This weeks’ Time Machine is jumping back to the 80s to see how often Americans were eating fast-food.
White Castle is generally cited as America’s first fast-food restaurant starting in Wichita, Kansas in 1921, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that fast food became a regular part of American life and the American diet. Smithsonian
By 2022, U.S. fast food sales topped $382 billion according to Statista and Fortune Business Insights estimates the global fast-food market will grow from about $973 billion in 2021 to about $1.5 trillion by 2028. Statista FBI
That’s a lotta burgers!
And, it’s not only the sales of fast food that have increased. Back in the 1980s, fast food calorie counts and portion sizes were smaller than they are today, with what some health experts argue are significant consequences.
The Center for Disease Control’s most recent estimates are that nearly 42% of American adults have obesity. CDC That’s a big jump from the late 80s and early 90s when the agency found about 23% were obese.
Data from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shows calories in fast food soared between 1986 and 2016, with the largest increases in desserts (up 186 calories on average), followed by entrees (up 90 calories). Time
Some public health experts say this is partially responsible for America’s growing obesity problem. And, it’s not just the extra calories. It’s also how often we’re choosing to eat fast food.
In 1979, when Roper asked Americans about things they’d done in the previous 24 hours, 13% said they’d been to a fast-food restaurant. Roper About 36 years later, a CDC report found between 2013 and 2016, 37% of Americans on average ate fast food every day. CDC2
Certainly, there are far more fast-food choices now and most chains have at least some healthier options. But, all this data is worth considering next time you’re rolling up to the drive through window of your favorite fast-food joint.
This post was written by Marist Poll Media Team member Athen Hollis.