I was sent an email a while ago and had filed it until it came up in a search result on my PC. As one of the many discussed topics of our time is about obesity, I thought I’d post something about it. First a reference.
A generation ago, three-quarters of the money used to buy food in the United States was spent to prepare meals at home. Today, about half of that money is spent on restaurants, mainly fast-food restaurants.
In 1968, according to Wikipedia, McDonald’s had 1,000 restaurants. Today it has about 30,000, with 2,000 new ones opening each year.
According to the New York City Department of Health, nine of 10 people underestimate the number of calories typically contained in a fast-food dish — by about 600 calories.
A typical meal from a fast-food restaurant of a large burger, large fries and medium drink is about 1,300 calories, or 66 percent of the daily caloric requirements for an average person.
— Judi E. Loomis, Fort Wayne Daily News
Now if you think you spend too much on food as well as eating too much food, compare how the weekly food shop is for different nations?
These images are from a TIME essay, (see more pictures here [1], [2]) using images from the Hungry Planet: What the World Eats book by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio.
 |
 |
|
Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily. |
Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide. Food expenditure for one week: €375.39 or $500.07 |
 |
 |
|
United States: The Revis family of North Carolina. Food expenditure for one week $341.98 |
Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca. Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09 |
 |
 |
|
Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp. Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23 |
Great Britain: The Bainton family of Cllingbourne Ducis. Food expenditure for one week: 155.54 British Pounds or $253.15 |
Looking at the family from Chad, I don’t think anyone in Europe can complain about their lot, even with the rising food prices of today.
Beasley's Place 