Comparing Japanese and American Diets Essay examples

The author explains, that growing number of overweight and obese are the result of processed foods and lack of nutritional information serve in the restaurant.

The American diet is one big melting pot of foods from cultures all around the world. Foods from burgers and fries to spaghetti and meatballs, this diet has a vast amount of choices for meals. It is difficult to name a “national” dish. Furthermore, the Mediterranean diet is a similar concept. Including south European countries, the diet consists of many different cultures as well.

The high levels of calories, fat and sodium in most fast food Figure 2: In 2009 a cartoon by Vanessa about how contradiction and irony happened when "healthy meals" shows up in fast food restaurant

The traditional American diet was simple, it was homemade, it was composed primarily of minimally refined ingredients, it was low in added sugars and fats, with the fats coming primarily from animal sources, and required effort to produce, by comparison, the contemporary American diet is much more diverse it's composed a lot of “palatable” sometimes artificial materials, its commercially engineered and sold, it's composed of refined ingredients, it's high in added sugars and fats with the fat coming primarily from seed oils, and requires minimal effort to procure(Pillsbury). At the same time as modern medicine is conquered the leading killers of the 19 century such as infectious diseases modern culture has created a whole new set of epidemics that we must now cure.

The overconsumption of inappropriate foods containing trans-fats and large serving portions has caused many to become obese hence developing heart disease, and diabetes among other preventable disease. Currently over 500 million of the world population is obese and one and half billion people in the world are overweigh”. Every year about 2.5 million deaths are related to obesity (WHO) and children seem to be the most affected. Furthermore, obesity has continued to increase and currently there are more obese people in the world than underweight. Amazingly, the United States a country with ample resources has the higher rate of obese

more than just your daily intake of proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber. Fukuoka states “Western dietetics, with its elaborate theories and calculations, could leave no doubt about proper diet. The fact is, it creates far more problems than it resolves” (72) this shows that todays modern diet that is perceived as perfect but it is for from it.

Comparing the U.S. and Japan gives another interesting insight into why fast food companies should not be responsible for customer's obesity. . Although Japan also has a lot of fast food shops, and many people eat fast food, Japan doesn't suffer from such a serous obesity problem as the U.S. One of the reasons is the difference in the life style between the U.S. and Japan. In Japan, urban areas have more fast food shops than rural areas, because of the difference of demand. The main customers of fast food shops are businessmen and students. It seems that there is no difference between the U.S. and Japan in this regard. However, most Japanese use public transportation to move, while American people use their cars. Although the difference of burning calories might be little each time, it will make a huge difference after one year. What I want to say is

In life, many people participate in various daily events and activities that help them enjoy being who they are. People may enjoy getting together with friends, going to the mall, going to an amusement park or simply finding relaxation in nature. However, a big part of everyone’s life is of course eating and many people find pleasure in doing so. Eating is a very enjoyable and delectable must for everyone but should be done so, like everything in life, in a smart and intelligent way. Being smart and perceptive when eating is a large part of nutrition.

Secondly, the ingredients in Chinese and American food are different. Chinese cuisine involves rice, flour, beans, and vegetables. American cuisine is relatively simple and mainly includes meat, bread and vegetables. For the Chinese one, most dishes include rice, because it is the main crop of many Asian countries and is used in almost every capacity. Not only steamed rice, but rice paper and noodles can be included in a meal. Second, tofu is often used in vegetarian meals, because it is high in protein. It is used heavily in regions with a tradition of Buddhism. Third, sauces are important to flavor rice and stir-fry. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, black bean sauce, and fish sauces are easy to keep on hand (Yang 3). Rice is a major staple food for

Apart from healthcare issue, the country has adopted the fast-moving life style, which has pushed most of our citizens to succumb to obesity as a result of fast foods. In fact, a recent report by the UN has ranked the United States as the most obese country in the world. Parramore (2012) outlines that, “Obesity is currently being considered as a national crisis in the United States and that it contributes 100,000 to 400,000 deaths per year. Statistics at the CDC and Prevention in 2010 indicate that 35.7% of the American adult is obese.” Many input trends exist in the American society, “First and foremost, people are highly used to fried foods, sugary drinks, and processed meats among others. There is also the sedentary lifestyle that has been adopted by many,” (Huffington Post, 2013). In fact, most of us love relaxing without exercise and too much television watching. These are some of the factors that contribute to obesity. The result is health complications problems such as diabetes, stroke, and heart disease just to mention but a few. These affect the longevity of life.

“Dietary patterns of Americans differ widely, but most Americans eat a diet that could best be described as in need of improvement”. Compared to other countries, the American diet is very different. I have first hand experienced how much different Americans eat from other countries. For a brief, but very beneficial and productive time, I lived in Barcelona, Spain with my host family. Over in Spain, they eat much more fresh, organic food. There was a lot more seafood in the average diet. The meal configuration over there is also different than ours. Lunch is the largest meal eaten every day; different than America, where dinner is the largest.

One of the most unhealthy diets in the world is that of an American. It is made up of processed foods and a good amount of television. America easily has the most fast food restaurants in the entire world. Leave it to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King or any other fast-food restaurant to serve extremely cheap and even unhealthier food at any time during the day or night. ”It tastes good so why not?” That seems to be the question many people are asking now-a-days. Because it is so easily accessible and processed, it is made to be very tasty and extremely unhealthy. Many Americans find his or herself indulging on the these fatty foods of America on a day-to-day basis. While it may taste good at the time, it has a terrible effect on your body

The fast food industry provides quick, cheap, and easy access to foods that in the customers opinion, is very delicious, and affordable, however this food which millions of people around the world are constantly consuming, could actually cause major health problems, and weight gain in the long run. Major fast food companies throughout the world know what they are doing when it comes to marketing towards all types of people. Some people will find numerous different things to blame for the epidemic of fast food making individuals overweight. In recent research on, or discussions of the fast food industry having an effect on people's health, a controversial issue has been raised, and that is the fact that this problem affects not only

The majority of Americans give the argument that healthy food takes up too much time. They state that they do not have enough time to prepare healthy meals with a busy schedule, whereas convenience foods are easily squeezed into a day. This common misconception often

Statistical information confirms: obesity and overweight have already turned into an issue of national concern. In 2002, “a National Survey conducted by American Sports Data revealed that 61% of adults in the U.S. felt that they were overweight, 19% admitting that they were ‘considerably’ overweight” (American Sports Data). The major causes of obesity, overweight, and similar nutritional problems included genetics, population trends, hurried lifestyles, high-carbohydrate diets, less demanding workplaces, smoking cessation, and social class aspects (American Sports Data). That hurried lifestyles and a less demanding workplace contribute in the development of obesity trends is clear. But even more importantly, because the number of those who are overweight or obese exceeds one half of the American population, the government must control our diets. The information about the costs of obesity and related diseases is even more compelling.