Tips for Healthy Eating

Consequences of a poor dietExplore factors that contribute to excess weight

Provide recommendations for healthy eating

Dave Elger, MA Area III Health Promotion Coordinator

Consequences of a Poor Diet in the U.S.

• Obesity- 78 million adults, 12.5 million children • Diabetes- 26 million, 79 million are at risk• High blood pressure- Nearly 67 million• Heart disease- 80 million. Leading cause of death in U.S. for men

and women (1 in 4, or close to 1 million per year). • Osteoporosis- 10 million, another 34 million have low bone

density• Cancer- 1.2 million annually, 500,000 die. Over 30% are

attributed to diet. • Metabolic Syndrome affects about 35% of adults

year Female PFC Male PFC 2009 170 185 2010 189 220 2011 205* 243

Body fat 34% 28% Fat wt. 70 lbs 68 lbs Ideal wt 164-173 206-213

The Weight Gain You See Below IS NOT UNCOMMON!

The Army Struggles with Weight Loss

Army Attempted wt loss

Difficulty Meeting Wt Standard

males 49.5% 18.2%

females 72.2% 28.8%

total 53.8% 19.7%

2005 DOD Health Habits Survey

Does Army Food Contribute to Weight Gain?

• If that were true, overweight soldiers would lose weight when the go on leave, and we know that’s usually not the case.

Inactivity?

• Many soldiers gain weight following forced inactivity due to injury (or voluntary inactivity such as leave).

I believe that weight gain during inactivity can be controlled with a change in diet.

The Toxic Food Environment Theory• The problem isn't so much people's lack of

self-control, he said. It's a "toxic food environment"--the strips of fast-food restaurants along America's roadways, the barrage of burger advertising on television and the rows of candies at the checkout counter of any given convenience store.

-Dr. Kelly Brownell

Too Much Sugar*high fructose corn syrup, sugar

King size Coke at Burger King

= 42 oz, 390 calories, and 104 grams of

sugar!

Now that’s ridiculous!

•Liquids contribute 21% of total calorie intake in the U.S.•Average intake of soft drinks is more than 50 gallons per person annually in the U.S.

1822, we ate the amount of added sugar in one 12 ounce can of soda every 5 days, while today we get that much

sugar every 7 hours..

Sources of sugar in the American diet- half or more are liquid!

Too Much Insulin

• The problem is the (simple) carbohydrates in the diet, their effect on insulin secretion

• Sugars—sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup specifically—are particularly harmful

“Good Calories Bad Calories” - Gary Taubes

Average American Diet promotes insulin production

Gary Taubes

When insulin levels are elevated—either chronically or after a meal—we accumulate fat in our fat tissue. When insulin levels fall, we release fat from our fat tissue and use it for fuel.

Conclusion: Reduce body fat by decreasing portions of simple carbohydrates (or perhaps by decreasing insulin resistance in the muscle)

Fruit and Vegetable Deficiency

• Only 11%- 12% of Active duty personnel reported consuming three or more servings per day of fruits and vegetables.

• On the other hand, more than 8% of service members reported consuming unhealthy snack foods at least two times per day and nearly 20% consume sugary drinks daily.

2011 Health Related Behaviors Survey of

Active Duty Military Personnel

Infrequent Eating

Studies would strongly suggest that infrequent eating is almost always associated with higher body fat levels.

-Within Day Energy Balance

Don’t let yourself get too hungry by planning ahead.

Infrequent Eating

• The long awaited vacation you’ve been saving up for is going to require 45 gallons of gasoline. Your tank only holds 15 gallons. How do you make the trip with only one stop?

• That’s the analogy Dan Benardot uses to explain how the body responds to long periods without eating. In order to complete the trip, you have to find a way to expand the gas tank, or if you are human, store more fat.

