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U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
Are Victory Gardens an idea whose time has come back? Could a quick history lesson lead to a better future?
During World War II Americans lived with rations of such necessities as tires, gasoline, sugar, and other foodstuffs. The US government encouraged ordinary people to create Victory Gardens; small plots of fruits and vegetables to stave off food shortages so more mass-produced food could be sent to feed the troops.
The people responded. Two million Americans created Victory Gardens in their backyards or communities. According to author Michael Pollan, "...during World War II, Victory Gardens supplied as much as 40% of the produce Americans ate."
Victory Gardens were more than a war time activity, they were a social phenomenon. Schools and families planted Victory Gardens together, often on communal land. Families caught up on news as they planted and harvested. Nutrition information was widely disseminated to help home cooks create balanced meals for their families. Today’s obesity epidemic must have been unimaginable to those gardeners.
Today there are many gardens that are very much like the Victory Gardens of old. In backyards across America folks are growing their own produce, spices and herbs. They harvest fruits and vegetables that have been raised without pesticides and enjoy them when they are at the peak of their freshness and nutritional value. Adding home-grown fare to the fresh produce from a local farm stand or a farmers market gives gardeners the best of both worlds.
If you’d like to try your hand at growing some food of your own but don’t have your own backyard, you can join a community garden. In 2004, the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) estimated that there were already 18,000 community gardens across the USA and Canada. Urban community gardens can be found from South Central Los Angeles to the Bronx in New York City. If there’s no community garden near your home, think about organizing your neighbors to get one started.
Funded by federal grants, GreenThumb has been a program of the NYC Parks Department since 1995. The nonprofit organization has over 600 member gardens serving 20,000 city residents. New York University released a study of the effect of community gardens on nearby property values. The study of 636 community gardens in NYC showed a positive effect on sales prices of residential properties within a 1,000-foot radius of a community garden when compared to properties outside the 1,000-foot ring, but still in the same neighborhood. The effect was significant and increasing over time. The tax benefit to the city over a 20-year period was estimated at $647 million dollars or $1 million per garden. Who knows how much might be saved on medical costs by the healthier diet the gardens make possible.
Not all benefits are measured in dollars. Here’s what Karen Washington from the Garden of Hope in the Bronx had to say about her experience:
To grow your own food gives you a sort of power and it gives people dignity. You know exactly what you’re eating because you grew it. It’s good, it’s nourishing and you did this for yourself, your family and your community.
We could help reduce America’s reliance on oil simply by keeping vegetable gardens and cutting down on the amount of food that has to be transported by truck. It would reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers on giant corporate farms. If you’re unhappy about where all the money Americans spend on oil and gasoline is going, than spread the word: Bring Back Victory Gardens!
If you'd like to start a garden in your community or your backyard here's some info that should help:
American Community Gardening Association
Funding & Other Support for Community Gardens
Cooking from the Heart of the Garden
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
Are Victory Gardens an idea whose time has come back? Could a quick history lesson lead to a better future?
During World War II Americans lived with rations of such necessities as tires, gasoline, sugar, and other foodstuffs. The US government encouraged ordinary people to create Victory Gardens; small plots of fruits and vegetables to stave off food shortages so more mass-produced food could be sent to feed the troops.
The people responded. Two million Americans created Victory Gardens in their backyards or communities. According to author Michael Pollan, "...during World War II, Victory Gardens supplied as much as 40% of the produce Americans ate."
Victory Gardens were more than a war time activity, they were a social phenomenon. Schools and families planted Victory Gardens together, often on communal land. Families caught up on news as they planted and harvested. Nutrition information was widely disseminated to help home cooks create balanced meals for their families. Today’s obesity epidemic must have been unimaginable to those gardeners.
Today there are many gardens that are very much like the Victory Gardens of old. In backyards across America folks are growing their own produce, spices and herbs. They harvest fruits and vegetables that have been raised without pesticides and enjoy them when they are at the peak of their freshness and nutritional value. Adding home-grown fare to the fresh produce from a local farm stand or a farmers market gives gardeners the best of both worlds.
