Fried chicken, cheeseburgers, milkshakes, candy bars--these tasty treats are as American as, well, apple pie. Unfortunately, so, too, is obesity. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, more than 66 percent of U.S. adults are currently overweight, and 32 percent are obese. In fact, the United States is now the fattest country on the planet, reports the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 Statistical Abstract.
Food for Thought
Can Americans maintain a healthy weight without packing up and moving overseas? Experts insist that they can, but it may mean replacing some of your favorite foods and drinks with healthier options. Loaded with fats and empty calories, the following national staples can all compromise your weight and, ultimately, your health. Eliminating them from your diet is a good way to start turning over a new nutritional leaf.
1. Burger King Double Whopper With Cheese. This double-wide fast-food staple may be the quintessential unhealthy American meal. With 1061 calories and 69 grams of fat, it makes the McDonald's Big Mac look almost like diet food in comparison.
2. KFC Chicken and Biscuit Bowl. A new and popular addition to the Colonel's menu, this mega-meal comes with a staggering 870 calories and 44 grams of fat.
3. Starbucks Venti Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee. You may think of it as a harmless pick-me-up. However, this supersize, cream-topped classic packs 500 calories and 17 grams of fat.
4. Pizza Hut 6-inch Personal Pan Meat Lover's Pizza. It's marketed as a single-serving meal, but with 890 calories and 49 grams of fat, this "mini" pizza is sure to expand your waistline.
5. Krispy Kreme Glazed Kreme-Filled Doughnut. With 340 calories and 20 grams of fat, it may not seem too diet-deadly. But who stops at just one? Plus, these deep-fried breakfast treats offer virtually no nutritional value.
6. 7-Eleven X-treme Gulp Soda. This supersize soft drink comes complete with its own travel mug. But unless you pour out the pop and fill it with water, you'll be slurping away more than 600 empty calories.
7. McDonald's Supersize Fries. Sure, they may be delicious, but this fast-food fare contains 610 calories and 29 grams of fat--and it's not even a main course.
8. Deep-fried Twinkie. As if the original version weren't fattening enough, this new national favorite packs a whopping 425 calories and 28 grams of fat. Its cousins, the deep-fried Snickers and Mars bars, are just as unhealthy.
9. Baskin-Robbins Chocolate Milkshake. With 990 calories and 40 grams of fat, this decadent drink is one of the world's most fattening beverages.
10. Applebee's Sizzling Apple Pie With Ice Cream. Unless you want to lose the battle of the bulge, don't be tempted by this all-American dessert. It contains a shocking 1086 calories and 56 grams of fat per serving.
