Obese people are in denial...

According to a recent study "OBESE PEOPLE ARE IN DENIAL OVER HOW MUCH SUGAR THEY EAT".  Apparently a huge gap exists between how much fat people think they consume and what they really consume.

Researchers claim to have found the strongest link yet between sugar and obesity, they noted that people with a sweet tooth were more likely to be overweight.  A team of scientists from the universities of Reading, Cambridge and Arizona State compared the sugar intake of 1,700 people living in Norfolk, UK.

In order to do this, they used two methods: self-reported consumption, where the participants report what they think they have consumed, and sugar levels in urine samples - recognized as a more accurate and objective test.

After 3 years the participants had their Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated.

The results found that the participants who actually consumed the most sugar, as measured using the urine test, were 54% more likely to be overweight than those who ate less sugar.

You may not find this surprising, however, the obese participants tended to misrepresent how much sugar they were consuming.  Those who SAID they were eating the most sugar were actually 44% less likely to be obese than those who claimed to be consuming the lowest amounts.

So, why do people have a different perception of what they eat to what they REALLY DO EAT?  I think there are at least two factors involved here:

1. Back in December 2014 I wrote a post about Mindless Eaters.  Whether you have a weight problem or not, we all tend to forget a large amount of what we eat during the day.  The only way to fully understand how much we really eat and drink is to write it down at the same moment.  If you wait until the end of the day and rely on memory you will have forgotten a fair chunk of it.
2. Hidden sugars.  Most people (with or without weight issues) are fairly oblivious to how much sugar is in their diet.  Sugars come in many disguises and lots of people tend to associate sugar with sweet things like chocolate, cakes and biscuits.  However, refined carbohydrates such as white rice, pasta, and white bread are high in sugar and have a devastating affect on health.  There are also high amounts of sugar in processed foods, junk food, even FAT-FREE foods where sugar is added to compensate the lack of flavor once the fat is removed.

It is only recently that scientists have discovered that fat doesn't make us fat but sugar does.  The evidence has been staring us in the face for decades but lobbying from the sugar industry has been quite successful at diverting out attention.

So, I think it is unfair to say that "OBESE PEOPLE ARE IN DENIAL", I think we are ALL in denial about how much sugar we REALLY consume on a daily basis.

Why not do a little test of your own.  For one week, before going to bed write down what you have eaten and drunk during the day.  Then they following week, do the same BUT writing it down as soon as you eat and drink something and then compare the two.  Also analyze WHAT you have eaten and drunk during the day for sugar content.

Next week, I will explain how our bodies react to different sugars and why it is so toxic.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com