If you’d like to try your hand at growing some food of your own but don’t have your own backyard, you can join a community garden. In 2004, the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) estimated that there were already 18,000 community gardens across the USA and Canada. Urban community gardens can be found from South Central Los Angeles to the Bronx in New York City. If there’s no community garden near your home, think about organizing your neighbors to get one started.
Funded by federal grants, GreenThumb has been a program of the NYC Parks Department since 1995. The nonprofit organization has over 600 member gardens serving 20,000 city residents. New York University released a study of the effect of community gardens on nearby property values. The study of 636 community gardens in NYC showed a positive effect on sales prices of residential properties within a 1,000-foot radius of a community garden when compared to properties outside the 1,000-foot ring, but still in the same neighborhood. The effect was significant and increasing over time. The tax benefit to the city over a 20-year period was estimated at $647 million dollars or $1 million per garden. Who knows how much might be saved on medical costs by the healthier diet the gardens make possible.
Not all benefits are measured in dollars. Here’s what Karen Washington from the Garden of Hope in the Bronx had to say about her experience:
To grow your own food gives you a sort of power and it gives people dignity. You know exactly what you’re eating because you grew it. It’s good, it’s nourishing and you did this for yourself, your family and your community.
We could help reduce America’s reliance on oil simply by keeping vegetable gardens and cutting down on the amount of food that has to be transported by truck. It would reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers on giant corporate farms. If you’re unhappy about where all the money Americans spend on oil and gasoline is going, than spread the word: Bring Back Victory Gardens!
If you'd like to start a garden in your community or your backyard here's some info that should help:
American Community Gardening Association
Funding & Other Support for Community Gardens
Cooking from the Heart of the Garden
Children Playing on the Beach (© Chris Johnson | Dreamstime.com)
The breakfast cereals that are marketed specifically to children are not as healthy as those developed for adults. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
The researchers looked at 161 cereals between January and February of 2006. They classified 46% of those cereals as being marketed to children. For example, if the packaging contained a licensed character or contained an activity directed at children, the cereal was deemed to be marketed to children.
The authors of the study wrote that, “Compared to nonchildren’s cereals, children’s cereals were denser in energy, sugar, and sodium, but were less dense in fiber and protein.” They also found that, “The majority of children’s cereals (66%) failed to meet national nutrition standards, particularly with respect to sugar content.”
If you’d like to read the study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association cited above go to: Examining the Nutritional Quality of Breakfast Cereals Marketed to Children
Pasta Ingredients (photo by Scott Liddell, courtesy of morguefile.com)
There are now 7.3 million Americans who maintain a vegetarian-based diet according to a study published by Vegetarian Times. About 1 million of those people are vegans who refrain from eating animal products altogether. It may be surprising that 22.8 million people say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.
The rising mountain of evidence that a plant-based diet, rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains is far more healthy than a diet heavily laden with animal fats has probably had a significant effect on the country’s eating habits. Environmental and food safety concerns, and horrific reports on the suffering of animals caught in the processes of industrial farming have certainly had their effects as well.
The pursuit of good health, a clean environment, and humane reactions to the mistreatment of animals are undoubtedly strong motivators, but we can’t help thinking that the development of vegetarian cooking as ever more flavorful is also part of the story. Millions of Americans have savored well-seasoned dishes made of thoughtfully combined vegetarian ingredients that have been cooked with care.
More than once we’ve heard a dinner companion who has just swooned over such a dish indicate that they’re ready to eat vegetarian if they can continue eating such delicious meals. Though the vast majority of Americans have not made a full conversion to a plant-based diet, we’re noticing a growing number of meat-eaters are increasingly working vegetarian fare into their diets.
If you’d like to view the publication that published the study cited above go to: Vegetarian Times
Child & Apple (© Thomas Perkins | Dreamstime.com)
Thanks to Farm to School programs across the nation, kids are learning what foodies have known all along; fresh fruits are sweeter and more flavorful than produce shipped from many miles away. Fresher also means more nutritious. Buying fresh supports local farmers and their families, and helps preserve the community’s farmland for future generations.
