Is Junk Food to Blame for Weight Gain?

junk foodby Lacy Miyasaki

Soda, desserts, and fast food, often referred to as ‘junk food,’ are easily the causes to blame when it comes to weight gain and the talk of obesity in America. However, these foods just may not be the reason according to a new study by the Cornell University lab directors, David Just and Brian Wansink, both PhDs. The researchers studied a nationally demonstrative sample of adults in the United States and found that a consumption of these junk foods is not linked to Body Mass Index for 95% of the population. This does not mean that fast food and sugary desserts can be justified as okay to eat. Research still shows that these foods lead to heart disease and a variety of other health problems. But this does indicate that other factors need to be taken into account when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. David Just explains the following: “If we want a real change, we need to look at the overall diet, and physical activity. Narrowly targeting junk foods is not just ineffective, it may be self-defeating as it distracts from the real underlying causes of obesity” (2015).

The number one cause of obesity that the researchers found is this: many Americans eat too much food. So as the holiday season presents with opportunities to endlessly eat, paying attention to how much food one consumes is extremely important. It is still vital to focus on what kind of food is consumed and to choose the healthiest options. Samantha Heller, a nutritionist at New York University Medical Center commented, “One must be careful not to misinterpret the findings of this study to mean that eating fast food, candy, and soft drinks does not affect the health of children and adults.”

While diet is essential to maintaining a healthy weight, exercise is also key. One of the most effective ways to maintain or lose body weight is to engage in regular, sustained aerobic activity. It can be easy to set aside exercise over the holiday season, but that is the time when it is especially crucial to do so. By following the correct prescription for diet and exercise, and particularly keeping track of how many calories are consumed each day, a healthy weight can be very achievable and maintainable.

Source:
Junk Food Not to Blame for America’s Obesity Epidemic: Study: MedlinePlus. (2015, November
5). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_155541.html

About the Author
Lacy Miyasaki graduated from BYU-Idaho with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science and an emphasis in Health Promotion. She recently began her career with Baysport as the fitness specialist on the Microfocus campus in Provo, Utah. Lacy loves working in corporate wellness and helping individuals achieve their health and fitness goals. In her free time she enjoys hiking, playing sports with her husband, traveling, creating healthy recipes, and spending time with her friends and family.

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