Despite the wonders of the Western diet, the United States has some of the least fit people in the world. We develop high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, diabetes, heartburn, and gastroesophageal reflux disease from poor food choices, often in front of TV—and then aching backs, painful joints, poor circulation, and more from the obesity that results.
The family meal, where we learned portion control and restraint, is a dying cultural icon. Parents used to lament setting the table with the TV remote—now they threaten they will stab any kids bringing their cells to the table with a fork. The threats don’t help. Overeating is often correlated with doing something else while eating and not giving total attention to your food and how much you’ve consumed. Clearly texting while eating will not help.