The Farm to School programs connect schools with local farms to ensure that healthy meals are served in school cafeterias. The goal is to provide health and nutrition education that will last a lifetime, while building lasting support for local small farmers.
The National Farm to School Program is a collaboration of the Center for Food & Justice and the Community Food Security Coalition. Since its founding in 2000, it has been successfully assisting organizations in starting up and sustaining farm to school efforts, fundraising, and providing informational resources, education and training for farm to school stakeholders.
According to the organization’s web site:
Schools buy and feature farm fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, meat, and beans on their menus; incorporate nutrition-based curriculum; and provide students experiential learning opportunities through farm visits, gardening and recycling programs. Farmers have access to a new market through schools and connect to their community through participation in programs designed to educate kids about local food and sustainable agriculture.
To learn more about the programs that are making a difference to kids' health go to: The National Farm to School Program
Teen Having a Healthy Breakfast (© Abimages | Dreamstime.com)
You’ve probably heard it many times, maybe from your mom, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Well, mom was right and there’s scientific evidence to back her up. Unfortunately, breakfast-eating frequency declines through adolescence when developing bodies and minds really need the benefits of healthy eating.
Teens should know that besides causing them to miss out on important nutrients, skipping breakfast can lead to getting fat. Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) was a 5-year study of eating patterns and weight concerns among adolescents conducted by the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota. The scientists performing the study found that adolescents who ate breakfast daily had lower Body Mass Indexes than those who never or occasionally ate breakfast. Their findings were published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There is speculation that after having no breakfast, many teens more than make up for those calories later in the day by snacking and binging, often on junk foods loaded with unhealthy fats.
If you’d like to read the article in Pediatrics cited above go to: Breakfast Eating and Weight Change in a 5-Year Prospective Analysis of Adolescents: Project EAT (Eating Among Teens)
To view a previous post on the topic of teens & healthy eating go to: Keeping It Healthy
Salty Snacks (© Photographer: Igor Dutina | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
A study undertaken by scientists at St. George’s, University of London, has concluded that there is a link between salt and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption in children and adolescents. A link between soft drinks and obesity in children is widely accepted. Even soft drinks with artificial sweeteners have been linked to weight gain.
According to an article published in Hypertension, a publication of the American Heart Association, the researchers stated:
If salt intake in children in the United Kingdom was reduced by half, there would be an average reduction of 2.3 sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child. A reduction in salt intake could, therefore, play a role in helping to reduce childhood obesity through its effect on sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption. This would have a beneficial effect on preventing cardiovascular disease independent of and additive to the effect of salt reduction on blood pressure.
It would be a fine start to eliminate salty snacks and soft drinks from all public schools as a helping hand to concerned parents. Parents might also set a good example by eliminating salty snacks and soft drinks from their homes, a small sacrifice to protect children from obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
If you’d like to read the article in Hypertension go to: Salt Intake Is Related to Soft Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents
Wheat Crop (photo by Anne-Mette Jørsfeldt, courtesy of morguefile.com)
If you haven’t yet worked whole grains into your regular diet it’s time you did. In just the latest news about the health benefits of whole grain, Yahoo! News has posted a report from Reuters Health indicating that losing weight by filling up on whole grains can lead to a healthier heart.
In a study of obese adults, researchers from the Pennsylvania State University found that those who increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and reduced inflammation in the blood vessels. Both abdominal fat and blood vessel inflammation are linked to heart attack and stroke.
The Reuters Health story quotes Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton, the senior researcher on the study, as stating, "This is the first clinical study to prove that a diet rich in whole grains can lead to weight loss and reduce the risk of several chronic diseases."
Whole grains retain valuable nutrients and fibers that get stripped out of the white flour baked into white bread. The rich flavor texture of whole wheat gets eliminated as well. Similarly, brown rice is a whole grain choice, while white rice is not.
