Americans are cutting calories,
but far from eating healthy
Monica Hemmelgarn
Summary
In this article written by Carina Storrs, and published by CNN on July 30, 2015, the author speaks of the American diet, and that we are beginning to see a slight turn in the caloric intake. However, there is still need for much improvement on the quality of the food being consumed.
There are a few positive changes being made in the American diet, such as fewer sugary drinks, as well as the reduction and almost complete removal of trans fat. On the other hand, Americans continue to consume more than the recommended amount of added sugars through other foods, and consume less than the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Fast food continues to be an issue, while almonds, the "healthier" nut, are growing in popularity as a healthy snack.
Critique
The Author
The author, Carina Storrs, appears to be a somewhat credible source. While she is very experienced in journalism, Storrs has little education on nutrition, with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Microbiology. Storrs is more widely known for her journalism aspect, as she has a Master of Arts in the Journalism, Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. However, Storrs’ articles have been featured numerous times in CNN Health and Health.com. Storrs also uses numerous reliable sources throughout her article, such as different research studies and surveys, as well as an interview with a renowned professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard.
The Source
Carina Storrs uses numerous credible sources throughout her article, making it a very reliable source of information. One of the professors interviewed throughout her article is Dr. Walter Willett who is a professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in nutrition and epidemiology. Another distinguished professor Storrs interviewed is Barry Popkin, a professor of global nutrition at the University of North Carolina, who also performed different studies regarding the nutrition of Americans. Storrs also includes several nationwide surveys, including one made by the Center for Disease Control on the consumption of sugary drinks, in her article, making it more resourceful and credible. Storrs uses several statistics to add further detail to her gathered information, and presents the information in a very professional manner.
The Information
Throughout her article, Storrs organizes and presents her information in a clear and concise way that is easy to follow and understand. The information she provides appears to be from credible sources and consistently coincides with guidelines set out in the book Nutrition for Health and Health Care. For example, in Storrs article, she emphasizes the need for an increase in fruits and vegetables, a decrease in added sugars, and a decrease in solid fats, such as trans fat. In the book, Nutrition for Health and Health Care, the “Healthy People 2020 Nutrition and Weight Status Objectives” outlines similar objectives and guidelines related to fruits and vegetables, added sugars, and solid fats as stated in Storrs article (DeBruyne, pg. 11).