Watch What You Eat - Choose Healthy Carbs

Obesity has become a serious problem in the U.S. with approximately two-thirds of our population considered overweight or obese.  In fact, it has been reported that obesity rates have increased in 28 states and 8 states have obesity rates higher than 30% of the population.  Dietary changes, like increases in portion sizes and increases in sugar consumption, have been reported to be partly responsible for this increase in obesity.

Sugar consumption, both the amount consumed and the type consumed, has been a focus of serious and sometimes heated debate in regards to its importance to our current obesity epidemic.  This is due to the fact that sugar, particularly added sugar, has the potential to lead to excess calorie consumption.  Despite the concerns about dietary sugar, sugars will remain a very common part of our food supply.  Many sugars like glucose, fructose, sucrose, and lactose are natural components of fruits, vegetables, grains, and more.

A recent nutrition study (free to download) examined changes in energy, total sugar, and added sugar intakes from the 1970s to the 1990's using the NHANES I and NHANES III data sets.  According to the authors of this study, many previous studies assessed dietary changes on a per capita basis, which does not always take into account amounts of food purchased and consumed.  In hopes of getting a clearer picture of dietary changes, the investigators assessed dietary changes using the NHANES data, which assessed actual food consumption and has previously been used to show the nations increase in obesity.  The results of this analysis provided some interesting information...

Energy Intake:  Total energy intake increased from the 1970s to the 1990s by 144 Calories per day on average.  Interestingly, calorie intake decreased by about 56 Calories per day in people 18 years of age or younger, while people over 18 years of age increased calorie consumption by a whopping 226 Calories per day on average.

Total Sugar Intake:  Total sugar intake, which includes added sugars, increased by 10 grams per day on average.  Average total sugar intake did not increase in people 18 years of age or younger, but increased by 14% in people over 18 years of age.

Added Sugar Intake:  Similar to total sugar intake, added sugar consumption increased by 9 grams per day on average with adults over 18 years age showing the greatest increase (18% or 13 grams per day more in the 1990s than in the 1970s!) in added sugar consumption.

Total Carbohydrate Consumption:  While increases in total sugar and added sugar were evident, the increase in total carbohydrate intake was even greater.  From the 1970s to the 1990s total carbohydrate intake increased by 40 grams per day overall with an increase of 15 grams per day in individuals 18 years of age or younger and an amazing increase of 53 grams per day (25%)  in people over 18 years of age.

However, not everything looked bad.  While carbohydrate and sugar intake increased, total fat consumption remained steady and actually decreased when looked at as a percentage of total energy intake.  Additionally, saturated fat and cholesterol intake decreased, while dietary fiber increased from the 1970s to 1990s as did intake of several vitamins.  Interestingly, while sugar intake increased, it actually decreased when examined as a percent of total carbohydrate intake.  According to these study investigators, previous research studies using per capita data might have substantially over-estimated sugar consumption.

According to the study investigators, the biggest change linked to the increase in total calorie consumption was the dramatic increase in the consumption of foods classified as "mixtures of mainly grain", which included food items like burritos, tacos, pizza, egg rolls, spaghetti, rice, other pastas, and frozen meals where the main course is a grain mixture.  Regular carbonated soft drinks, remained the biggest source of added sugars regardless of the age of the population of the decade examined.  In fact, total sugar intake from soft drinks increased by over 40% from the 1970s to the 1990s.

This is an interesting paper with quite a bit of information in it about our dietary changes that I've not discussed here, making it a good read if you have the time to spare.  Based on this study, consumption of total sugars, added sugars, and total carbohydrates have increased from the 1970s to the 1990s, but the increase in carbohydrate consumption was dramatically greater than the increase in sugar consumption.  These data and the study authors suggest that the increase in "mixtures of mainly grain", which are present in common frozen and fast food meals, might be the major contributor to excess calorie consumption and the rise in obesity rates since the 1970s.  With the increasing abundance of these foods, it becomes more important for each of us to be nutritionally aware and make healthy choices whenever possible.  While sugar and carbohydrate intake has increased, we can counteract that to some degree by choosing low glycemic options.  By targeting low or even medium glycemic foods, we can minimize rapid blood sugar changes and gain better control of our food cravings and eating habits.

