In America, we’ve all heard of our cups running over in response to our hectic daily lives, but now statistics point to our dinner plates overflowing, contributing to a food shortage that affects exchange traded funds (ETFs).

In 1970, the typical American ate 16.4 pounds of food per week, or 2.3 pounds daily, reports Bill Marsh for The New York Times.

By 2006, the average intake has gone up by an added 1.8 pounds a week, and it is counted mostly in fats, oil and shortening. Americans also added an extra quarter pound of meat every 7 days, which was offset by dairy consumption because of 20% less dairy consumption.

The most alarming part of the study has to do with the link between the average American weight gain conducive to the rise in consumption. The centers for American Disease Control reports that 15% of adults age 20-74 were obese by 1980 and by 2007 that had more than doubled!

ETFs that may benefit from a supersize in both our bellies, and our consumption:

• First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX Fund (FXH), down 6.2% year-to-date
• HealthShares Cardiology ETF (HRD), up 6.6% year-to-date
• PowerShares DB Agriculture Fund (DBA), up 8.8% year-to-date
• PowerShares Dynamic Food and Beverage (PBJ), down 5.9% year-to-date

Tags | Agriculture, Cardiology, DBA, Food & Beverage, FXH, Healthcare, HRD, PBJ