Don't Judge a Box by its Cover

Nutritional labels on prepared foods are meant to guide consumers in making healthy choices. What has evolved in recent years are scores of empty and misleading claims requiring time and perhaps a college degree to decipher which foods really are “good for you.”

Common misleading food labeling includes empty claims that imply health benefits which have no backing. Among these are “Made with natural flavor,” “Doctor recommended,” and “Made with natural goodness.”

Some claims are accurate but don't give the consumer additional information such as pasta packages labeled “no cholesterol” — Plain pasta does not contain cholesterol! More misleading are labels such as on Edy's Dibs Bite Sized Snacks. They boast “0 grams of trans fat!” giving the impression that these chocolate covered morsels of ice cream are heart healthy when in fact a serving contains 16 grams of saturated fat. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibit companies from boasting of “0 grams trans fat” on products with more than one gram of saturated food per serving.

Don't Believe the Hype

Many labels for fruit-flavored items suggest that products offer the health benefits of fresh fruit when in reality, real fruit is found in small quantities if at all. Gerber Graduates Juice Treats-marketed for preschoolers- depict six different fruits on the package. The product actually contains grape juice concentrate and less than two percent raspberry and apple juice concentrate. The main ingredients are corn syrup and sugar, 17 grams worth, or about four teaspoons of refined sugars per serving.

One of the most widely used claims capitalizes on the food pyramid's recommendation that “at least half of recommended total grain intake should be whole grains.”^[5] Bread, cereal, cracker and even cookie packages often feature their whole grain and high fiber content. Yet these products often have refined flour as the first ingredient and a minimal amount of whole grains. Furthermore, a number of products which claim to be good sources of fiber are peddling fiber not from traditional sources such as whole grains, beans, vegetables or fruit, but from “isolated fibers” made from chicory root or purified powders of polydextrose and other substances. Unlike traditional sources of fiber, isolated fibers have not been shown to lower blood sugar or cholesterol, two of the key benefits of eating fiber.^[3].

Kellogg’s Froot Loops cereal boxes tout “Good Source of FIBER & Made with WHOLE GRAIN.” (A green leaf adorns the ampersand further fostering the image of healthy food.) While Froot Loops boxes list whole grains among the first five ingredients, the first ingredient is sugar. Ditto for many cereals and cookies labeled “made with whole grains.“

While the Center for Science in the Public Interest continues to urge the FDA to crack down on false and misleading food labeling, consumers can take proactive steps towards better nutrition. Read labels discriminately. When faced with choices among products (such as different yogurts), compare the nutritional facts and choose products with less saturated and trans fats and sugar, fewer artificial ingredients, and more nutrients such as protein and vitamins.

Eat more foods without labels, the foods your great-grandparents would recognize. As food guru Michael Pollan says, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

– Healthcare Author, Sima Michaels Dembo

References:

1. Center for the Science in the Public Interest, www.cspinet.org/new/200912291.html
2. Niman, Nicolette Hahn “Defending &rlquo;Foodies’: A Rancher Takes a Bite out of B.R. Myers,“ February 17, 2011, theatlantic.com/life/archive
3. Parker-Pope, Tara, “Six Meaningless Claims on Food Labels,“ New York Times, January 28, 2010.
4. Wikipedia, Nutritional Facts Label
5. DietaryGuidelines.com

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High Calorie Diet?

The International Food Information Council Foundation conducted an online survey between February 19 and March 11 called the "2009 Food & Health Survey, Consumer Attitudes toward Food, Nutrition & Health" to study how Americans are managing their weight.

• The survey found that 53 percent of American respondents are trying to lose weight, while 25 percent are trying to maintain weight. Seventy one percent were found to be changing the types of food they eat, 62 percent were engaging in physical activity, 44 percent were changing how often they eat and 19 percent were counting calories.
• Forty four percent did not experience results quickly, 43 percent reported a lack of willpower and 40 percent cited a lack of time when it came to making an effort to lose or maintain weight.

The survey also attributed problems with weight control to a general confusion about the relationship between calories and weight gain.