The really good news is that whole grain foods can be delicious. Try oatmeal with fresh fruit, cinnamon, and a teaspoon of honey. Fresh-baked, whole grain semolina bread is a wonderful accompaniment to a favorite salad. Mushroom & barley soup is a tasty way to get some whole grains without any animal fat. Whole grain pasta with a tomato sauce seasoned (garlic, oregano, basil, etc.) to your taste and served with steamed broccoli, spinach, or green beans is a terrific meal. Squeeze a little fresh lemon and grind some black pepper on those veggies.
A lot of people are delighted to learn that popcorn is a whole grain!
If you’d like to read the Reuters Health article cited above go to: Whole grains may curb belly fat, inflammation
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. Whole Grains Battle Heart Disease & Stroke
2. Whole Grains for a Healthy Heart
Dinner Plate (photo by Bert Glibbery, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Skipping meals may help you lose weight, but you’ll increase your risk of cardiovascular disease in the process. A study has found that people getting all their calories in a single meal rather than in three meals a day had significant increases in "bad" cholesterol and raised blood pressure.
Though they did lose slight amounts of weight and fat, they also saw their blood sugar rise and experienced a delayed response to the body’s insulin. Like high blood pressure, high blood sugar is a risk factor for heart problems.
The study analyses were authored by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Md., and colleagues at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Intramural Research Program in Baltimore, Md.
If you’d like to read an article on the topic from The Agricultural Research Service go to: Researchers Look at How Frequency of Meals May Affect Health
Soda Cans (photo by Jane M. Sawyer, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and high blood pressure, high cholesterol, too much blood sugar, and abdominal obesity. That collection of risk factors make up metabolic syndrome.
According to an article in the New York Times, the scientists conducting the study found “…the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none.”
The researchers were unclear as to whether it is some ingredient in the soda or something in the behavior of the people who drink diet soda that leads to the health problem. Eating large amounts of fried foods, red meat, and refined grains are also associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome. That makes a fast food meal of a burger on a bun, French fries and diet soda a very poor choice for maintaining good health.
BBC News is reporting that researchers from the University of Purdue are baffled by the results of a study that found that rats fed on artificial sweetener still put on weight. The scientists have surmised that a sweet taste followed by no calories causes a craving for more food. The BBC report says “Their research, published in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience, found that rats fed sugar subsequently had lower appetites.”
If the researchers are correct, it seems skipping the diet soda and having a glass of water instead can help you feel better, look better and live longer.
If you’d like to read the article in the New York Times cited above go to: Symptoms: Metabolic Syndrome Is Tied to Diet Soda
If you’d like to read the article from BBC News cited above go to: 'Diet' foods weight gain puzzle
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. Colas Can Cause Kidney Problems
2. Safety of Soft Drinks Under Scrutiny
3. Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Heart Disease
4. A Glass of Water Is Best
School Children (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1899?)
Two-thirds of U.S. states have either poor nutrition policies for food from junk-food and soda sales out of vending machines, school stores, and other venues outside of school meals, or no policy at all. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) made that assertion in its School Foods Report Card 2007.
CSPI found that only 11 states have comprehensive food and beverage standards that apply to the whole campus, the whole school day, for all grade levels. The importance of healthy school food policies was made clear in the CSPI report,
Over the last 20 years, obesity rates have tripled in children and adolescents, and only 2 percent of children eat a healthy diet, according to key nutrition recommendations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite that, about a third of elementary schools, 71 percent of middle schools, and 89 percent of high schools sell items such as sugary drinks, snack cakes, candy, and chips out of vending machines, school stores, or a la carte lines in the cafeteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To read the report from CSPI cited above go to: Two-thirds of States Get Poor Grades on School Food Report Card
To view the CSPI’s recent findings on school food policies go to: School Foods Report Card 2007
To view info from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited above go to:2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study
To view previous posts on the topic go to:
1. Schools Adding Nutritious Options
2. Junk Foods a Health Risk for Kids
3. Getting Their Hands Dirty at School
The hectic pace of modern life makes for a lot of eating away from home. It’s great to be conscientious about stocking your pantry and refrigerator with healthy food for home-cooked meals, but here’s some tips from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for eating well when eating out:
• As a beverage choice, ask for water or order fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, or other drinks without added sugars.
• Ask for whole wheat bread for sandwiches.
