Eat Fat Essay

Eat Fat, Cut the Carbs and Avoid Snacking to Reverse Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

The report entitled, “Eat Fat, Cut the Carbs and Avoid Snacking to Reverse Obesity and Type 2 diabetes”, published by National Obesity Forum in association with the Public Health Collaboration, states that the health consequences such as type 2 diabetes, caused by the obesity issue is the greatest public health challenge nowadays. The report presents strong claims relating to the origins of obesity and discusses the recommended alternatives which hopefully could undo the damage from recent policies in public health messaging. The report gained a substantial amount of criticism from Public Health England, accusing the authors of giving ill-considered advice to readers, based on selective evidence that strengthens their claims. This essay will outline the reports controversial claims, and discuss the claim that exercising alone does not lead to weight loss.

The report’s first claim, is that the consumption of fat does not lead to weight gain. The proposal of reducing fat consumption to reduce body fat has been the basis of the previous dietary recommendations. However, multiple weight loss trials have showed that a higher fat, lower carbohydrate diet is superior to a low-fat diet for weight loss and cardiovascular reduction. Moreover, it says that the relationship between saturated fat and heart disease is not a causative relationship. A recent study in the report concluded that individuals in the highest tertile of whole-fat dairy intakes, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt had significantly lower odds of being obese. The report also states that processed foods which make claims such as “low-fat” or “low-cholesterol” should be avoided. This statement was made, as there is no evidence that demonstrates that the reduction in dietary saturated fats reduces cardiovascular events and deaths. Also, it says that to prevent and reverse type 2 diabetes, refined carbohydrates and foods containing starch should be taken in small quantities because they increase blood glucose levels which may lead to type 2 diabetes. The report makes a further claim that the ideal sugar intake for health is zero. According to the authors of the report, excess sugar consumption is strongly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the intake of added sugar should be reduced (National Obesity Forum, 2017).

Another interesting claim in the report, is that high intake of vegetable oils increases the risk of death and heart disease compared to saturated fats, concluding that they should be avoided. The report states that the counting of calories should be stopped. Since calories from different food have different metabolic effects on the human body, counting calories would be ineffective. The report also states that meal frequency should be limited because consuming snacks may lead to weight gain. Moreover, continuous eating doesn’t allow the human body to digest the food consumed as this creates a chance to store food energy without an opportunity to burn it. Lastly the report emphasises the need for incorporation of evidence-based nutrition into education curricula. The authors have emphasised this point due to the large amount of misinformation regarding nutrition amongst medical professionals (National Obesity Forum, 2017).

The statement in the report which states that exercising without maintaining a healthy diet does not contribute to weight loss is, I believe, true. A recent study proved that eating food then exercising is not the solution. As obesity is a result of a bad diet rather than lack of exercise (Campbell, 2015). A study was carried out involving 811 overweight adults chosen randomly. The participants were assigned to four different diets containing different percentages of fat, protein and carbohydrates. The results of the study show that all participants lost an average of 6kg; however, some lost more than others depending on the diet followed (Anon, 2009). This supports the claim that, to lose weight, a healthy diet must be followed.

In conclusion, the report states healthful ways to prevent as well as reverse type 2 diabetes, which will have an advantageous outcome, in both the individual’s health and the cost burden of treatment on the National Health System (NHS). Moreover, the report recommends a change in dietary guidelines in the United Kingdom. If recommendations are followed, the incidence of obesity in the United Kingdom will ultimately decrease.

References:

Anon, (2009). Comparison of Weight-Loss Diets with Different Compositions of Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates. [online] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763382/ [Accessed 27 Nov. 2017].

Campbell, D. (2015). Exercise is good … but it won't help you lose weight, say doctors. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/22/obesity-owes-more-to-bad-diet-than-lack-of-exercise-say-doctors [Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].

National Obesity Forum. (2017). Available at: https://phcuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Eat-Fat-Cut-The-Carbs-and-Avoid-Snacking-To-Reverse-Obesity-and-Type-2-Diabetes-National-Obesity-Forum-Public-Health-Collaboration.pdf [Accessed 27 Nov. 2017].

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