To Lose Weight, Count Your Calories

March 06, 2009

One in three Americans are overweight and another third are obese. So a lot of people are trying to lose weight. But what is the best diet? Is it better to eat more protein, or more carbohydrates, or less fats?

A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine (360;9;859, 2009) makes it simple – it doesn’t matter which diet you use if you count the calories.

Obesity is on of the most important health problems in the United States. It leads to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. It can even cause a type of problem called sleep apnea where breathing stops for a moment during sleep.

The people in this study were divided into groups and each group tried a different type of diet for two years. All the groups felt equally satisfied with their level of hunger and with their type of diet. All the dieters got healthier from losing weight - they all lowered their blood levels of lipids (fats) and their risk of diabetes. It didn't matter if they were male or female, if they had more money or less money, how old they were or what part of the country they came from. One thing that really helped the people who lost weight was being part of a group or getting regular instructions during the study.

This study shows that if we are know how many calories we eat at every meal and snack, and reduce the number of calories, we will lose weight. The other important point is that it is helpful to people who diet to get emotional support. Talk to friends or family who are trying to lose weight too, and talk to your doctor about being on a diet. That will help it work better and help you be successful. Choosing healthy foods like fruits and vegetables and exercising help the weight come off even better.

There was a study in France in 2005. Two towns there wanted the kids in their cities to lose weight because too many of them were fat. Everyone was involved: the teachers, the students, the restaurants, the sports associations the TV stations and radio stations. The cities built playgrounds and walking paths and playing fields and hired sports instructors. Half of the children who were overweight lost weight and the whole town got healthier. Now 200 more cities in Europe are trying this. I hope we can try this in America.

Be sure to watch the HealthRock music video Phat Phat Rap (http://www.healthrock.com/cartoons/phat-fat-rap).