According to a story released by the European Congress on Obesity in Amsterdam last week, our society is obese because we eat too much. Apparently in America our collective gain in fat mass is largely due to too much food versus declines in physical activity. Using national food supply data from 1970 and the early 2000s, the researchers calculated how much Americans were eating and weight gain over the study period.
Now, I know what you are thinking “a 10 year old could have figured that out.” But, this study boils things down to calories in calories out, something we know isn’t a simple and correct way to calculate weight gain or weight loss or Weight Watchers would be putting themselves out of business and the people going to Quick Weight Loss centers would be posing as cover models. A potential interpretation of this study is – Diet prescription: eat 1,500 calories of whatever you want and I guarantee you’ll have a bikini (or boxer)-ready body. But alas, there are zero fitness magazine cover models who have applied the calories-only equation to get their kick-ass body. They may lose weight but I can guarantee they won’t look good.
Sure we may have eaten more but that isn’t just due to total calories. Take a look at what Americans are eating. I’ve looked over diets of more people that I can possibly count and I have yet to find a single person who has gained weight from the over-consumption of fruits, vegetables and/or lean sources of protein. On the other hand, diet patterns (when they are eating and why they are eating) + what foods they are choosing combined with their physical activity (training) program are largely responsible for the way their body looks and functions.
Though this study provides a great population-based perspective on weight gain, it certainly doesn’t tell the whole picture. If you don’t believe me, walk into any weight loss program based mainly on calorie intake and ask for the repeat customers to raise their hands. Sure, I can get you to lose weight by just cutting your calorie intake but I guarantee this won’t do much for your body composition (fat, muscle tissue) and long term weight maintenance goals unless you address when you are eating, your food choices, why you are eating and your training program.
In the meantime, I think I’m going to buy some stock in quick weight loss programs. Shhh, don’t tell anybody.
good post