I used to joke that I could gain weight (you know, the unwanted kind) just by looking at food.
Until I read this book I didn’t realize just how close to being right I was.
You see, the problem we have in the US, and as Taubes demonstrates, around the globe, is a problem of misunderstanding what really causes weight gain. We literally have been focusing on the wrong thing in our quest to be healthy, and the result is (growing) obesity.
Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It
Taubes’ book is written for the average person. He takes care to clearly lay out why he believes the medical establishment in the west has been wrong with regard to obesity and weight loss.
The long and short is this: easily digestible carbohydrates cause the body to secrete insulin which messes with the regulation of fat in our bodies. Because carbohydrates are so much a part of western diets, primarily due to cost, but also because the entire notion of a balanced diet is predicated on eating lots of carbs.
The power of insulin to regulate fat cells causes most weight gain, and insulin is secreted because of carbohydrates. Effectively Taubes is arguing that when we eat carbs, we are whacking out the natural (he would argue evolutionary) bodily systems.
Taubes points out that the major flaw in western approaches to weight loss is the fallacy that consumption of too many calories coupled with a sedentary life results in excess weight gain. He destroys this argument by pointing out that non-western cultures, as well as some Native American tribes as early as the 1800s, suffer from obesity even as they have malnutrition to fight. The issue is complicated, but the essence is that too many carbohydrates causes the calories in what ever food we eat to be diverted (by insulin) into fat, rather than to be used as fuel by our bodies.
The book itself is not difficult to read. It builds upon the author’s earlier work Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health
I found the book to be well documented, yet not cumbersome or overly difficult.
I kept wishing that he would cut through to the chase and tell me what I needed to do. The truth is he builds a strong case bit by bit. And the end of the book, while providing suggestions on how to implement his findings, the author points out that there is no simple fix.
I have made some personal changes as a result of reading the book. I have not fully sworn off all carbs, but I have severely limited my daily intake of carbohydrates, and it has proven to be pretty painless.
But I will confess this: high carbohydrate foods are cheap and readily available. Combine that with the decades of sharing the “food pyramid” which suggests that the bulk of our food intake each day should be in the form of grains (read carbs), and you can easily see why obesity is so prevalent across the USA.
That’s my thought. What do you think?
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
So, in a nutshell, is the best practice to cut back on excess carbs and still exercise?
Pretty much, but my take on Taubes’ book is that it is the easily digestible carbs that are the biggest problem. Exercise is simply good for you. But exercise will make you hungry. His point is to focus more on protein than easily digestible carbs.
Gotcha. I had actually skimmed some of the book once when insa it at the library. But, like you said, I wished he’d cut to the chase more quickly. But he seems to favor the paleo eating plan
I generally don’t follow “anti-diets” either. That said, what some consider balanced diets may be too much of a good thing for many people, especially for those who are not particular active. For example, does the average person really need >50g of fat per day? I do think it is important to rethink common food habits from time to time, particularly if things are not working.
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Remember, Taubes’ book is not a diet book or anti-diet book. He is a science journalist who deconstructs the prevailing thinking regarding why obesity is a problem in the West (and non-west).
I’m generally disinclined to follow “anti” diets. Can too much fat or too much sugar (or carbs in general) be a cause for weight gain and persistent weight? Probably. But, your Native American example aside, most of it is probably simple arithmetic of too many calories and too little exertion.
When I take a serious look at my own diet, it’s easy to tell that the extra 20lbs I’m carrying is brought on by over-consumption. I like to think that I don’t eat an excessive amount, but when I added up my dinner last night, it came to over 1200 calories!
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Taubes’ book is not a diet book. I strongly commend it to you. He has scores of examples in addition to the Native American one mentioned.
Thad, just a FYI, your RSS hasn’t been updating in my feeder. Maybe it’s something you can check out?
Anyway, I need to read this book as I’m all about getting different perspectives and knowledge around diet. Since going to the the China Study diet my wife and I have done a really great job of avoiding carbs. I thought we’d eat a lot more pasta but that has rarely been the case. I’d say we eat pasta once a week at most and probably once ever other week.
It’s been interesting to go shopping over the last few months: I’ve looked at more nutrition labels than I ever have in my life. lol
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Yeah, I became aware of the RSS problem a few days ago. Will spend time on it Saturday.
You really should check out Taubes book. Really an eye opener.