3:19 PM
Lauren
A new Harvard study published in the
The study was conducted over 20 years and among more than 100,000 men and women whose weight was evaluated at four-year periods. The average weight gain over each period was 3.35 pounds which corresponded to an average weight gain of 17 pounds over 20 years.
The researchers also tracked how specific foods led people to gain weight over time. In first place came potato chips with a weight gain of 1.69 pounds, followed by potatoes in general at 1.28 pounds. Next, sugary beverages accounted for a one pound weight gain, alcohol an average gain of 0.41 pounds, unprocessed meats accounted for 0.95 pounds and processed meats closely behind with a 0.93 pound gain.
The authors say their study points to a different kind of dietary advice for avoiding extra pounds associated with aging. "This suggests that the path to eating fewer calories is not simply to count calories, but to focus on consuming a more healthy diet in general," the study's lead author, Dariush Mozaffarian, associate professor in the department of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in an email.
I couldn’t agree more. We’ve had the whole calories in vs. calories out and “everything in moderation” mentality pounded into our heads. However, different foods affect our bodies in different ways. Your body will not metabolize an apple the same way it does a brownie bite, even though they may be the same amount calories. I’m not suggesting you don't indulge in your favorite foods now and again (I ate a cookie today ;), but it’s important for the public to know that all calories are NOT created equal and that food choices, however small, have an impact over time.
Check out the article in WSJ:
Posted in: Health Science / News
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