Overweight Linked to Malnutrition
Overweight now surpasses underweight as a world-wide problem. Surprisingly, both conditions are caused by malnutrition.
(PRWEB) March 11, 2005
In the United States, 61 percent of women are overweight and 33 percent are obese and thus at serious risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer according to a study published by U. S. and Brazilian researchers in this week's issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ("More Women Fat Than Underfed Around World"). Overweight and its inherent dangers now surpass underweight as a world-wide problem according to researchers.
This is no surprise to Dr. Dana Myatt, bariatric family physician and author of The Super Fast Diet (www. super-fast-diet. com). "What is a surprise to most people is that overweight women - whether in the U. S. or a third world country - are malnourished--- literally starving to death," notes Myatt. The U. S. Surgeon General's report agrees that "excesses and deficiencies" are the cause of overweight. Myatt explains the relationship between malnutrition and overweight.
"Overweight people are literally starving at the cellular level. The Standard American Diet (S. A.D.) provides more than enough empty calories to make us fat, but not enough essential nutrients to satisfy our appetites or keep us healthy. We eat to excess because we are famished, and restrictive diets that further deprive us of essential nutrients only make the problem worse."
"Evolutionarily speaking, humans have been, for most of our existence, hunters and gatherers. When food was plentiful, we ate plentifully. When food was scarce, the body evolved ways to maintain a minimal but healthful weight in spite of calorie deficiencies. 'Fat-storing' and energy-conserving abilities evolved to keep us alive in times when food was scarce. Our ability to store fat and slow metabolism is accomplished by a decrease in metabolic rate and an increase in fat-promoting hormones."
"Today, unless one is in a true underprivileged group in the US, calorie deficiencies are uncommon. Remember, however, that it is not merely calories that the body requires. Lack of protein, Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) or any one of the 27+ essential vitamins, minerals or trace minerals will signal 'famine' to the body. With modern foods that have been highly processed and stripped of many of their original nutrients, it is entirely possible and in fact likely, to consume more than enough calories to make us fat but not enough of one or more essential nutrients to prevent the malnutrition-induced “famine” that triggers fat-storage. Dieting makes the problem worse because most if not all diets call for further restriction of essential fats or protein. This fat and protein restriction in turn reduces vitamin and mineral intake. The more America diets, the fatter we get because we are still missing these 'essential' elements from food."
The recent Reuters news article almost got it right. What the article should have said was that women who are fat are almost as malnourished as women who are underfed. Myatt's ebook, The Super Fast Diet (www. Super-Fast-Diet. com) explains how correcting the malnutrition of overweight breaks this vicious cycle of famine and stimulates fast, healthful weight loss.
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