Impact of Dining Out and Food Portions

The increase in restaurant numbers has led to over 60% of adults consuming food from fast food or full-service restaurants daily. Factors like limited access to healthy food, time scarcity, and lack of cooking skills are linked to eating out. People with a perception of a healthy diet and weight management tend to eat out less. Meals prepared outside the home are higher in calories and lower in nutritional value, leading to increased BMI. Popular food delivery orders consist of calorie-dense, ultra-processed foods, influencing food behaviors. Food portion sizes have significantly increased since the 1970s, leading to increased calorie consumption as people tend to eat more when portions are larger.