Is Meat Responsible for Obesity?
Obesity in America is a problem. There is no denying this fact. Recent years have seen obesity rates skyrocketing, and the problem is only getting worse. In fact, according to the CDC, more than one third of American adults are stricken with this potentially deadly disease. More than 48% of African Americans are obese. 42% of Hispanic Ameicans are obese. In addition, women have a higher rate of obesity than men. Clearly, obesity is everyone's problem. It can cause problems such as heart disease and diabetes, and tends to make its sufferers sicklier than those of lower weight. In fact, obesity sufferers pay an average of $1,429 more in medical costs than those who are healthier. This led to an annual price tag of $147 billion in medical costs related to obesity across the U.S. in 2008. It is clear that something must be done about obesity, but what? What exactly causes obesity?
The decline in meat consumption has been even more dramatic. Beef consumption has taken the biggest dive, followed by pork, according to the USDA. The graph representing this is shown below, courtesy of Fortune.
Where am I going with these statistics? In recent years, films like the critically-acclaimed documentary "Forks Over Knives" have claimed that the increase in obesity in America is due to meat consumption in what is called the Standard American Diet, shortened to "SAD" (this is ironic because I truly do believe the SAD is sad. But we'll get to that in a minute). I do not deny that what many Americans eat is unhealthy and is causing the obesity epidemic. What I do deny is that meat consumption is to blame. This is a "fact" that spread through the Animal Rights crowd like wildfire, and now has managed to make its way into the mind of the average American. To prove it, I point to the fact that organic fruit and vegetable sales shot up by nearly TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS from 2000 to 2010, according to the Nutrition Business Journal. Here's that graph.
There's no doubt that Americans are now eating more fruits and vegetables than in the past, and that they are also eating less meat and dairy. This trend caused Tyson Foods to purchase a stake in a company that sells meat substitutes made from soy and chickpeas. It also allows companies like Starbucks to offer milk substitutes like soy milk and almond milk in their stores and still make a profit as demand for milk substitutes increases. In general, most of those who endorse a plant-based diet say that these trends should make America healthier. If their logic is correct, obesity rates should drop as the average American eats less meat and more fruits and vegetables. After all, meat causes obesity, right?
Wrong.
Despite the trend away from meat, obesity rates have continued to rise. In fact, using data derived from the CDC, ONE HALF of all American adults will be obese by the year 2030. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine predicts 42% of adults will be obese by then. If all those meatless Mondays aren't making a dent in obesity, then what IS causing obesity? Here's a radical idea: SUGAR AND FAT. After the invention of PLANT BASED FOODS such as corn oil, hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup, obesity rates began increasing dramatically. To further prove my point, most food companies had removed all animal fats from their oils by the year 1914. By the year 1957, margarine outsold butter. Here's a graph of heart disease and how it correlates to trends in the food system.
Since obesity undeniably is associated with heart disease, this graphic is interesting (it also raises the question of whether or not meat consumption causes heart disease. But that's a topic for another day).
In conclusion, I don't think it's as simple as "meat makes you fat." After all, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils aren't animal products and are technically plant based. The data seems to support this claim. To truly solve the obesity epidemic, I propose a different solution than the one presented in "Forks Over Knives." Instead of entirely cutting out animal products from America's diet, I believe people should move away from all that extra sugar and hydrogenated fat. These items are mainly found in processed foods, so people should migrate towards a whole foods diet instead of a vegan or vegetarian diet (remember potato chips and French fries are technically vegan even though they can be loaded with trans fat, which is another word for hydrogenated fat). Instead of highly-processed meatless chicken nuggets, have a grilled real chicken breast with a side salad, some green beans, and a couple of fresh tomato slices. Join a gym and work on your level of fitness. Instead of a soda, have a glass of water. Instead of frying your fish and shrimp, try baking it or grilling it. Choose fat-free dairy options instead of products like whole milk, which are higher in calories. In other words, to keep yourself from becoming just another statistic, eat whole, minimally processed foods that haven't had their chemical makeup altered. Nix the corn syrup and the processed oils, and you are already on your way to being a healthier, happier person!
In recent years, there has also been a trend of an increase in revenue for companies who sell plant-based food products, organic foods, and "health foods." Meanwhile, demand for meat and dairy products have plummeted. Dairy farmers no longer make as much money as they have in the past. Dairy margin prices have fallen nearly ten dollars per hundredweight in recent months, and are expected to stagnate going into 2017, according to the National Milk Producer's Federation. This is reflected in the graph below.
