1. Introduction

1.1 The Junk Food Problem

Junk foods are more than just something to eat. They also represent money, profits, past emotional associations, childhood indulgences, and high-power advertising.

The junk food problem is not simply one of nutrition, but is related to the economic structure of this country and to the psychological and emotional makeup of millions of Americans.

If you want to wean yourself, your friends, and your clients away from health-destroying junk foods, then you must also understand the true nature of junk food addiction. You must learn how junk food is promoted, and why we allow ourselves to become willing addicts to food that supplies no nutrition or fulfills no need in the human diet. In short, you must learn about the economical and psychological aspects of junk food.

1.2 The 50% Junk Food Diet

More than half of all foods eaten by the typical American are junk foods. A junk food in this case means a food that is exceptionally high in sugar, fat or salt and supplies little or no nutrition. In short, a junk food consists largely of calories and little else.

Still, it is hard to believe that one out of every two bites eaten is a mouthful of junk food. Yet, it is true. Here's what the typical American ate last year:

1.3 Junk Food Consumption of the Average American (Per Year)

1. Refined white sugar	100 pounds
2. Fats and Oils	55 pounds
3. Soda and Cola Drinks	300 cans or bottles
4. Chewing gum	200 sticks
5. Ice Cream	80 quarts
6. Candy	18 pounds
7. Potato Chips	5 pounds
8. Other snack chips	2 pounds
9. Doughnuts	63 dozen
10. Cookies and cakes	70 pounds

On the average, every man, woman and child in this country is eating about 700 pounds of junk food each year. This does not even count other substandard and inappropriate foods, such as meat, alcohol, white bread, jams, jellies, and soon.

These foods have no nutritional value; indeed, they contribute to over 90% of all illnesses in this country. Why do people eat them? Obviously it's not for any food value.

No, junk foods are eaten for two basic reasons: 1) they are highly visible, heavily advertised and are a cornerstone of this nation's food dollar; and 2) junk foods exert a subtle but powerful psychological appeal for the user of such foods.