Washing down junk food, French fries and candy bars with an ice-cold Coke is not an advisable diet. However, a study by Cornell University found junk food is not the main driver of America's obesity epidemic, according to Fortune.
In fact, the study, published in the journal Obesity Science & Practice, found underweight Americans consume more junk food than the morbidly obese.
After analyzing the food intake of about 6,000 people, the study found the most significant contributor to weight gain is portion control, not just quality of food. Ultimately, in a "supersize me" culture, eliminating the junk food normally blamed for obesity will not do much good unless people are willing to practice better portion control and exercise.
"If you want to try and prevent obesity, or want to create policy that is going to help people, simply addressing the availability of junk foods and sodas isn't going to do it," David Just, PhD, a professor at Cornell, said in a university post. "This isn't the difference between fat people and skinny people. It's other things."
Researchers did identify one significant difference between those who were morbidly obese and everyone else. Those whose BMIs exceeded 44.9 and were considered morbidly obese ate 50 percent more French fries than the average person, according to the report.