As a nation, we lead the
world in many categories, however one area we lead in that is not positive is
increasing obesity and weight gain. People
are fatter and sicker than ever before!
Obesity rates have tripled
since 1980 and have increased particularly fast in children and the poorer
populations. While the reasons this has happens is still debated among
scientists, many indicators point to changes in the environment as genes take
thousands of years to change.
According to Kris Gunnars,
author of Authority Nutrition, here are 12 reasons why America’s are gaining
weight at an astronomical rate.
People are eating more “junk” than any time in history
People are eating more
calories than before, and pretty much all of the increase has come from
processed foods.
Sugar consumption has skyrocketed
Numerous studies show that
eating excess amounts of added sugar can have harmful effects on metabolism;
leading to insulin resistance, belly fat gain, high triglycerides and small and
dense LDL cholesterol.
People gain a lot of weight during the holidays, which
they never get rid of
A large percentage of
people’s lifetime weight gain can be explained just by the 6 week holiday
period.
The Obesity Epidemic Started When the Low-Fat
Guidelines Were Published
It seems likely that putting
the emphasis on saturated fat, while giving processed low-fat foods high in
sugar a free pass, may have contributed to negative changes in the population’s
diet.
There are also massive
long-term studies showing that the low-fat diet does NOT cause weight loss, and
does not prevent heart disease or cancer.
Food is Cheaper than Ever Before
It’s important to keep in mind
that real food isn’t cheap, it’s processed food. Real foods are expensive, with a lot of
people unable to afford them. In many poor neighborhoods, the majority of the
food is junk food, which is cheap and often subsidized by the government.
People Are Drinking More Sugary Soda and Fruit Juices
The brain doesn’t “register”
liquid sugar calories in the same way as it does solid calories and as a result
liquid calories are often added on top of calories from other food sources.
Increased Food Variety Contributes to Overeating and
Weight Gain
When we have more types of
foods available, we eat more, many times more than our bodies need.
People Don’t Burn as Many Calories When Working
For the most part we are an
idle society. We even try and find the closest parking spot at work and at the
gym!
People Are Eating More Vegetable Oils, Mostly From
Processed Foods
Most oils are highly
processed and use for frying which adds volumes of calories to our diet.
The Social Environment Can Strongly Affect Calorie
Intake
Eating in a group can
dramatically increase the number of calories consumed.
People Are Sleeping Less
It is known that poor sleep
has negative effects on various hormones that are related to weight gain, and
can contribute to increased hunger and cravings
Increased Calorie Intake
While food sources have
deteriorated in quality, the influx of sugar, salt and highly processed fats do
not trigger the brain to stop eating.
This has resulted in increased calorie consumption that leads to weight
gain. Hormone imbalances and reduced
liver function can exaggerate the weight gain conundrum.
HERE’S TO
BEING FIT FOR LIFE! Chris is a Certified
Personal Trainer, USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach, Group Exercise Instructor, exercise
and endurance enthusiast. He competes
yearly in numerous running races, marathons, ultra marathons, triathlons and
other endurance events.