My easy diet plan is a great way to add delicious-tasting, low-glycemic foods to your daily plan.  Visit us at www.drtabor.com to learn more and tune in to watch me on QVC September 12th from 1 AM - 2 AM EST!

Links Between Chronic Sleep Deprivation and Obesity

Sleep… we all want and enjoy a good night of sleep.  It makes us more alert and energetic throughout the day.  However, with the hectic schedules most of us keep, very few of us get enough sleep.
 

A new paper reviewed the scientific literature linking chronic sleep restriction (between 4 – 7 hours per night for a long duration of time) with obesity in more detail.  This new paper, which is free to download and read, looked at three distinct pathways by which sleep restriction might lead to obesity.  

Altered Neuroendocrine & Metabolic Functions

Several research studies have reported changes in neuroendocrine and metabolic hormones as a result of sleep restriction.  In one study, it has been reported that sleeping only 4 hours per night for 6 consecutive nights causes an increase in evening cortisol levels, an increase in growth hormone levels, a reduction in thyroid stimulating hormone, and a reduction in leptin levels.  A shorter study showed an 18% reduction in leptin and a 28% increase in the hormone ghrelin.  This reduction in leptin and increase in ghrelin was associated with a 24% increase in hunger and a 23% increase in appetite.

Overall, these studies indicate that sleep restriction can alter metabolic hormone levels that results in changes in appetite and hunger, which can possibly lead to overeating and weight gain.

Altered Glucose Regulation

Research on glucose regulation and sleep deprivation has reported that six nights of sleep restriction can substantially reduce the effectiveness of glucose and reduce the body’s ability to use glucose.  Other studies have suggested that poor utilization of glucose can lead to increased hunger and increased food consumption and that lower blood glucose at the end of an oral glucose tolerance test lead to weight gain.

Therefore, it appears that long term sleep restriction might lead to changes in blood glucose levels and changes in the ability of our body to use glucose, changes that might lead to unwanted weight gain.

Altered Waking Behavior

According to this new review paper, long-term sleep restriction can lead to a variety of behaviors during the day that might lead to weight gain over time.  For example, one study reported that individuals subjected to 14 days of sleep restriction increased food intake, which happened mainly at night when they normally would have been asleep.  Additionally, a lack of sleep has been shown to result in increased consumption of high-energy drinks or snacks to boost energy and fatigue from the lack of sleep resulted in a reduction in physical activity.

In general, these studies suggest that sleep restriction can result in increased food intake, increased intake of high-calorie foods, and a reduction if exercise… all behaviors that can lead to increased weight gain.

Overall, this review suggest that not only does sleep restriction appear to increase obesity risk, it appears to do so through multiple pathways.  So in addition to following a healthy eating plan like my Slim and Beautiful diet plan, remember to get an adequate amount of sleep whenever possible.

High Fat, Energy Dense Foods Can Be Addictive

Our dietary habits are influenced by many, many factors.  Among those factors are the availability and palatability of food.  New obesity research examined how the availability of high fat, energy dense foods (cheesecake, pound cake, chocolate, bacon, and sausage) affected eating behavior and brain changes in rats.

In this new study, free to read online or download, researchers divided rats into the three following dietary groups for 40 days:

1. No access to the energy dense food and fed only standard rat chow
2. Restricted access to energy dense food for 1 hour per day with access to rat chow for the rest of the time
3. Extended access to energy dense food (> 18 hours per day)

During and after this 40-day test period, rats were examined for changes in eating habits, body weight, and brain biology.  Some of the changes the researchers observed in these rats included:

• Body weight increased dramatically in the rats with extended access to energy dense food compared to the two other groups of rats.
• Caloric intake nearly doubled in the rats with extended access to energy dense foods.
• Rats given access to energy dense foods for one hour per day developed binge eating habits such that about two-thirds of their caloric intake occurred during their one hour access to the high fat foods.
• Rats given extended access to these foods consumed nearly all of their calories from these foods and nearly ignored the laboratory rat chow.
• Brain measurements of pleasure/reward from eating these energy dense foods showed that over time it took consumption of greater amounts of the food to get the same level of reward.
• The decrease in the brains ability to feel reward from consuming high fat foods was related to a decrease in the number of receptors for a specific brain chemical called dopamine.

