Its not just the recession thats led to improvements in the US diet, according to a new analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Beyond merely cutting back for pocketbook reasons, Americans are choosing to consume fewer calories and obesity rates are leveling off. The study used sophisticated statistical tools to control for changing economic conditions over the past decade, including unemployment rates and food prices. Calories declined more in beverages than food choices, the study found, and healthier eating trends actually accelerated during the worst of the recession.
The new findings align with another recent study, by USDA researchers, that found average daily calorie intake among working Americans dropped 78 calories between 2005 and 2010. That report also showed people using nutrition labels more, eating better at home and eating out less. For more information on the study, follow the link athttp://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/links/.