The best diet, in truth, is the one you, personally, can stick to. Worse, in proposing a singular plan, they suggest there is One Right Way for people to eat, which isn't the case. And these plans, though sometimes based on promising science, are not rigorously tested among dieters. Publishers are not interested in a book simply running through some interesting, if preliminary, theory on how to eat. The real problem with diet books is what comes next: the diet itself. Not everyone agrees that this approach to weight loss is superior, and there's high-quality evidence that contradicts it. His discussion of the science here is lucid and interesting.īut what readers may miss in the way this theory is presented in the book is that it's still very much a work in progress, and the subject of heated debate among obesity scientists. As an alternative, Ludwig says dieters should forget about calories and focus on reducing carbohydrates and increasing fat intake to feel more satiated and lose more fat in the long run. The classic approach to dieting - in which calories in general are restricted - fails, Ludwig argues, because it doesn't account for the effects calorie restriction and refined carbohydrates have on the body. The "carbohydrate-insulin hypothesis," which journalist Gary Taubes and others have also extensively promoted, contends that a diet heavy in carbohydrates (especially refined grains and sugars) can lead to obesity because they increase insulin in the body, and cause the body to hold on to fat. Unlike many other diet book authors, Ludwig offers a strong scientific theory for his diet: a model of obesity he's developed based on his and others' research. David Ludwig, an esteemed endocrinologist and researcher affiliated with Harvard Medical School who has run dozens of clinical trials and seen thousands of patients in the 20 years he's practiced medicine. Like dozens of books I've seen before, it makes big promises.īut this book wasn't authored by a woo-loving celebrity like Paltrow. Recently, a book called Always Hungry?: Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, and Lose Weight Permanently landed on my desk. It's one thing when actress Gwyneth Paltrow tells people to avoid "nightshade vegetables" on an elimination diet, and quite another when a highly trained and credentialed physician makes overhyped weight loss claims.Ĭase study: Dr. If someone had found the fix for this immensely vexing and complex problem, we wouldn't be facing an obesity crisis.īut unfortunately, more and more respected doctors, despite their good intentions, are complicit with the publishing industry in confusing science and obscuring hard truths about obesity to sell diet books. No doctor has ever uncovered the solution to weight loss. But the problem with all of them is what they promise when it comes to weight loss. Books can provide valuable tips on healthful patterns of eating. One of the pitfalls of being a health journalist is that far too many of these books promise to eliminate belly fat forever with their one true secret for weight loss.ĭiet books are a multimillion-dollar industry, and it's no surprise, since millions of people struggle with their weight and long for answers about what they can do to slim down. One of the perks of being a journalist is that new books cross your desk weeks or months before they’re released.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |