Fast-food eaters pack on weight
By Nanci Hellmich
USA Today
People who eat several fast-food meals a week are significantly heavier than those who don't eat fast food very often, according to a study released Monday.
Each additional fast-food meal packs on pounds, so someone who consumes one fast-food meal a week is on average 1 1/2 pounds heavier than someone who eats no fast food, says Kelley Borradaile, an obesity researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia. She presented her research at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society.
"These results largely confirm commonly held perceptions about the relationship between fast-food consumption and body weight," she says.
Borradaile and colleagues analyzed national survey data on about 4,600 adults who reported their height and weight and eating habits in 2006.
Respondents said they purchase about five meals outside their home a week, either for takeout or dining out. Other research shows a similar trend. About 252 meals per person were purchased away from home in 2007, according to NPD Group, a leading market research firm.
The Temple study found that fast-food places were the top choices for breakfast and lunch; casual dining spots and fast food were top picks for dinner.
OTHER FINDINGS IN THE REPORT:
"We don't know if this is a direct cause-effect relationship," Borradaile says. "There may be other factors at play here, including sedentary lifestyles of people who tend to eat fast food."