Not Enough Fiber“Overweight/obese consistently report lower fiber intake than individuals with normal weight or overweight “ -Trends in dietary fiber intake in the United States, 1999-2008

“The more calories you eat each day, the more fiber you need; teens and men may require upwards of 30 to 35 grams per day or more.

Yet the average American eats only 15 grams of dietary fiber a day.” -Harvard School of Public Health

Excess Fat, Salt, Sugar

• “Foods high in fat, salt and sugar alter the brain's chemistry in ways that compel people to overeat”

• “Conditioned hyper eating is a biological challenge, not a character flaw”-

People do not

crave vegetables!

Eating More Too Many CaloriesU.S. ave daily calorie intake 1970 vs 2003 (Economic Research Service data)

1970 2003 >Cal/day• Fats, oils 53 86 216• Grains 136 194 188• Sugar, sweeteners 119 142 76• Meat, eggs, nuts 226 242 24• Vegetables 337 418 16• Fruit 242 275 14• Dairy 564 594 -11• Total 1,675 1,950 275

Medications That May Contribute to Weight Gain

• Antidepressants• Steroids• Drugs to treat mood disorders, migraines, diabetes, high

blood pressure, seizures, heart burn, asthma, arthritis,

Possible mechanisms: > appetite, fluid retention, >fatigue, <metabolism, <glucose absorption

If you suspect that you’re putting on weight because of a medication you’re

taking, talk to your doctor. You may be advised to stop taking the medication,

switch to one associated with less or no weight gain or even weight loss or

take a lower dose. Never stop taking a drug without consulting your doctor

“Obesity and its causes have, in many ways, become woven into the fabric of our society”-

-Harvard School of Public Health

What Can You Do?

Eat Less Processed Foods

• Most of the foods that you eat should come from the refrigerator, not the pantry.

Don’t Eat Anything That Didn’t Exist 100 Years Ago!

Research what others are doing!

Shapefit.com

Cut the Sugar*!*high fructose corn syrup

One way to spot a food product with high quantities of sugar is to look at whether sugar, in one form or another, is listed as one of the first few ingredients on the food label.

Reducing or eliminating sugar in the diet is recognized by many as the most important dietary change you can make to improve health.

American adults eat 22 teaspoons of sugar a day; teens eat 34 teaspoons

Syrup Cane Crystals Corn sweetener Dehydrated Cane JuiceDextrin DextroseFructose Fruit juice concentrateGlucose High-fructose corn syrupHoney LactoseMaltodextrin MaltoseMolasses SaccharoseSucrose Xylose

Sugar is often disguised on food labels.

1822, we ate the amount of added sugar in one 12 ounce can of soda every 5 days, while today we get that much

sugar every 7 hours..

Sources of sugar in the American diet- half or more are liquid!

Insulin Resistance Diet

• “It is not the carbohydrates that cause weight gain, but lack of protein and excess of carbohydrates in one sitting. The authors recommend carbs and protein be consumed in the ratio of 15g : 7 g. The max. amount of carb. Allowed per meal or snack is 30 g, and this must be linked with at least 14 g of protein. No more than 32 g of carbs may be consumed within 2 hours (1 cup rice= 44 gms)

• -Cheryle R. Hart, M.D, and Mary kay Grossman R.D.

Carbohydrate Portions

“….poor diet rather than lack of exercise may play a key role in the weight gain observed in the military.”

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

• Choose your dining facility over fast food as often as is possible

• Eat an apple at lunch (goal= 1 apple per day)• Fill your plate with vegetables at least 2 meals every day• Bring cut up veggies to work• Include a fruit or vegetable for breakfast• Stock up at the commissary or off-post markets

A healthy weight loss nutrition plan must include an abundance of vegetables and fruit!!

GOAL: 3 fruits and at least 5-6 servings of vegetables on 6 days a week

Increase Availability F & V

Increase Fiber Intake

• Fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts are high in fiber• Choose high fiber cereals• Purchase only whole wheat bread and pasta• Goal= 25-30 gms daily (Ave American diet = 15 gms)

High fiber diets are low calorie, digest more slowly, and are linked to lower body weight.

