Emotional eating
WebMd defines emotional overating as "the practice of consuming large quanites of food - usually comfort or junk foods - in response to feelings instead of hunger". Emotional eating is one way to cope with stress and difficult issues. Not a good way - And it's one of the biggest reasons why people overeat. Nutritionist Andrea Wenger Hess explains: "Food never solves the problem, and usually it just contributes to a cycle of guilt, low self-esteem and overeating. Get to the root of the problem. Food is meant for physical nourishment, not for emotional comfort, reward or punishment." (examiner.com)
She thought she ate 2,300 calories - Photo diary revealed it was 6,083
Researchers say that taking photos of food before you eat will help change your habits. The Sun challenged serial dieter Corrina to keep photographic evidence of everything she ate during a day. It was a massive wake-up call. She believed she was eating 2,300 calories a day, but discovered she was consuming 3 times the recommended daily calorie intake. The photos also acted as a powerful reminder of any snacking binges. "With the photographic evidence I couldn't fool myself any longer. The photo diary is hard solid proof of why I am overweight: I eat and drink too many of the wrong foods, simple as that." (thesun.co.uk)
Artificial sweetener followed by no calories makes the body crave extra food?
A study which demonstrated that rats fed on artificial sweetener still put on weight has puzzled researchers. Scientists believe that a sweet taste followed by no calories may make the body crave extra food. Conventional wisdom says that, as part of a calorie controlled diet, artificial sweeteners can help losing weight. But the study turns that wisdom on its head. Scientists gave different yoghurt to rats: with sugar, and with saccharin. They were then given a supply of food: The saccharin-fed mice ate more calories, put on more fat, and gained more weight than their sugar-fed counterparts. (bbc)
Emotional eaters most prone to regaining weight
People who overeat when they are depressed or anxious tend to have the hardest time losing weight and keeping it off, finds a study published in the journal Obesity. "We found that the more people report eating in response to thoughts and feelings, such as, 'When I feel lonely, I console myself by eating,' the less weight they lost in a behavioural weight loss program. ...those who report emotional eating are more likely to regain." (ctv)
Pushing kids to diet, teasing them often leads to weight gain
Pushing kids to diet and teasing them about their weight is more likely to lead to weight gain than weight loss, says a study. For parents concerned about their overweight teens, research suggests the best tactic might be to just relax and cook a healthy dinner. Parents should focus on creating a positive atmosphere at mealtimes, promoting physical activity and building self-esteem. (foxnews)
Stress Makes a Bad Diet More Fattening - Around the waist
The combination of chronic stress and a junk-food diet causes more weight gain than the diet would on its own - research in mice shows. The study identified the biochemistry responsible for the effect, suggesting a possible target for future weight-loss drugs. In the study, the combination of psychological stress and a "junk-food diet" led mice to put on fat, particularly around the waist and lower abdomen. The mice developed problems similar to those that arise in abdominally obese people, including high blood pressure and impaired glucose tolerance. (usnews)
Fidgeting gene found for weight loss - 10 times less physically active
Mice that lack the gene for a brain-signalling chemical are 10 times less physically active and carry twice as much body fat as their control counterparts, a study shows. The researchers speculate that mutations in this gene - brain specific homeobox transcription factor (Bsx) - could explain why some people fidget less than others and as a result put on more weight, even on a healthy diet. (newscientist)
A lifestyle change can bust your diet
Sometimes just trying to keep things together is difficult enough. At times like these worrying about your diet can seem unimportant. However, with a few simple moves, you can avoid those diet-busting situations. Getting married: There is a direct relationship between marriage and weight gain. A study found an average gain of 6-8 pounds over a 2-year period after getting married. Having children: For the first few months, the challenges of parenting can seem overwhelming, and eating healthfully may feel impossible. Not to mention that new moms often struggle with losing the extra pounds they gained during pregnancy. (ocregister)
Bad diet, not lack of exercise is behind child obesity crisis
Poor nutrition is the cause of obesity in children, not lack of physical activity. Professor Terence Wilkin said the crisis was being caused by larger portion sizes of unhealthy foods. His research undermines the Government's strategy to cut child obesity by focusing on more sports facilities. He said there was no evidence at all that physical education lessons have impact on a child's weight. In any case the amount of physical activity children undertake is determined by their genes. Almost 15% of children under ten are now obese compared to 10% in 1997. (dailymail)
Gut bacteria tied to weight gain
Obese people have a distinctive mix of bacteria in their digestive systems that seems to make them prone to gaining weight, a discovery that could lead to new ways to fight the obesity. Obese people have more digestive microbes that are efficient at extracting calories from food, and the proportion of these digesting organisms ebbs as the people lose weight. Moreover, when the scientists transplanted these bacteria from obese mice into lean mice, the thin animals start getting fat. This provides more support for the theory that the bacteria that populate the intestine play an important role in regulating weight. (washingtonpost)
Food Nutrition Labels Challenging For Many People
Researchers have found that the reading and math skills of a many people may not be sufficient to extract the needed information on food nutrition labels. Study asked subjects to interpret food labels, such as determining carbohydrate or caloric content of an amount of food consumed. The other part asked to choose which of two foods had more or less of a certain nutrient. Only 32% could correctly calculate the amount of carbohydrates consumed in a 20-ounce bottle of soda that had 2.5 servings in the bottle. Only 60% could calculate the number of carbohydrates consumed if they ate half a bagel, when the serving size was a whole bagel. (sciencedaily)
Not getting enough sleep can make you fat
If you¡¯ve tried to lose weight, you know it¡¯s not easy. Some dieters who are eating less and exercising more still have a hard time losing weight. Why? One answer may lie in their sleep habits. Recent studies show a strong relationship between sleep deprivation and weight gain, even though we don¡¯t know exactly why this occurs. Here are some findings: People who slept less than 6 hours a night experienced an increase in their body mass index more than those who slept 7-8 hours. People who slept less than eight hours a day had larger increases in body fat than those who slept more. (msnbc)
Portion Distortion May Contribute To Expanding Waistlines
Research shows that people's perceptions of normal portion sizes have changed in the past 20 years. "Portion sizes of all foods and beverages served and packaged for single-serve have dramatically increased over the last two decades," said Jaime Schwartz. Typical portions of orange juice were 40% larger in the present day study than they were 20 years ago. This provides 50 additional calories and could equal a five pound weight gain over the course of one year. Participants served themselves nearly 20% more cornflakes and poured almost 30% more milk on their cereal than 20 years ago. (sciencedaily)
Toxic sugar-filled manufactured foods diets fuel obesity
The increase in childhood obesity is being caused by addiction to "toxic", sugar-filled manufactured foods, said Health expert Robert Lustig. High-sugar, low-fibre diets cause hormone imbalances. Too much fructose [fruit sugar] and too little fibre in foods both act to boost insulin levels. Insulin acts on the brain to encourage eating by blocking signals that travel from the body's fat stores to the brain and by stimulating a pleasurable dopamine "rush" after eating. Food processing had changed with sugar being added to a wide variety of foods that never used to have it, and fibre being removed from many foods to create "essentially addictive" foods. (bbc)