One of six children with an unhealthy body fat level had a BMI in the normal range. BMI by itself may miss children who need improved eating habits and physical activity. A person on a 2000 calorie diet in 1970 would have a 30-pound weight gain over the 24 year period. The use of sugary sweet foods has also increased. A regular hamburger, small french fries, and small drink is about 600 calories.
Portion control is important for calorie control.
In addition, food choices can crowd out important foods. The 500 mg calcium in a cup of soy milk equals about 300 mg calcium in cow's milk. Soy milk is usually fortified with tricalcium phosphate, a form absorbed less efficiently. CSPI has asked the sales of 75 functional foods be stopped because they contained herbal ingredients that have not been approved safe in food. Four popular herbal dietary supplements were specified St. John's wort, kava kava, ginkgo biloba, and echinacea.