Why do we eat the way we eat?

In my quest for continuing to improve the health of myself and my family, I can't help but ask the questions, "Why do we eat the WAY we eat? Why do we eat WHAT we eat?"  

Obesity is an epidemic in America, obesity causes heart disease which is the number one killer (here) in the states.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack. In 2009, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 will have a recurrent attack. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.”
http://www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth/

Diabetes is rapidly growing in our society which is also largely due to obesity.

“Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death. It is also a leading cause for complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and lower extremity amputations (1). In 2007, the total cost of diabetes in the United States was estimated at $174 billion.”
http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsDiabetesTrends/

Do we ever stop and ask ourselves, why this is happening in a society that has so much? But is it any wonder when we look at how we eat as a society?

I would like to invite you to join me as I seek to understand why we do what we do.  

Example:
Why do WE consume so many calories when we watch a movie at a theater?
Why would THEY allow us to consume so much?

This will be the first issue I address...

Consider this:

1. If you go to a theater and order a SMALL popcorn without butter, these are the nutritional facts; (facts found at livestrong.com, based on AMC Movie Theater Popcorn) :
serving size: 1/2 medium 42 grams
calories: 225
total fat: 11g
carbs: 26g
protein: 5g

Movie Theater Butter Popcorn (now adding butter)
serving size: 1 small / 7 cups
calories: 400
total fat: 27g
carbs: 0g
protein: 0g

2. Now let’s add some other ‘Movie-time-favorites:
*32 Oz Fountain Cola
serving size: 32 oz
calories: 350
total fat: 0g
carbs: 98g
protein: 0g

* Nutrition Information for Junior Mints (most movie theaters sell a 12oz box)
Serving Size 40g
Servings Per Container 8.5
Amount Per Serving Calories 170
Calories from Fat 30
Total Fat 3g 
Saturated Fat 2.5g
Sodium 30mg   
Total Carbohydrate 35g   
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 32 G
   

So add this up: 400 calories for a small buttered popcorn, plus 350 calories for a 32 oz Cola, you are looking at over 750 calories...add on a box of your favorite candies (Theaters mostly carry the medium to large candies, which triple calories) and you might be well over 1000 calories (depening on your combination of food choices) consumed during your favorite feature film. We must remember our RDA of calories is 2,000.

So again, why do many people do this?  I appreciate the attempt to up sell me each time I buy some popcorn at a theater, but I will always get a small or a medium for me and whole family. When they try to up-sell me my answer is,

"No thank you, because then I would eat it."

 True? 

Absolutely.  

And how many people get small sodas anymore?  It is not uncommon to get a 20+ oz fountain drink. Start adding it up.  

In the 1950s, would our parents order that much popcorn or that size of a soda? I venture to say it was not even an option.  And we question why we have the obesity problem that we have? In asking the question Why do we eat the way we do at a theater; although it will vary from person to person, but one of the main reasons is because it is there, cheap, and we are up-sold to think we are getting a deal. We want our money’s worth but in reality we are harming ourselves.


In today's world, we are shocked at how much obesity, heart disease and diabetes that exists and look to the magic pill.  "Please cure us" is what we are saying.

What we need to do in most cases is look to ourselves for change. 

Join me in my quest...