A health expert from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, warns of severe health disorders linked to eating outside in restaurants and hotels on a regular basis, reports Medical Xpress.
The "LivingSocial Dining Out Survey" reveals that an average American eats 4 to 5 meals outside per week. These eating habits may invite several health disorders including heart diseases, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Jody Gilchrist, nurse practitioner at the UAB Heart & Vascular Clinic at Acton Road, said eating out results in weight gain and unhealthy eating habits that may be a risk factor for the heart.
"If you eat out enough and are not careful about what you eat, you could be looking at metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, including high cholesterol and diabetes," Gilchrist said in a university news release, according to Medical Xpress.
Gilchrist noted that making the right choices while eating out may help in controlling the risk of developing these diseases.
"If you know you're eating out, conserve calories ahead of time," Gilchrist said. "Also, investigate where you are going if you can. Use the Internet to look up healthy menu options, or download a smartphone app that lists calorie counts for specific restaurants. See what healthy menu options they have, and choose one of those instead of something with more calories or fat."
She also advises choosing food from kids' menu while eating in fast foods and sharing a full meal or opting for an appetizer may help in keeping control over health. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eating out is often linked to obesity due to the large portions of meal consumed.
Gilchrist further noted that knowing the food ingredients and making the right choice may go a long way.
"Key words to avoid include 'fried,' 'batter,' 'creamy' and 'cheesy.' Stick with foods that are baked, broiled, grilled, steamed or stir-fried," she said.
Always eating out can pose a risk to one's health unless the food is nutritional. Gilchrist advises on consuming more vegetables to gain nutrition.
"Add as many vegetables to a meal as you can, and eat them first," she said. "They will help you feel full more quickly, and you get the bonus of added nutrition."