• In a restaurant, start your meal with a salad packed with veggies, to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner.
• Ask for salad dressing to be served on the side. Then use only as much as you want.
• Choose main dishes that include vegetables, such as stir fries, kebobs, or pasta with a tomato sauce.
• Order steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried or sautéed.
• Choose a “small” or “medium” portion. This includes main dishes, side dishes, and beverages.
• Order an item from the menu instead heading for the “all-you-can-eat” buffet.
• If main portions at a restaurant are larger than you want, try one of these strategies to keep from overeating:
• Order an appetizer or side dish instead of an entrée.
• Share a main dish with a friend.
• If you can chill the extra food right away, take leftovers home in a “doggy bag.”
• When your food is delivered, set aside or pack half of it to go immediately.
• Resign from the “clean your plate club” – when you’ve eaten enough, leave the rest.
• To keep your meal moderate in calories, fat, and sugars:
• Ask for salad dressing to be served “on the side” so you can add only as much as you want.
• Order foods that do not have creamy sauces or gravies.
• Add little or no butter to your food.
• Choose fruits for dessert most often.
• On long commutes or shopping trips, pack some fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, low-fat string cheese sticks, or a handful of unsalted nuts to help you avoid stopping for sweet or fatty snacks.
Get a quick estimate of what and how much you need to eat. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and level of physical activity to get a personal eating plan: MyPyramid Plan
Cardiology Stethoscope (photo by Dean Jenkins, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Going on a high-fat diet to improve your health doesn’t sound like a good idea. Recent scientific evidence indicates that it is a terrible idea.
Citing research findings from the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, a Reuters article posted by Yahoo! News reports, “The high-fat Atkins diet can cause long-term damage to blood vessels, as well as some of the inflammation linked with heart and artery disease.”
Dr. Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, presented his findings to a meeting of the American Heart Association. Among the popular diets studied, Dr. Miller said the Atkins diet “is the worst.” Diets that achieve weight loss through low-fat regimens were found to be significantly healthier.
If followed, almost any diet will lead to rapid weight loss and a sharp drop in cholesterol, but maintaining those benefits over a long term poses a challenge. Unlike past studies, Dr. Miller’s looked at the results after people stopped losing weight on any of the diets and reached a weight plateau, or maintenance stage.
The Reuters article goes on to say,
Most studies have shown that diets that stress vegetables, low-fat sources of protein such as beans and legumes, and whole grains provide the best long-term weight loss. Many low-fat diets allow processed carbohydrates such as white flour, which have also been shown to be unhealthy, experts agree.
If you’d like to read the Reuters article cited above go to: High-fat Atkins diet damages blood vessels: study
To learn more about keeping heart healtthy through diet & nutrition click here: American Heart Association
Healthy Weight Loss (© Photographer: Sandra Gligorijevic | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Being 25 pounds overweight will not increase your risk of dying from heart disease or cancer according to a recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
An Associated Press report posted by Yahoo! News quotes the study's lead author, Katherine Flegal of the CDC as saying, "Excess weight does not uniformly increase the risk of mortality from any and every cause, but only from certain causes."
Researchers were surprised to find that having a little extra weight actually seemed to help people survive some illnesses. That finding is disputed by many health experts, but the study’s results were embraced by those who believe it possible to be fat and fit.
Carrying 39 extra pounds does increase the risk of dying from diabetes and kidney disease. Obesity “raised the risk of death from heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, and several cancers previously linked with excess weight, including breast, colon and pancreatic cancer,” according to the AP report.
If you’d like to read the AP report as it appeared on Yahoo! News go to: Extra weight won't raise death risk
If you’d like to purchase the entire CDC study go to: Journal of the American Medical Association
Turn It Off (© Photographer: Monika Wisniewska | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Among medical professionals it is widely believed that television is a contributing factor to the obesity of adolescents. Sedentary viewing and snacking displace physical activity, making kids easy targets for advertisers selling unhealthy foods.
An article in the October 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reports the results of a study that found, “Food ads made up just over one quarter of TV ads viewed by adolescents with the most commonly viewed products of fast food, sweets, and beverage products well within the reach of their own purchasing power.”
