February 8, 2009

In The News: Nutrition 101

Thank you to Small Bites reader Vincci Tsui for alerting me to this study published in the latest issue of Health Education & Behavior.

The conclusion of the 4-year-long randomized dietary intervention study?

"Without specific efforts to reduce total energy intake, dietary modification does not reduce obesity or result in long-term weight loss."

Well, knock me over with a feather! I am absolutely SHOCKED.

Not.

Believe it or not, my acknowledging that calories play a role in weight management has resulted in some bloggers (who I refuse to link to) labeling me as "way out there" and putting me in the same category as those who advocate eating only raw foods or adopting a fruitarian lifestyle.

According to these people, I'm apparently part of a vast conspiracy to make people overweight and unhealthy.

Does having detractors mean I officially "arrived"?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I 'love' all the completely out-there dietary fads -- "EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT, JUST MAKE SURE TO AVOID [insert completely random nutrient here]" or "EAT MOUNTAINS OF MEAT, SHED MOUNTAINS OF FAT -- JUST NO VEGGIES PLEASE!"

You can lose weight by eating pure lard (though I wouldn't suggest it) -- if (and only if) you eat fewer calories of it than your body needs; why is this so incredibly hard for people to comprehend?

Danielle said...

I don't even understand this "debate" half the time. It's common sense! People can be convinced of anything with the right advertising, it's such a shame.

Anonymous said...

"arrived?" heck no! you've 'brought it' since that reuters story you were cited in on managing weight over the holidays! :D

Emily Avent Havener said...

It's so refreshing to find straightforward discussion of this "common sense" issue, as Danielle commented. My blog Eat2Prevent is based on the premise that what we eat can prevent disease and reduce health care costs, as well as improving quality of life. Keep on telling it like it is!

Anonymous said...

Good post! Congrats on "arrived". Keep up the good work.