The decline in meat consumption has been even more dramatic. Beef consumption has taken the biggest dive, followed by pork, according to the USDA. The graph representing this is shown below, courtesy of Fortune.
Where am I going with these statistics? In recent years, films like the critically-acclaimed documentary "Forks Over Knives" have claimed that the increase in obesity in America is due to meat consumption in what is called the Standard American Diet, shortened to "SAD" (this is ironic because I truly do believe the SAD is sad. But we'll get to that in a minute). I do not deny that what many Americans eat is unhealthy and is causing the obesity epidemic. What I do deny is that meat consumption is to blame. This is a "fact" that spread through the Animal Rights crowd like wildfire, and now has managed to make its way into the mind of the average American. To prove it, I point to the fact that organic fruit and vegetable sales shot up by nearly TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS from 2000 to 2010, according to the Nutrition Business Journal. Here's that graph.
There's no doubt that Americans are now eating more fruits and vegetables than in the past, and that they are also eating less meat and dairy. This trend caused Tyson Foods to purchase a stake in a company that sells meat substitutes made from soy and chickpeas. It also allows companies like Starbucks to offer milk substitutes like soy milk and almond milk in their stores and still make a profit as demand for milk substitutes increases. In general, most of those who endorse a plant-based diet say that these trends should make America healthier. If their logic is correct, obesity rates should drop as the average American eats less meat and more fruits and vegetables. After all, meat causes obesity, right?
Wrong.
Despite the trend away from meat, obesity rates have continued to rise. In fact, using data derived from the CDC, ONE HALF of all American adults will be obese by the year 2030. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine predicts 42% of adults will be obese by then. If all those meatless Mondays aren't making a dent in obesity, then what IS causing obesity? Here's a radical idea: SUGAR AND FAT. After the invention of PLANT BASED FOODS such as corn oil, hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup, obesity rates began increasing dramatically. To further prove my point, most food companies had removed all animal fats from their oils by the year 1914. By the year 1957, margarine outsold butter. Here's a graph of heart disease and how it correlates to trends in the food system.
Since obesity undeniably is associated with heart disease, this graphic is interesting (it also raises the question of whether or not meat consumption causes heart disease. But that's a topic for another day).
In conclusion, I don't think it's as simple as "meat makes you fat." After all, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils aren't animal products and are technically plant based. The data seems to support this claim. To truly solve the obesity epidemic, I propose a different solution than the one presented in "Forks Over Knives." Instead of entirely cutting out animal products from America's diet, I believe people should move away from all that extra sugar and hydrogenated fat. These items are mainly found in processed foods, so people should migrate towards a whole foods diet instead of a vegan or vegetarian diet (remember potato chips and French fries are technically vegan even though they can be loaded with trans fat, which is another word for hydrogenated fat). Instead of highly-processed meatless chicken nuggets, have a grilled real chicken breast with a side salad, some green beans, and a couple of fresh tomato slices. Join a gym and work on your level of fitness. Instead of a soda, have a glass of water. Instead of frying your fish and shrimp, try baking it or grilling it. Choose fat-free dairy options instead of products like whole milk, which are higher in calories. In other words, to keep yourself from becoming just another statistic, eat whole, minimally processed foods that haven't had their chemical makeup altered. Nix the corn syrup and the processed oils, and you are already on your way to being a healthier, happier person!
SOURCES
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
National Milk Producer's Federation
http://fortune.com/2015/10/27/red-meat-consumption-decline/
Nutrition Business Journal
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/04/fructose-on-us-obesity-rates.aspx
http://www.gallup.com/poll/163868/fast-food-major-part-diet.aspx
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/index.html
I'm a full-time college student at Texas A&M University, where I'm in the process of getting my Animal Science degree, with eventual aspirations to go to law school and work as a consulting lawyer for agriculture corporations. I grew up around animals, and currently manage an operation that breeds show-quality boer goats for 4H and FFA exhibitors. My family also raises commercial cattle in south Texas.
I'm a full-time college student at Texas A&M University, where I'm in the process of getting my Animal Science degree, with eventual aspirations to go to law school and work as a consulting lawyer for agriculture corporations. I grew up around animals, and currently manage an operation that breeds show-quality boer goats for 4H and FFA exhibitors. My family also raises commercial cattle in south Texas.
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