THE FOCUSED MIND » health http://blog.inferentialfocus.com Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:15:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.35 Fast Food’s Place in a World of Healthier Living http://blog.inferentialfocus.com/index.php/2013/05/fast-foods-place-in-a-world-of-healthier-living/ http://blog.inferentialfocus.com/index.php/2013/05/fast-foods-place-in-a-world-of-healthier-living/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 21:01:46 +0000 http://blog.inferentialfocus.com/?p=334 With numerous healthier alternatives now available, are the fast-food chains recognizing that they are relegated to a market share battle for value customers?   In 1997, researchers at the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that on a scale from 0 (least healthy) to 100 (most healthy), on average, fast-food chains including McDonalds, Dairy Queen,  Continue Reading »]]> With numerous healthier alternatives now available, are the fast-food chains recognizing that they are relegated to a market share battle for value customers?

 

In 1997, researchers at the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that on a scale from 0 (least healthy) to 100 (most healthy), on average, fast-food chains including McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, KFC and Wendy’s, yielded a score of 45. Fourteen years later, researchers found that the use of the words “healthy” and low-fat” have increased 86 percent and 33 percent, respectively, but the average score among the fast-food chains only increased to 49. The average score for all foods available to Americans is 60.  http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/05/16/surprise-fast-food-is-still-bad-for-you.aspx

 

Separately, McDonald’s recently increased marketing and added items to its Dollar Menu while chains such as Taco Bell, Wendy’s and Arby’s are now also testing new value menus.

 

In the past few years, healthier fast-food chains have entered the marketplace, including Chop’t, Maoz, Freshii, Zoes Kitchen, Veggie Grill (winners of the “best new restaurant” category in the 2012 Los Angeles Times readers’ poll), Tender Greens and Lyfe Kitchen.

 

While McDonalds is now offering an “Under 400 Calorie” menu and egg-white breakfast sandwich, it may not be enough to retain customers that are increasingly focusing on a healthier lifestyle.

 

 

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]]> http://blog.inferentialfocus.com/index.php/2013/05/fast-foods-place-in-a-world-of-healthier-living/feed/ 0 Fast Food and Asthma http://blog.inferentialfocus.com/index.php/2013/02/fast-food-and-asthma/ http://blog.inferentialfocus.com/index.php/2013/02/fast-food-and-asthma/#comments Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:10:26 +0000 http://blog.inferentialfocus.com/?p=300   Continue Reading »]]> A new study of 500,000 kids and teens in 51 countries discovered that eating a fast-food meal three or more times per week increases the likelihood of developing asthma by 30 percent for six- and seven-year-olds and 40 percent for thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds. Also, members of the study’s group that ate fast foods were more likely to develop allergies, such as hay fever and eczema. Meanwhile, in the first three years after smoking was banned in England in 2007, the number of children admitted to the hospital for severe asthma attacks fell by 6,802 cases.   Guardian

 

 

We are slowly but steadily increasing our understanding that many of the maladies being suffered by children (and adults) are of our own making. In these kinds of areas, will knowledge be sufficient to change behavior?  Will public officials or regulators get involved?

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