By George Anderson
You've heard of the freshman 15, the term used to describe the weight gain many college students experience their first year away from home.
Another phenomena, we'll call the CNN 15, may help explain the results of a new study from The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), which found thirty-four percent of US consumers have gained weight since the beginning of the year.
The authors of the study speculate that the large number of those reporting weight gains may be consumers turning to comfort foods (and their television sets) during a time of economic and geo-political uncertainty.
Twenty-one percent reported eating more unhealthy foods. This figure, reports NMI, is up 16 percent from October of last year. "As Americans continue to struggle with healthy eating, it becomes clear that significant opportunities exist for the development of relevant and meaningful products and services to meet these compelling consumer needs, especially relating to weight management," says Maryellen Molyneaux, president, NMI.
Moderator's Comment: Is the war causing Americans to change their eating habits?
Many tend to put on weight during the winter months, so not all the blame can be attributed to consumers eating junk food watching the latest war news on the television.
There are many, however, that turn to food during times of stress. The first few months of 2003 have certainly been stressful for many Americans. [George Anderson - Moderator]