Consumption of junk food is often blamed as the main cause of obesity in America.
A new study conducted by researchers at Cornell University and Brand Lab found that Americans’ overall eating habits are to blame for the obesity epidemic in the country, according to CBS News.
“If we want real change we need to look at the overall diet, and physical activity," researcher David Just said in a statement.
Just and his colleague Brian Wansick reviewed a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States and found that the consumption of soda, candy and fast food is actually not linked to BMI for 95 percent of the population, according to Medical Daily. Researchers also found that there was no significant difference in the consumption of junk food between people of obese or healthy weights, according to University Herald.
“This means that diets and health campaigns aimed at reducing and preventing obesity may be off track if they hinge on demonizing specific foods," Just said.
The main issue reportedly lies in the imbalance between the amount of food Americans are consuming and how little people are exercising.
“If you're thinking about this as a dieter, more than likely if all you're doing is cutting out junk foods it's not going to have much of an impact," Just said.
“More importantly, if you're thinking about this in terms of food policy and how to encourage people to have healthier diets and be a healthy weight, targeting narrowly these foods probably isn't going to do it. It's more complicated than that. It's our entire diet."
This doesn’t mean that fast food can be eaten regularly. Junk food is still unhealthy in that it is “very high in calories and very low in nutrients.”
“I find that when people cut down on these foods, and add whole, real foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fat, they lower their calorie consumption naturally without feeling hungry or deprived," said Alissa Rumsey, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“While it is OK to treat yourself once in awhile, these types of junk foods should not be part of your daily diet."