Only 30% believe that calories in general are what cause weight gain, while just 11% correctly estimated the number of calories a person of their age, weight and height should consume per day. Close to half (47%) overestimated, 16% underestimated and 26% didn’t even venture to guess. [1]

Next Steps

You can read more weight loss and obesity articles, or read Dr Aron’s Obesity FAQ

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You Can Start Losing Weight — Today!

WeightLossNYC™ provides non-surgical approach to the treatment of obesity and overweight conditions. Our weight loss programs are based on the latest developments in the fields of nutrition and weight control. You will be treated by a Bariatric Physician and Weight Loss Expert, Oksana Aron, M.D. She is medical doctor with special training in Bariatric Medicine and specializes in the treatment of overweight and obese patients.

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• What is the program? How does it work?
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• Do I qualify? Am I overweight?

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Weight Loss NYC Diet Tips

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Overweight Ain’t So Great

A recent study found that healthy, nonsmoking white adults whose body mass index (BMI) indicated they were overweight had a 13% greater risk of death than those with a normal BMI. Obese subjects faced an increased risk ranging from 44% to 88%.

Visit WeightLossNYC.com to check your BMI

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is one measure of height and weight used to determine overweight or obesity. Overweight begins at a BMI measurement of 25, obese at 30 and morbid obesity at 40.

Obesity & Mortality

Two-thirds of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. A 5-foot 6-inch person is considered overweight at 155 pounds, obese at 186 pounds and morbidly obese at 248 pounds.

The study’s conclusions, published in late 2010 in the New England Journal of Medicine, are similar to those of three other large studies. The body of evidence supporting the finding that being even slightly overweight is associated with an increased risk of death is continuing to grow. It debunks the notion that a “few extra pounds” might actually be good for one’s health.

Even being a little overweight increases the risk of early death

The government–funded study analyzed 19 long term studies using each person’s BMI and checked to see who died during a five to 28 year follow up period. The researchers focused on people who were healthy at the study’s start, who were nonsmokers and did not have heart disease or cancer. The results were similar for women and men. Evidence suggests that for the same BMI level, African-Americans may have a lower risk of death and Asians a higher risk. Further research is needed to confirm this.

Lose Weight Every Week

Now is the best time to lose weight quickly and protect your health:

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Fast, Healthy Weight Loss

With the spotlight on childhood obesity, many families and schools are trying to address overweight and obesity as school begins. I have heard lots of chatter about what people are planning to do, and I want to share some pointers from recent research and clinical experience.

1. Assess what you eat and drink.

   A simple way to do this is to write down everything that you eat or drink for a few days. Look at the list and attack the sources of empty calories. The likely offenders are sweet tea, sugared soda, bread, french fries and chips. Dietitians and weight loss programs also recommend writing down what you eat because it makes you think twice before eating.

2. Eliminate junk food.

   Eliminating junk food may be all that you need to do if you are drinking regular soda, and are eating “nabs” and potato chips. I often hear, “But I don’t eat much of it.” However, the unwelcome truth is that just a little sugar and starch can turn off your body’s ability to lose weight. Some people, I fear, are very sensitive to sugar, and need to get it out of their lives completely.

3. Follow a program.

   Lifestyle programs use many different approaches. It is okay to count calories, fat grams or carbohydrate grams to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Other preferences may lead you toward vegetarian or meat-based approaches. Internet support groups, diet books, packaged food programs and work-site groups can all help. (I don’t know of any legitimate lifestyle program that promotes eating “junk food.”)

4. Seek help if you take medication, or if you can’t do it on your own.

   Some patients tell me that changing what they eat is difficult, even “the hardest thing that that they’ve ever done.” Under medical supervision, medications and “prescription-strength” diets may be necessary to overcome hunger. If you have medical problems like diabetes or high blood pressure, these conditions need to be monitored if you are making a major change in your diet.

5. Have your health measurements checked periodically.

   While there are many recommendations for “healthy eating,” you cannot know what foods are best for you unless you have certain tests checked by your doctor. I see people who are frustrated because even though they are doing everything that they have been told for general healthiness, they look and feel unhealthy. In many instances, the “general recommendations” are not appropriate for individual people.

I have seen “lifestyle therapy” improve or eliminate type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, sleep apnea, asthma and many other health problems that are so common today.

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