Government Makes You Fat
Steven Malanga at City Journal writes:

According to Scientific American, growing research into carbohydrate-based diets has demonstrated that the medical establishment may have harmed Americans by steering them toward carbs. Research by Meir Stampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard, concludes that diets rich in carbohydrates that are quickly digestible--that is, with a high glycemic index, like potatoes, white rice, and white bread--give people an insulin boost that increases the risk of diabetes and makes them far more likely to contract cardiovascular disease than those who eat moderate amounts of meat and fewer carbs. Though federal guidelines now emphasize eating more fiber-rich carbohydrates, which take longer to digest, the incessant message over the last 30 years to substitute carbs for meat appears to have done significant damage. And it doesn't appear that the government will change its approach this time around. The preliminary recommendations of a panel advising the FDA on the new guidelines urge people to shift to "plant-based" diets and to consume "only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry and eggs."

The public-health establishment has been sluggish about reversing course before. Starting in the 1970s, for instance, the American Heart Association advised people to reduce drastically their consumption of eggs as part of a goal to limit total cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day (a single egg can have 250 milligrams). The recommendation, seconded by government and other public-health groups, prompted a sharp drop in the consumption of eggs, a food that nutritionists praise as low in calories and high in nutrients. In 2000, the AHA revised its restrictions on eggs to one a day (from a onetime low of three a week), but it also recommended reducing consumption of other cholesterol-heavy foods to compensate. Similarly, the federal government's dietary guidelines still recommend intake of no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily, which makes egg consumption difficult unless one excludes most other animal products. To what purpose? A 2004 article in The Journal of Nutrition that looked at worldwide studies of egg consumption noted that the current restrictions on eating eggs are "unwarranted for the majority of people and are not supported by scientific data."

...Now the Bloomberg administration is trying to push food manufacturers nationwide to reduce their use of salt--and the nutrition panel advising the FDA on the new guidelines similarly recommends reducing salt intake to a maximum of 1,500 milligrams daily (down from 2,300 a day previously). Yet Dr. Michael Alderman, a hypertension specialist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, observed in the New York Times that because sodium is an essential component of our diets, the city's effort amounts to a giant uncontrolled experiment with the public's health that could have unintended consequences. And in 2006, Harvard Medical School professor Norman Hollenberg concluded that while some people benefit from reduced salt intake, the evidence "is too inconsistent and generally too small to mandate policy decisions at the community level."

I lived off-base in Korea for a summer. For the large part, I ate a medium portion of meat, many veggies and rice. I lost weight and didn't even notice. What told me is when I pulled a pair of jeans out in fall and I had lost two inches.

Jim P. at August 1, 2010 5:31 AM

the evidence "is too inconsistent and generally too small to mandate policy decisions at the community level."

And when has that ever stopped a bureacracy?

lujlp at August 1, 2010 6:00 AM

This just reinforces my distrust of government and politicians who want to tell people how to live, what to eat, watch, etc . I purchased Gary Taubes' "Good Calories, Bad Calories" after Amy linked to it several times. Since starting the Atkins diet four months ago I've lost 65 pounds.

I feel good physically, and am happy with my progress. However, I'm angry with myself for following the government's dietary advice. I've always had a mistrust of politicians and big government, but for some reason believed the government guidelines for nutrition.

JFP at August 1, 2010 11:32 AM

Amy Alkon

https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/08/government-make.html#comment-1738808">comment from JFP

Wow - how thrilling that you've lost 65 pounds.

Amy Alkon at August 1, 2010 11:34 AM

The preliminary recommendations of a panel advising the FDA on the new guidelines urge people to shift to "plant-based" diets and to consume "only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry and eggs."

I'm guessing that this recommendation has a political taint to it. To some of these people, animal husbandry and meaticulture (is that a word?) is tantamount to raping the earth and condemning us to global warming. I wouldn't trust it.

mpetrie98 at August 1, 2010 8:15 PM

I've been on here lamenting before on my diet issues.

But I've recently re-discovered eggs. At approx. one-hundred calories a piece, I can eat three eggs for breakfast and make it to my evening meal without my normal drastic drop in blood sugar. If and when I eat my frozen vegetable servings at approx. the same amount of calories, I am shaking and irritable. I have always had low cholesterol and blood pressure, so I'm not too worried about negative effects.

Now, I just need to limit my soda and excessive alcohol intake on the weekends. I'm not too concerned about loosing weight, but I would love to loose a few inches so I can wear all of my old clothes.

Cat at August 2, 2010 7:19 AM

Amy Alkon

https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/08/government-make.html#comment-1738942">comment from Cat

Don't be too sure low cholesterol is such a good thing. You need to look at HDL to LDL, triglyceride level, whether LDL particles are large and fluffy (good) or small and dense (bad).

I eat green vegetables drenched in butter, and I'm about as likely to drink a can of soda these days as I am to drink a bottle of motor oil. If you are eating carbs/drinking soda, you're not going to see the effects like others are who've gone very low carb. (My carb consumption is tiny -- only the few that are in green vegetables, cheese, etc.)

Amy Alkon at August 2, 2010 7:51 AM

Just drove past a Sports Authority - anyone find it odd that the people working in a sports gear shop are so out of shape?

lujlp at August 2, 2010 9:02 AM

Alcohol, also, has an undeserved bad reputation. In moderation, alcohol may actually REDUCE your risk of heart disease.

So, why do governmental organizations and the AHA still condemn it? Two reasons. One, the findings are thus far inconclusive, mostly from a failure of solid studies into the matter. And two, they are worried about the social ramifications of encouraging people to drink it, which is why they will likely not be doing any studies which would satisfy them.

But, if you are doing everything else right, a little weekend drinking probably won't hurt you. Mind you, the key in all these studies is moderation. But, as long as your alcohol consumption over the weekends is moderate (say, 2-3 drinks on Saturday evening), you should be okay. If you are drinking more than that, it might be time to make a change.

Yresim at August 6, 2010 4:54 PM

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