Reduce Portions by Snacking and Not Skipping

Meals

More for less is not a better deal!

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 12” Turkey and Ham Sub

Make educated decisions when eating out

The sub weighs 3x as much as the cheeseburger- more filling

Burger King Whopper Value Meal

• Calories 1370• Sodium 1560 mg • Total Fat 58 g • Saturated 14 g • Trans Fat 1 gm• Total Carbs 186 g• Sugars 88 g • Protein 32 g

Medium fries= 49 grams of carbs Medium Coke= 77 grams of carbsSource: bk.com

Eat protein –at every meal

• 25 grams 3 oz serving of beef, chicken or

fish• 14 grams 2 oz of nuts or ½ cup cottage

cheese• 8 grams 1 cup skim milk• 7 grams 1 egg

Eat fish 2 x week!

.5 to .75 gms per pound body wt per day

How Protein Plays a Role in Weight Loss

• Helps to preserve muscle during weight loss• Serves as an effective appetite suppressant

(filling)• Requires additional energy to metabolize

A healthy weight loss nutrition plan should include .5-.75 grams of protein per lb body wt spread throughout the day

Japanese vs American

Eat More Like the Japanese!Very low fat, balanced. Highly processed, high fat, sugar

Eat Slowly

• It takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out signals of fullness

• Eating slowly and feel full sooner

Eat Soup As a First Course

• Subjects ate less calories after being given broth base soup compared to water before a meal and stayed satisfied longer.

-From Volumetrics, Barbara Rolls, PhD

Use the Healthy Eating Plate

Sample Dinners

Plan Ahead

• Don’t let yourself get too hungry• Pack your healthy snacks• Don’t shop hungry

You don’t have to be perfect!

but remember....

“if you buy it you will eat it!”

Why not exercise on that cheat day?

Use Technology• Fitbit uses a three-dimensional accelerometer

to sense user movement and measure data such as the number of steps walked, quality of sleep, and other personal metrics

myfitnsspal.com

• Free online nutrition and exercise tracker that provides the user with regular feedback on calories consumed and expended.

Eating Summary for Healthy Weight Loss

• Replace processed foods with real food often. • Eliminate as much sugar as possible• 5-6 veggies plus 2 fruits daily• Eat 25 or more grams of fiber daily• Watch your portions of high carbohydrate/fat meals• Never let yourself get too hungry• Make wise decisions when eating out (do it sparingly)• Eat some protein at every meal• Eat nuts and beans daily• Plan ahead

Review

Weight gain is likely due to a combination of the following factors-

• Too many Calories consumed• Too much processed carbohydrate (sugar, etc

including liquids)• Insulin resistance promoting fat storage• Reduced fat burning by muscle tissue

Healthy Foods Shopping List

• Whole grains including cereal, pasta, rice, crackers, noodles, and bread. Make sure they are 100% whole wheat!

• Vegetables-Get a mixture of colors- tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, carrots

• Fruit- Take turns buying apples, bananas, citrus, berries, grapes, and other seasonal fruit.

• Fish- 2 meals a week with tuna, mackeral, herring, sardines, or salmon as a side or main course

• Beans- A scoop of kidney or pinto beans daily!

Healthy Foods List (cont.)

• Eggs and other Protein- Eggs, poultry, lean meat, tofu• Olives- A good source of healthy fat, get a handful a

day• Nuts- A couple handfuls a day. Enjoy a variety

(almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachio, walnuts)• Tea- Compounds found in tea are thought to provide a

number of health benefits. • Low fat dairy- In moderation, low fat dairy products

such as milk cheese, and yogurt provide calcium and are linked to lower risk of hypertension and diabetes.

If you eat this way your health will improve!

Need to

lose

weight?

1-2 lb

s /

week

Questions?

Health Promotion

Medical Clinic

USAG Humphreys

753-3253