{"id":30635,"date":"2012-12-27T18:07:05","date_gmt":"2012-12-27T18:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=30635"},"modified":"2017-04-27T08:09:43","modified_gmt":"2017-04-27T13:09:43","slug":"real-reason-why-were-more-overweight-than-ever-part-i-alan-freishtat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/physical-health\/real-reason-why-were-more-overweight-than-ever-part-i-alan-freishtat\/","title":{"rendered":"Think That’s a Portion? (Part I)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the obesity and overweight epidemic began, there has been no shortage of articles written speculating as to why we are more overweight and sicker than any previous generation. There has been tens of millions of dollars spent trying to find the answer.<\/p>\n

\"French<\/a>It’s a pressing questions, since more than two-thirds of the American population is now overweight, obese or extremely obese. \u00a0Our youth, ages 2-19 have an overweight-obese rate of just over 50%. \u00a0And with this (and the sedentary lifestyle that accompanies most overweight and obese people) comes a myriad of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and emotional issues such as depression. \u00a0As we get older, just getting around from place to place can become a challenge as the chances of arthritis begin to increase from all the extra weight we lug around. \u00a0We end up paying far more money than we normally would on doctor\u2019s visits and medicines.<\/p>\n

Being overweight or obese is an easy way to dramatically reduce quality of life.<\/p>\n

With all of the studies we have produced and all the money spent on research, perhaps it is time to take a look at the very basics of how we gain and how we lose weight. \u00a0We have all heard of a calorie. \u00a0By definition, it approximates the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 kilogram\u00a0of water by 1\u00b0C.\u00a0 What we need to know about calories is that it is the measure of food intake. \u00a03,500 calories is one pound, 7,500 is one kilogram.<\/p>\n

We gain weight when we consume more calories (energy) than we expend, and we lose weight when we expend more calories than we take in, and we maintain weight by keeping our consumption and expenditure even. \u00a0We expend calories through our metabolism, activity and exercise. \u00a0Keeping this in mind, here are a few facts that can help us size up how we have gotten to this regrettable point.<\/p>\n

In the last three decades, the size of portions has increased by two to five times. \u00a0\u201cUnfortunately, waistlines have followed suit,\u201d says Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD, adjunct nutrition professor at New York University and author of\u00a0The Portion Teller Plan\u00a0(Three Rivers 2006).<\/p>\n

When researchers at the University of North Carolina analyzed data from food surveys conducted in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the past decade, they concluded that the average daily energy intake of a U.S. citizen increased from 1,803 kilocalories (kcal) in 1977\u201378 to 2,374 kcal in 2003-06 (Duffey et al. 2011)\u2014a rise of nearly 32%, and more than enough to contribute to our expanding collective girths.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s go back to our basic math. \u00a0If our daily consumption has increased by 572 calories per day and there are 365 days per year, that increases our yearly caloric intake by 208,780 calories more than our consumption 35-40 years ago.<\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s go back to our 3,500 calories per pound. \u00a0We can gain almost 60 pounds per year (28 kilo) before taking calorie usage into account. \u00a0Again, this is the basic mathematics of the situation. \u00a0We eat more, we burn less, and this is the result.<\/p>\n

For the most part, Young says, large quantities of cheap food have distorted our perceptions of what proper portions are supposed to look like. That is, our brains have become accustomed to large and oversized portions. \u201cWe also view a heaping serving of food as a bargain,\u201d she adds. The overload is happening everywhere\u2014in fast-food restaurants, fine-dining establishments, coffee shops and even cherished cookbooks.<\/p>\n

In examining 18 recipes published in every edition of the iconic Joy of Cooking<\/em>\u00a0since it first appeared in 1936, Cornell University scientists found that average calories per serving have jumped 63% in the past 70 years (Wansink & Payne 2009). Changes in serving sizes were determined to be a leading factor behind the increases.<\/p>\n

Making lifestyle changes in order to reduce caloric intake is definitely a daunting task. Where do you start? What are the changes that will yield the best results? Mathew Caddy, MS, RD, has developed 15-point plan for cutting our calories<\/a> though portion-size reduction.<\/p>\n

\n

\"image\"<\/p>\n

Alan Freishtat<\/strong> is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a BEHAVIORAL CHANGE and WELLNESS COACH with over 19 years of professional experience. Alan is the creator and director of the \u201c10 Weeks to Health\u201d program for weight loss. He is available for private coaching sessions, consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs both in his office and by telephone and skype. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at\u00a002-651-8502<\/a> or 050-555-7175<\/a>, or by email at\u00a0alan@alanfitness.com<\/a> Check out the his web site \u2013www.alanfitness.com<\/a> US Line: 516-568-5027<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Think again. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":469,"featured_media":30636,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-physical-health"],"yoast_head":"\nThink That's a Portion? (Part I) - OU Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Large quantities of cheap food have distorted our perceptions of what proper portions should look like. 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