The article’s authors, Lisa M. Powell, Glen Szczypka, and Frank J. Chaloupka, wrote, “Fast food was the most frequently viewed food product category comprising 23% of all food-related advertisements among adolescents.”
To view previous posts on this topic go to:
1. Food Giants Still Marketing Junk Food to Kids
2. Kellogg to Limit Selling Junk Food to Kids
3. Fast Food Chains Ready to Spend for Prime Time TV
4. Selling to Kids
Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon (© Photographer: John Vernon | Agency: Dreamstime.com)
Being lean may be fashionable in contemporary America, but it also affords an important protection against cancer. That’s according to a report from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund.
The report offered ten recommendations for keeping the risk of cancer to a minimum. They included “limiting consumption of red meat and alcohol, avoiding processed meats and -- most importantly -- shedding those extra pounds” according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.
"The recommendation reflects what science is telling us today: Even small amounts of excess body fat, especially if carried at the waist, increase risk," said W. Philip T. James, chairman of the London-based International Obesity Task Force.
The Los Angeles Times article went on to say that the report “found a convincing connection between excess fat and cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum, endometrium and kidney, along with breast cancer in post-menopausal women.”
To read the Los Angeles Times article cited above go to: Body fat is linked to six types of cancers
To download the entire 517-page report go to: Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective
Ian & Curt (photo courtesy of Mosaic Films Incorporated)
King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. The Boston Globe says it is “Enormously Entertaining.”
In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America’s most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat—and how we farm.
Following the trail of high fructose corn syrup, Ian and Curt attempt to make a home-cooked batch of the sweetener in their kitchen. But their investigation of America’s most ubiquitous ingredient turns serious when they follow soda to its consumption in Brooklyn. Here, Type II diabetes is ravaging the community, and America’s addiction to corny sweets is to blame.
The breadth of the problem is now clear: the American food system is built on the abundance of corn, an abundance perpetuated by a subsidy system that pays farmers to maximize production.
The Austin Chronicle says, “King Corn is as relevant as Super Size Me and as important as An Inconvenient Truth.”
To visit the documentary’s official web site & see where it’s playing go to: King Corn
Thanks Sue!
Boiled Eggs (photo by Dawn M. Turner, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Fad diets are almost never a good idea. For one thing they almost never work; rapid weight loss is inevitably followed by weight gain. Typically, the weight gets lost and the dieter returns to the overall lifestyle that led to unwanted pounds because the fad diet is nearly impossible to maintain.
An even better reason to avoid fad diets is that they can be very unhealthy. Most of the fad diets we’ve seen are a long way from offering a selection rich in nutritional value. Many could leave a body deprived of essential nutrients. It’s hard to imagine any diet that would keep off unwanted weight if it were not accompanied by increased physical activity.
On October 9th, Eat This! posted a thoughtful piece on the Hard Boiled Egg Diet with some wise words on the dangers of starvation diets, high-protein diets, and the healthiest way to lose weight.
To view the piece in Eat This! Go to: The Hard Boiled Egg Diet
Colorado School Children (photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1915)
The number of Americans who are obese continues rising and now represents 30% of the population, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s a 100% increase from 25 years ago. American adults are now more likely to be obese than to be cigarette smokers. Some believe that obesity will soon overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable death.
It’s easy to conclude that America’s adults are doing a pretty poor job when it comes to reading food labels to keep some semblance of a healthy diet. How else to explain heart disease claiming the lives of 1 million Americans every year and a childhood obesity epidemic growing to frightful proportions?
There are a growing number of dieticians who believe it’s time to give the kids a chance to do some food label reading. Together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they advocate teaching children to read food labels themselves instead of relying on mom and dad. The FDA partnered with the Cartoon Network to launch a public education campaign encouraging children to read the nutrition facts on food labels.
We think the move to get kids reading food labels is a very healthy development. Considering some of the stats cited above, there’s an excellent chance the kids will do a better job than the grown ups have been doing.
