frozen desserts. Cheese intake has increased from 1.7 to 14.9kg per year and frozen dairy products increased from 0.7 to 11.5 kg per year. From 1970 to 2007, intake of sweeteners increased from 54 to 62kg per year.
Barnard, 2010. Trends in food availability, 1909-2007. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 91(5):1530S-1536S.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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