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Americans have gained a lot of weight in the past few decades. Is it our sedentary lifestyle? The increase in processed foods and sweeteners? Supersized portions? Researchers from the World Health Organization in Australia say it’s very simple: we eat too much. They presented their findings May 8th at the European Council on Obesity.
Scientists measured the metabolism of almost 1,500 adults to determine how many calories their bodies burn under normal conditions. Then they calculated how many calories they’d need to maintain body weight. They figured out how much we’re eating today versus three decades ago by comparing agricultural data from then and now. They determined total food grown and imported, minus what was exported, thrown away or used for livestock.
With that information, they predicted how much fatter we should be based just on consumption. And we’ve actually gained a little less than the numbers say we should have. Maybe because we’ve added some exercise to the equation.
The scientists say this study shows that the situation is straightforward. Exercise is great, but to get the weight down, Americans have to adopt the ELF diet. Where ELF stands for eat less food.
—Cynthia Graber
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12 Comments
Add CommentWait. We have Austrailian researchers reporting to European councils about American eating disorders? This tells me this is pure hooey to begin with. The fact that the numbers didn't add up and they factor in "some" exercise to correct for the difference confirms it. How can they have a comprehensive scientific study about obesity without having hard numbers on exercise? Thank you SciAm for yet another bit of junk science and a complete waste of what ever taxpayer's money funded such a fiasco.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisInteresting how they will report on this bunk but not a peep is mentioned about the APA's reversal on the "Gay Gene" thing. Biased much?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs soon as I saw the title I was suspect. "Oh yeah? It's really one singular thing that explains the obesity epidemic? Well, that was an easy one!" Probably not. :-P
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOnce again oodles of money spent for some egghead to tell us the obvious common sense answer to a question.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAnyone who has watched an obese person suck down "mass qantities" could have told you this for free.
Telrunya, I think it is less about "junk science" as it is about simplified reporting. IIRC the work that the World Health Organization is doing is for the global problem of obesity in affluent countries such as America. BTW... bringing up the "Gay Gene" thing on an article about obesity. Biased much?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor about 4 years, Ive kept track of daily caloric consumption. I use a spreadsheet that holds a table with the nutritional content of all the 150 foods I usually eat. As I go through the day, I copy-and-paste from the table into a summation area at the top of the spreadsheet. Over the years, Ive determined my weight-maintenance calorie level, without exercise, is close to 2400 cal/per day. During the period, Ive been able to lose about 40 lbs.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMy personal experience regarding exercise differs from the conclusion of the WHO researchers, as reported in <em>SciAm</em>. Because I find it difficult to limit my daily consumption to 2400 calories, I dont think I would have lost the weight on a reducing diet alone. I exercise almost every day. I use another table on the spreadsheet to estimate my exercise-related calorie burn. The spreadsheet automatically subtracts exercise calories from calorie consumption to calculate my net daily calorie intake. Because exercise has allowed me to eat more, Ive been able to reduce my daily net intake below 2400 and have lost weight slowly over the four years.
Thus, exercise has made it possible for me to consume my share of our national food supply without contributing to the obesity epidemic. Although its probably not a good thing that by exercising I can eat more, exercise has nonetheless improved my physical stamina and health.
We live in a world that is vastly more toxic and our bodies ability to eliminate them just can't keep up. To cope with the problem the body encapsulates toxins in fat cells to protect us. When the body fasts and metabolizes the fat, the toxins are released into the bloodstream again often causing headaches or other symptoms.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe dirty secret in the poultry industry is the use of arsenic in chicken feed to force chickens to put on weight. That is their coping mechanism. We eat the chicken and take on an extra toxic burden and more fat cells are formed. Its not Colonel Sanders recipe that is at fault.
Some cattle are given growth hormones, some are fed the rendered protein of other animals. This makes them put on weight. More weight equals more dollars for the producer. We eat the meat and our bodies put on more weight. We buy lots of products to lose weight which equals more dollars, and yet more dollars are spent on health costs.
Where do ideas like these come from? They come from the U.S Department of Agriculture.
Stop dieting eat to live. Diets and diet aids do not help anyone. The only way to successfully lose weight and get the body that you deserve is by using the right information. This information is in the book Lose Weight Using Four Easy Steps which can be ordered through the website www.bbotw.com Everyone who has gotten a copy of this book has lost weight.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI agree with the statements in this article (without getting into studies, etc) from observations of lifestyles in the USA compared to other countries I've lived in: Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMy wife and I were aghast in returning to the USA after being in other American countries for a number of years. We couldn't believe the size of portions served in North American restaurants now compared to just a few years ago.
A typical breakfast now appears to be DOUBLE the size served in the 60s. The restaurants were full of obese people eating these double-sized portions.
In other countries, the proportion of obese people is about 1 in 10 (personal observation). Yes, exercise does play a factor. However, the most obvious difference is eating habits.
The average person there does not eat at fast food restaurants. He does not supersize it.
As a medical transcriptionist, the reports that I write up are full of people who have problems as a result of being overweight - diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac disease.
Let's face it, USA. This country is full of fat people who are forcing the rest of us to pay for their lack of self control.
Eat Less Food? I really hope that not too much money was spent in figuring that out, but knowing how the medical profession is I am not hopeful.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFood for you, as Jack Lalane said, Nutrition is Queen but Exercise is King! A lot of people eat crap and get by through a lot of exercise (though it is not recommended) but there is no way someone can "eat healthy" and not exercise!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thissorry i meant "good for you!"
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