Posted on 06/19/2002 11:21:13 PM PDT by JohnHuang2
Edited on 07/12/2004 3:54:50 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
An abiding weakness of the conventional wisdom is that, once a supposed fact has become part of that wisdom, it becomes almost impossible to dislodge it.
Contemporary journalism contributes to this problem by relying on technologies that help ensure an assertion, once it is repeated enough times, will never be checked against the actual evidence. Consider for example the claim that fat kills 300,000 Americans per year, and is thus the nation's second leading cause of premature death, trailing only cigarettes. A Lexis database search reveals that this "fact" has been repeated in more than one thousand news stories over the past three years alone. Yet the evidence for this claim is so slim as to be practically nonexistent.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
The fact that excess weight is correlated to various illnesses as posted elsewhere on this thread;
The high fat, high calorie, low nutrient value of most fast foods. Fat and caloric values are available at all fast food restaurants. For example, one Whopper has approximately 800 calories (without the fries or softdrink) which is an absurd amount of the total daily caloric need of an adult, nevermind a child, for one sandwich.
It is impossible to have a nutritionally balanced diet eating regularly at fast food restaurants and will, in fact, result in a high fat, high calorie diet. Since it is a well established fact that excess calories are what cause an increase in weight and fast food restaurants are excessively high in fat calories......hopefully you get the point.
Ever read Atkins?
Because something is high in calories does not mean it is absorbed well into the body. You statement is way over simplified.
Nadler needs at least four seats. Watch your wallet. And another word of warning, don't get between Nadler and a pork chop! It could be dangerous.
I'm not worried in the least.
And how is that possible? You can't become fat if you follow a low fat diet. Don't get me wrong here. I don't want the government dictating what one should eat. That's a personal choice and is no one elses business. But you kid yourself if you think a low fat diet contributes to obesity.
A diet that's too low in fat will cause other health problems, I understand.
Au contrare mi amigo.
Bread, pasta, and sugar - carbohydrates - are the main culprits.
"Low-fat" foods, dressings, etc. are loaded with carbs.
Your body has to produce hyper amounts of insulin to break 'em down into glucose (that causes a whole lot of other "fat folk" problems)
and what your body cannot use gets turned into fat and stored.
It is a gross misconception, fostered by the USDA government "food pyramid" that fat in foods makes us fat.
On the contrary - it is the carbohydrates.
That's why there is an epidemic of obesity in school aged children which began when the "food pyramid" was first published and public school breakfast and lunch programs started following it to a "T".
I hate to disagree with you, but if there is an obesity problem with school children it is a result of McDonalds happy meals or whatever they call them. Don't get me wrong here, people should eat whatever they want without some government nanny telling them otherwise. But most people are obese because of eating the wrong food and sitting on their butts. That's their God givin choice. But don't blind yourself from the truth.
That is not true. Most low fat diets tend to not supply enough calories to normal weight people. That is a fact. That's why it is imprudent for most people to go on one. One the other hand, if you are overweight or have high cholesterol you are probably eating too much fat. Let me be clear on this, how you eat is your business, not mine or Uncle Sams. But don't kid yourself.
Which food is cheap? Macaroni? Pasta? Potatoes? Bread? STARCHES, which convert to sugar in the body.....
I think Dr. Atkins is on to something in his latest book, where he suggests that these insulin producing foods are part of the problem and how many dieters eating low fat which just happens to include lots of rice/pasta dishes are gaining weight. And yeah, fast foods are big problem. Research has shown that the US didn't have an obesity problem until AFTER Coke a cola hit the market along with gulp, McDonald's. And that Europe didn't have a problem until we exported coke and fast food restaurants to them.
His book is a very interesting read. Unfortunately, he suggests a high protein diet (which is NOT cheap, supplemented by vegetables which again are not cheap in most areas) And oddly enough one would think that all that cholesterol in a high protein diet would play havoc with one's cholesterol, but being a cardiologist who has put his heart patient's on this type of diet has seen great results in LOWERING their cholesterol. Cholesterol like insulin will be produced by the body if you do not eat enough of it. The veggies being a complex carbohydrate will convert to sugar thus helping to keep the body from having to manufacture it. Same with the choloesterol.
Who would stand to gain by having more and more diabetics, needing insulin? And yes, Atkins does allude to this as well in his book.
Exactly! Another problem is that some products use 'created' ingredients. Meaning they are not a natural food product. It's quite possible that out bodies do not know what to do with these items, so instead of digesting and getting rid of it, they store it as fat. One needs to be careful on 'synthetic' foods in my opinion.
Add to that the fact that sugar is added toalmost everything. Then consider that when fat is reduced, salt is increased, and when salt is reduced then fat is increasded. A no win situation, for those trying to watch fat, salt and sugar intake.
Ahhh but look at the bright side for Nadler. He now get two meals because of purchasing two seats. Bet he'd be in hog heaven!! LOL
Do you REALLY think the government is going to target fast food chains??? LOL Think of the unemployment! After all, this is the area they target when they say unemployment dropped. We have given away our manufacturing base and have become a nation of fast food restaurants!
They will simply make the stuff so costly, its a money maker!
What's the nutritional analysis of booze, beer and wine? Which all convert to sugar almost immediately in the body. Will they target and tax the heck out of these? Somehow I doubt it. Selective sin taxation.
What would you suggest, eh?
I'd rather spend a little more on good food - and look and feel better,
than go cheap and look like a fat slob.
And, have to pay more for clothes in XXL and XXXL sizes!
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