A little bit ago, I jumped off the Blaming Carbs alone bandwagon and shifted to another cause, #FakeFat. You can read about that again if you wish below.
In my daily reading I came across a nice twitter thread asking more questions as well as discussing other causes of Overweight, Obesity and their aftermath that I realize I rarely mention. So I guess today I will discuss them.
Much of this is a summary from the thread perhaps with some of my own thoughts included.
Obesity rates are up 30% in the last 20 years even though total caloric consumption hasn't changed. Something is poisoning our metabolism and causing us to gain weight.
Look at the above pic.
The red dotted line shows the percentage of Obese people over the years starting in 1999. The orange line at the bottom is total energy (calorie) intake or calorie/food eaten. The top blue line is total energy available. I’m not exactly sure what that is but the interesting thing is that if you look at all the lines, the blue and orange are pretty much stable over time, but the percentage obese rose from about 31% to just over 42% in 2018.
So the weight gain over the years does not appear to be linked to calories consumed/eaten. If we also assume that activity/exercise has not changed over the years, I know this is an assumption but go with me for a moment, it would make you think that the traditional calories in-calories out model for weight gain/loss just doesn’t work. In my three decades of practice experience I would agree that rarely does calories in- calories out work for weight management.
OK, then what are some other possible factors?
Look at the pic above which shows the increase in vegetable and seed oils consumed over time. In other words, #FakeFat . If we just look at the rise from 1999 on so it would be an equal comparison to the first pic, #FakeFat dietary consumption has more than doubled.
So perhaps it is the #FakeFat that is responsible for the increase in Obesity over the years.
But wait, there is more….
This pic is revenues, so we will associate this with sales which we associate with increased consumption of GM otherwise known as Genetically Modified foods. Looks like the use of Genetically Modified food use has risen more than 400%. That’s a mouthful.
Ok, so now we have some things to think about in terms of Obesity.
Excess Carbs
Fake Fats
Genetically Modified Foods
Some will say, “So what, we get fat. No issue.”
While there are many causes for healthcare costs rising, if you look at the above pic again starting around the year 2000, healthcare costs over 15 years have risen as well. Perhaps an imbalanced metabolism from excess dietary carbs, fake fats and genetically modified foods play a part??
But then I came across this tweet and I hope it makes you think like it made me.
Hmmm.
I am not advocating that we move to Europe for better food. But have you had a look at the ingredient list of American vs European food? You may need a magnifying glass or if reading on your electronic device your two fingers that enlarge the screen.
Looks like a lot less crapola ingredients in Europe for in essence the same product. Who regulates the food here?
Oh, right, I think that would be the FDA, the same government alphabet agency that also has been front and center during COVID and did such a wonderful job {sarcasm}.
Well I think this is enough for today, other than below I will add in some other potential causes others believe may also play a part. Again I put these out there for you to think about so you do not blindly trust any “authority”.
Here are some other potential factors in the increasing Obesity percentage, and not in any particular order.
Roundup / Glyphosate spraying of our crops
More screen time and less active moving time- yep the calories out part
Livestock fed genetically modified corn sprayed with Glyphosate
Fake lighting, less outdoor time, less sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances
Less exercise
Increased stress
More processed food
Synthetic hormones
Fluoride in the tap water —> competes with iodine —> thyroid problems & slower metabolism
The preservatives in the food that’s sold at the supermarkets that were all approved by the FDA.
Artificial sweeteners
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Alcohol
Gut microbiome imbalance from any of the above already mentioned possibilities
EMF
Mineral deficiencies
Medications
Microplastics
Failure of the Traditional Healthcare system to work proactively
OK, that is really enough for now.
I hope I gave you some things to think about.
Questions and comments always welcome.
My first story: A good friend of mine, born and raised in Switzerland, moved to the US at 25 years old. First thing that happen (eating the same diet) weight gain. She always said in Europe it is many, many years for a product to be tested as healthy and safe (including toys) In the US, it goes right on the shelf then we wait for the results.
Second story: We had a neighbor who was a single mom and always try to find ways of making ends meet. An AD in the paper led her to a company in South Jersey that paid $150.00 to pick up a new product and fill out a report. Testing it on yourself for a 2 week period. Her and the other women in the group would fill out the report, not taking the product.
Wow! I’ve been a carnivore for about 3 years so I no longer eat the items in the US UK comparison. It is still mind blowing and makes it obvious that the FDA really doesn’t look out for the best interest of the people.