Recent research claims that the root causes of obesity are more related to what we eat, rather than how much we eat.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousRecent research claims that the root causes of obesity are more related to what we eat, rather than how much we eat.
The statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that obesity affects more than 40 percent of American adults, putting them at a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. The dietary guidelines USDA for Americans 2020-2025 tell us that to lose weight you need to reduce the number of calories ingested, and increase the amount expended through physical activity.
This weight management approach is based on the energy balance model, which states that weight gain is caused by ingesting more energy than we consume. In today's world, surrounded by highly palatable, heavily marketed, and inexpensive processed foods, it is easy for people to eat more calories than they need, an imbalance that is further exacerbated by the sedentary lifestyle. These factors are the main causes of the increase in the number of obese people.
A systematic review
According to a search, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there is a need for an alternative model to better manage weight gain, such as carbohydrate-insulin, which is seen as a new avenue for more effective and lasting weight management strategies.
In contrast to the energy balance model, the carbohydrate-insulin model tells us that overeating is not the main cause of obesity. In contrast, the carbohydrate-insulin model places much of the blame for the current obesity epidemic on modern dietary models characterized by a excessive consumption of foods with a high glycemic load: in particular, processed and rapidly digestible carbohydrates. These foods cause hormonal responses that radically change our metabolism, leading to the accumulation of fat, weight gain and, consequently, obesity. (Read also: Are you always hungry? Pay attention to the glycemic index)
When we eat highly processed carbohydrates, the body increases insulin secretion and suppresses glucagon secretion. This, in turn, signals fat cells to store more calories, leaving fewer calories available to fuel muscles and other metabolically active tissues. The brain perceives that the body is not receiving enough energy, which, in turn, leads to feelings of hunger. Additionally, the metabolism can slow down as the body tries to save fuel. Therefore, we tend to stay hungry, even as we continue to gain excess fat.
To understand the obesity epidemic, we need to consider not only how much we are eating, but also how the foods we eat affect our hormones and metabolism.
The adoption of the carbohydrate-insulin model, compared to the energy balance model, has radical implications for weight management and the treatment of obesity. Rather than pushing people to eat less, a strategy that doesn't usually work in the long run, the carbohydrate-insulin model suggests another path that focuses more on what we eat, hence the quality of food ingested.
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Photos: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
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