These results suggest that unhealthy eating can become habit forming.  In fact, the researchers report in their paper that the decrease in dopamine receptors seen with eating these unhealthy foods was similar to changes seen in drug addiction.  Overall, these study data suggest a self-perpetuating process where regular, long-term consumption of high fat, energy dense foods over-stimulates the brain's reward system and reduces its ability to derive pleasure from these foods, which causes us to eat more and gain weight. In this study, binge eating habits did not appear to disrupt this system nor effect energy balance; however, it is uncertain how binge eating would have effected these systems in a longer study.  While it remains uncertain how these results translate to people, they do provide some potential insight into at least one possible cause of overeating.  These study results emphasize the need for developing healthy eating habits.  If we get into a habit of giving in to our cravings, this habit of unhealthy eating can become difficult to break over time.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be difficult.  My easy plan is a great way to start developing good eating habits and help to better manage one's weight.

Reducing Obesity By Increasing Prices of Unhealthy Foods

It was pretty controversial when the New York governor suggested imposing a ‘sin tax’ on high-calorie soft drinks and other unhealthy foods in an attempt to fight the obesity epidemic.

This is clearly a tough idea to swallow considering the current state of the economy and the soaring jobless rates.  However, two recent studies suggest that there might actually be some merit to this idea.

In one study, researchers explored the effectiveness of two pricing strategies in a simulated grocery store: (1) imposing taxes on unhealthy foods or (2) discounting the healthy foods.  Volunteers who were mothers were recruited to shop in this simulated grocery store several times under each shopping condition.  The results of this study showed that:

• Taxing unhealthy foods reduced overall calories purchased.
• Taxing unhealthy foods resulted in a lower percentage of fats and carbohydrates and a higher percentage of protein in a week’s groceries.
• Discounting the price of healthy foods increased total calories purchased and surprisingly did not change the overall nutritional value.

In a second study, 5,000 volunteers were followed for 20 years.  Information on body weight, diabetes, and cost of fast food in their communities was gathered and analyzed.  Results of this study demonstrated that:

• When fast food and soda prices increased by 10%, study participants consumed fewer calories from soda and fewer calories from pizza such that nearly 60 fewer calories were consumed per day.
• An increase in fast food prices was also associated with less weight gain and a lower risk for diabetes.

While these are truly interesting studies, which outline a potential way to reduce obesity and obesity-related conditions, the thought of increasing food prices in today’s economy is rather frightening.  Ideally, an increase in the cost of unhealthy foods would coincide with a reduction in price of healthy food options.  While this would not ease everyone’s financial burden, it might open the doors to healthier eating without an increase in our overall food budgets.

Would you eat healthier if unhealthy foods cost more?

Preventing Childhood Obesity By Removing 'Junk' Foods From Schools

Childhood obesity is a major health issue that is grabbing headlines everywhere lately... and with good reason.  The prevalence of obesity in U.S. children has increased dramatically over the last couple of decades, so much so that about one-third of U.S. children are now considered overweight or obese.  There have been a number of strategies employed in the fight against childhood obesity with varying degrees of success. 

One such strategy was the removal of 'junk' foods from California schools.  However, the impact of this strategy on rates of childhood obesity has been uncertain until recently.  A new study published in Health Affairs, reports on the apparent success of this strategy.  Obesity researchers examined body mass index (BMI) information from 5th and 7th grade students in the Los Angeles Unified School District and California overall.  Information was examined for the years prior to enactment of these laws in comparison to BMI data after these laws were enacted.  The results showed:

• Obesity rates were increasing in all student groups (5th and 7th graders) before the policy became effective.
• After enactment of the 'junk' food policy, the increase in obesity incidence was substantially decreased in 7th grade students and 5th grade boys throughout California.
• The rate of obesity in 5th grade students from the Los Angeles Unified School District slowed down after enactment of these healthy eating policies.

The results of this study are good news in the fight against obesity.  By offering school age children healthier eating options, it appears possible to slowly reduce the rise in childhood obesity.  Of course, changing the eating environment in schools is only part of the battle.  At this point there is nothing to prevent children from making less than healthy food choices outside of the school environment.  To learn more about childhood obesity, you can visit the CDC's website or the We Can! national childhood obesity prevention program.