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HERBAL CONNECTION HEALTH NEWS
Who is most likely to gain weight?
Eating patterns play crucial role in determining who gets fat
Written by Karen Collins, R.D. MSNBC Contributor
(MSNBC) THE NEW study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, tracks a group of more than 700 women who all originally met standards for a healthy weight. After checking their use of 145 different foods, each person was placed into one of several categories based on the overall pattern of their food choices.
Those with a "heart healthy" pattern tended to eat more vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, lean poultry and beans. Twelve years later, this group of women were the least likely to have become overweight.
Those women with an "empty calorie" pattern were the most likely to have become overweight, due to high consumption of sweetened drinks, desserts and high-fat foods.
In fact, more than 40 percent of the once normal-weight "empty calorie" eaters became overweight over the next twelve years. Both groups had some women who became overweight, but those with the empty-calorie pattern were far more likely to do so.
Surprisingly, at the start of the study, these two groups differed only slightly in their activity level and their consumption of calories, fat and carbohydrates.
Research repeatedly shows that people tend to underestimate their portion sizes. If so, the calories consumed by the empty-calorie group, who ate foods high in sugar or fat, could add up more quickly than for the heart-healthy group, who ate more low-calorie foods like fruits and vegetables.
Other reasons might also explain the difference in weight changes for the two groups. Desserts and snack foods are often eaten without regard for portion size. Also, because calorie needs drop during middle age, continued liberal use of high-fat, high-sugar foods could have accounted for the extra weight gain.
ATTITUDE IS ALSO IMPORTANT
Perhaps the women in the empty-calorie pattern shared an attitude that leads to weight gain. At the start of the study, almost 78 percent of women with the heart-healthy pattern reported they had already made changes to create healthier eating habits. Such efforts were reported by less than 40 percent of those in the empty-calorie group.
The heart-healthy group may have had a more pro-active, prevention-oriented outlook that led them to improve eating habits or increase activity level. And they may have taken corrective steps if they began to gain weight in later years.
In a recent American Dietetic Association survey, attitudes categorized as "I Know I Should, But" or "Don't Bother Me" may have been more typical among those in the empty-calorie group.
Eating patterns provide useful insights into who gains weight and why, but they can't explain it all. The heart-healthy pattern was no guarantee of maintaining a healthy weight. Almost a quarter of this group became overweight.
On the other hand, some people in the empty-calorie group managed to maintain a healthy weight. But even if poor eating habits don't cause weight problems, they can still lead to greater risk of cancer and other ailments. As the American Institute for Cancer Research continues to stress, weight control, lower cancer risk and better overall health are achieved through more than healthy food choices. Appropriate portion sizes, an active lifestyle, moderate intake of alcohol, and avoiding tobacco are also important.
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Take Care,
Pamela Reynolds
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