It is well established that eating more calories and expending less energy are the two biggest contributors to the current epidemic of overweight in the U.S. and other countries. A study in the August 2000 issue of the International Journal of Obesity looked at the source from which food is obtained as a factor in increased weight in a study of over 16,000 adults. For women, the same was true for those who ate fast food, but not at restaurants. Although a statistical association cannot prove cause and effect, there are logical reasons to suspect these factors are related. Restaurant portions are much larger than those eaten at home, so the former contain many more calories.
Fast food tends to be higher in fat and calories.
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