A new study conducted by researchers at Temple University shows that Americans are less willing to pay more for healthy food, are less knowledgeable about healthy items on the menu, and are more likely to consider healthy items bland-tasting that they were three years ago. The study also showed the negative effects that too much eating out can cause.

According to the survey, Americans report eating out approximately five times per week in 2006. The most popular eating establishment for breakfast and lunch was fast-food restaurants, and the most popular spots for dinner were fast-food and casual dining. The reason fast-food joints are most popular are indicated by the respondents top reasons for ordering value/combo meals at fast-food restaurants: ease, convenience, and cost.

However, all this eating out is clearly taking a toll on Americans' health, as evidenced in the study. Researchers found that the body mass index of those consuming three to six fast-food meals per week was significantly higher than the BMI of those who report never eating fast-food meals, or eating just one to two fast-food meals per week.

They also found that adding an additional one, two, or three fast-food meals to one's diet was associated with a 1.38-lb., 2.77-lb, and 4.17-lb increase in weight.

Another thing that the study looked at was people's eating habits and choices while dining out. From 2004 to 2006, respondents were polled about their eating habits. In 2006, the results showed that Americans were less willing to pay more for healthy food than they were just three years earlier, and that they were more likely to say that healthy food was bland-tasting.

In 2006, respondents rated the following choices on a scale of one to seven as the most appealing incentives for making healthier meal choices while dining out: better-tasting health foods, lower prices for healthy foods, more convenient availability of healthy foods and greater availability of healthy foods.

In the past few years, many fast-food restaurants have made a conscious effort to introduce quality healthy food items to their menus. However, Gary D. Foster, director of CORE and president-elect of NAASO, the organizations behind the study, they could still stand to do some more work in offering healthier, wallet-friendly food choices:

"Restaurant chains should be commended for increasing the number of healthy offerings; continued efforts are needed to make healthy food attractive to the palate and pocket."

The results of this study were presented at The North American Association for the Study of Obesity's 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans on Oct. 22.