To read an Associated Press article on the topic as it was posted by Google News go to: Dietitians Urge Kids to Read Food Labels
To visit the Cartoon Network web site that teaches kids to read food labels go to: Spot the Block, Get your food facts first!
(U.S. Map courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
America's obesity epidemic continues to worsen as a challenge to the health of the American people. Last year, obesity rates increased in 31 of the 50 states. No state showed a decline. Those are the findings in a new report from the Trust for America's Health.
Eighty-five percent of Americans now believe that obesity is an epidemic. It's causing hardship for those who suffer from the debilitating effects of obesity, making daily lives a difficult struggle. It's also costing enormous sums of money in additional health care costs.
We believe the culprits are clear enough to see. There are unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and public policies that compound poor personal habits. We hope the map above serves as a wake up call that more needs to be done to protect the health of the American people.
To read a press release from the Trust for America's Health on the report cited above go to: New Report Finds U.S. Obesity Epidemic Continues to Grow
If you'd like more info on this topic go to: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
To read some of our previous posts on the topic go to:
1. What Should We Eat to Avoid Obesity?
2. Diet Foods & Drinks a Poor Choice for Young Children
3. Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Heart Disease
4. Mom Was Right: “Eat Your Soup!”
5. Junk Foods a Health Risk for Kids
6. America's Rising Concern About Sugar
7. A Call for Better Food Policy
8. Selling to Kids
(photo by Clara Natoli, courtesy of morguefile.com)
If you're trying to lose weight by skipping breakfast you may be working against yourself. By reviewing thousands of research reports, University of California scientists were able to pin down the four factors that are most likely to cause people to become overweight and suffer obesity in America:
1. Consumption of Dietary Fat
2. Sweetened Beverages
3. Restaurant Foods
4. A Pattern of Breakfast-skipping
The review found that intake of protein, simple sugars and fruit juice, as well as food variety, portion size, snacking and frequency of eating, were not consistently related to obesity. In addition to avoiding the factors that cause people to be overweight, the study found that a good preventative diet would include lots of fiber, fruits and vegetables, and adequate calcium and dairy products.
To read an article authored by the scientists that conducted the review that was published in California Agriculture go to: Preventing Obesity: What Should We Eat?
(photo by Dawn, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Raising children on diet foods from an early age can make them more prone to becoming obese, according to a new study from the University of Alberta.
Researchers believe that the introduction of diet foods at an early age distorts a process termed, “taste conditioning". It’s through that process that children’s bodies learn to connect the taste of foods and drinks with whether they are high or low in calories. The new study could help to explain the results of a study at the University of Massachusetts where researchers found that drinking diet soda in childhood was linked to higher risk of obesity and heart disease.
The new study is the work of sociologist Dr. David Pierce and colleagues from the University of Alberta. It will be published in the journal Obesity.
"Based on what we've learned, it is better for children to eat healthy, well-balanced diets with sufficient calories for their daily activities rather than low-calorie snacks or meals," said Dr. Pierce.
To read an article in Medical News Today on the new study cited above go to: Children Raised On Diet Foods Can Turn Into Obese Adults
To gather more info on the topic from the journal Obesity go to: The Obesity Society
To view a previous post on the health risks associated with diet soft drinks go to: Diet Soft Drinks May Increase Risk of Heart Disease
Drinking more than one soft drink daily — whether it’s regular or diet — may be associated with an increase in the risk factors for heart disease, Framingham researchers reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
“We were struck by the fact that it didn’t matter whether it was a diet or regular soda that participants consumed, the association with increased risk was present,” said Ramachandran Vasan, M.D., senior author of the Framingham Heart Study and professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. “In those who drink one or more soft drinks daily, there was an association of an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.”
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk factors including excess waist circumference, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low levels of “good” cholesterol and high fasting glucose levels. The presence of three or more of the factors increases a person’s risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
To read the full press release from the American Heart Association (AHA) go to: Diet and regular soft drinks linked to increase in risk factors for heart disease
To listen to the AHA's podcast on the topic go to: Play Audio: 5 min. 23 sec.
To view the AHA's video on the topic go to: | |
