The influence of nutrition on obesity

Abstract

The causes of obesity have often been linked to overconsumption and a lack of physical exercise. While these two factors may be crucial in the regulation of body weight, the impact of nutrition on obesity has often been overlooked. People in modern days consume copious amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods and sugary products, having the misconception that as long as their calorie intake is kept to a minimum, their weight would be kept in check as well. However, this notion only applies when carbohydrate intake is kept in control too. The onslaught of misinformation on health and nutrition in America ever since the 1950s also led to the drastic reduction in saturated fats and cholesterol in the diets. This resulted in the replacement of essential nutrients with carbohydrates and vegetable oils in the modern diets. As carbohydrates and sugars do not have satiety levels as high as saturated fats and cholesterol, this led many people to resort to increasing their intake in sugar and starch, which resulted in the rise of modern metabolic diseases, especially obesity and diabetes, the twin diseases. The hormone, insulin, is vital for the management of obesity due to the effects it has on body fat accumulation and deposition. High-fat, carbohydrate-restricted diets have been found to be largely successful in treating obesity despite having the participants consuming the same calories of food as before. However, not all fats are created equal. Hydrogenated vegetable oils, just like sugars, can wreak havoc on the body and health. Trans-fats produced in hydrogenated vegetable oils have been linked to severe health complications, including cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and cancer. It is thus important to choose the right types of food in our diet, not just the right amount.