Category Archives: Eat Better

How to Explain Obesity

How to Explain Obesity
The energy-balance model doesn’t help much The carbohydrate-insulin model works better For decades, researchers and health organizations have promoted the energy-balance model to account for obesity. It assumes that “a calorie is a calorie” in terms of weight gain and loss. According to the model, differing levels and types of carbohydrates, protein, and fats in…
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Forget Dieting to Lose Weight

Forget Dieting to Lose Weight
Dieting for weight loss usually fails over the long-term Weight cycling may harm your health Are you on a diet to lose weight? If so, you’ve got lots of company. In the US, the prevalence of women dieting to lose weight increased from 14 percent in 1950-1966 to 57 percent in 2003-2008. For men, the prevalence…
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Eat Foods With Lower Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

Eat Foods With Lower Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
Reduce the glycemic index / load of foods you eat Lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and coronary heart disease Glycemic index (GI) refers to the relative rise in blood sugar after consuming a particular food.  Glycemic load (GL) adjusts the GI value for serving size. The bigger the serving size, the…
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Do Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes Reduce Consumption?

Do Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes Reduce Consumption?
Simulations by economists say they should Does real-world evidence agree? Sugar-sweetened beverages provide little or no nutritional benefit. A recent review finds that higher intake predicts increased risk of type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and coronary heart disease. Our bodies may not properly account for the caloric value of sugar-sweetened beverages. The “extra” 140 calories…
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