[Mr. Jeeves]

I certainly believe that your diet affects your health and that some aspects of the American diet must be bad -- we are getting pretty fat after all. But the competing claims against this or for that are pretty frustrating.

When people do Atkins, HCG, or Paleo diets the weight comes right off. It's pretty clear that the government food pyramid and its ridiculous overweighting of grains is the main culprit.

[southern rock]

When people do Atkins, HCG, or Paleo diets the weight comes right off.

Same result with the Engine 2 diet, or any diet which is whole-food, plant-based.

[aruanan]

I certainly believe that your diet affects your health and that some aspects of the American diet must be bad -- we are getting pretty fat after all. But the competing claims against this or for that are pretty frustrating.

When people do Atkins, HCG, or Paleo diets the weight comes right off. It's pretty clear that the government food pyramid and its ridiculous overweighting of grains is the main culprit.

The main culprits are intake of more energy than you expend and reduced levels of energy expenditure during the ordinary activities of life compared to 50 and 100 years ago. If someone is losing fat mass on an Atkins or other diet, it's simply because energy intake is less than energy expenditure. If anyone gains fat mass, it's simply because energy intake is greater than energy expenditure. It's no more mysterious than this and that if you have a higher level of fat in a meal, you're more likely to stay satiated longer. If you're satiated longer, you experience the urge to eat (well, from hunger at least) less often.

[ConfidentConservative]

That is so true, I have lost 80 pounds. AND I have kept it off.

ALL of it because of a low-carb diet.

[greeneyes]

[When people do Atkins, HCG, or Paleo diets the weight comes right off. It’s pretty clear that the government food pyramid and its ridiculous overweighting of grains is the main culprit.]

Blame it on George McGovern - That’s when it started. His committee hearings supported the grain industry as being healthier. Groups with contrary opinions were more or less ignored.

Any farmer knows that you feed grains to livestock about 90 days before you slaughter them, and they get fat.