June 19, 2002 DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Super-sized fast food meals may cost just a few cents more, but they are no bargain when it comes to calories, a study shows.
The report released Tuesday found that the so-called extra-value meals present a significant obstacle to overcoming America's growing obesity problem.
"Bigger is rarely better when it comes to food. The true price of larger portions is larger calorie and saturated fat numbers - and larger waistlines," said the report by the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity, a coalition of groups that promote health and fitness.
The survey found that a large order of fries at McDonald's cost 62 percent more than the smaller version but included 157 percent more calories. A Classic Cinnabon cinnamon roll costs 48 cents more than the $2.01 Minibon but packs 370 more calories - double the Minibon - and has three times the fat.
"People need to be more aware of what they are eating," said Doris Montgomery, a dietitian for the Iowa Department of Public Health who helped conduct the survey.
The survey was conducted in Des Moines; Washington; Little Rock, Ark.; Oakland, Calif.; and Sacramento, Calif.
Nationwide, 60 percent of adults are overweight, and an estimated 300,000 people a year die from illnesses caused or worsened by excessive weight. Diabetes is linked to obesity, and overweight people are at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, kidney failure and several forms of cancer.
One consumer advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, thinks fast-food restaurants should be required to post the calorie content of their meals next to the price.
The restaurant and soft-drink industries believe they are being unfairly blamed for the nation's obesity problem. Lack of exercise is the real problem, they say.
"A steady diet of positive messages on the benefits of exercise and nutrition education is the best way to address the complex issue of obesity," said Steven Anderson, chief executive of the National Restaurant Association.
Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
