The War on Obesity has meant a War on Fat for about two decades now. Yet Americans are fatter than ever now. As of 2008, 32.2% of men in the United States are Obese as are 35.5% of women. This one fact alone has lead many researchers to wonder whether the culprit for our country's top health problem lies elsewhere. And so evidence has been building up that has turned attention elsewhere, to carbohydrates. Carbohydrates generally refer to foods that are rich in starch, such are bread, pasta, beans, grains, and cereals. Foods heavy in sugar like candy or desserts also have a higher amount of carbohydrates. But the picture isn't so simple: It seems that certain kinds of carbs, known as high-glycemic carbs, are the real villains. And not only are high-glycemic carbs the problem, but some researchers even point out specifically to fructose, including the increasingly maligned kind found in the form of high fructose corn syrup that comprises the main calorie content of soft drinks and other flavored beverages.
Confused yet? That's probably because the science is complicated, and translating the matter into a "call to action" means avoiding subtleties and nuances. Indeed, health officials are loath to change the guidelines because they do not want to risk confusing the public. But the mantra of "less fat" is increasingly misleading, as many people simply replace their fat calories with calories from carbohydrates - and it is the overall calories consumed, whether from fats, carbs, or proteins, that will determine the number on the scale. The Food and Agriculture Organization as well as the World Health Organization both agree that 55% to 75% of an adult's caloric intake should be through carbohydrates, however only 10% of that should be through sugars, which is the term they use to refer to "simple carbohydrates".
But wait - it's even more complex than that! That last statement there about the overall calories determining weight is broadly true enough, but technically speaking many other factors are typically involved; namely, the amount of calories burned throughout the day or week. And notice I said "day or week" because while counting calories daily is the usual and easiest approach, the truth of the matter is that one can also use a weekly measurement - though not monthly!
Genetic factors may also determine one's weight. Syndromes such as Prader-Willi Syndrome, Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, Cohen Syndrome and MOMO Syndrome all result in obesity. Furthermore, one's hereditary makeup may make them more or less predisposed to obesity depending on their parents and whether or not one or both of them was obese, or suffered some condition making them more prone to it.
If you're confused by now, then you can begin to appreciate the fear of our public health officials in providing too much detail when proposing dietary guidelines.
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Written by Paul Wise, who is morbidly obese, recommends Blog4Info.com for more reading on the subject and insigt into carbohydrates.
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