Donuts, Diet and Obesity

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 6 Dec 2001 21:13:16 -0500, it was written:

>Dr Siff, thought you would like this tidbit from the people that are supposed

to being caring for our health.

>>From Let's Live Magazine--Dec, 2001.p 18-Article --Donuts for Diabetics by

Jack Challem.

>In his column Challem reports that in the Sept 2001 issue of Diabetes Forecast,

an American Diabetes

>Association magazine for patients with diabetes, they had a three page spread

on the nutritional benefits of donuts--

>not any donuts but a national brand{not specified in the writeup}. The author

of the article basically state that the

>donuts were high in fat, but overall weren't as bad as the bagels or muffins of

the company. Challem says that is

> " like saying that arsenic isnt all that bad because it won't kill you as fast

as cyanide "

>Challem goes on to state the obvious{except to the ADA} that donut are high in

fats, sugars, and calories and

>especially the transfats.

>

>His conclusion is that " the ADA would have acted far more responsibly if it had

simply warned its readers about

>the health hazards of doughnuts, and , instead, recommended healthier foods,

such as veggies, fish and lean meats.

>After all, almost 2/3 of all Americans are overweight, a major factor in

diabetes. Plus the incidence of diabetes

>shot up almost 40% in the 90s. But then, maybe the ADA would lose too many of

its customers "

>With people like this watching our health it is no wonder Americans are so

sick!!

Not that I'm siding with the ADA, but the American people have been

told over and over again to eat healthy. And they've ignored the

warnings. And they don't even have to eat healthy. They could

improve their health immensely just by not eating so much.

BUT.

Most Americans are not going to significantly change their diets for

any length of time. Just like my dad smoked up until the day he died

of lung cancer, Americans seem to think that they're invincible and

that they can do what they enjoy without ever worrying about the

consequences. (I say " Americans " but it isn't all of us Americans,

just a vast majority of us.)

Americans eat stuff that tastes good. If they realize they're getting

too fat, then they might go on a diet. The wording is important

there. They go on a diet with the express intention that one day the

diet will end and they'll be able to resume the behavior that got them

in trouble in the first place. My mother and older sister (both of

whom are obese) have lost hundreds of pounds each just to gain it all

back (and more) after they reached their goal weight. Because a diet

is something they do sporadically in between periods of eating stuff

that tastes good until they're about to explode.

You can talk about the ADA but the ADA didn't stick those Krispy

Kremes down the gaping maws of the American people.

Believe it or don't, people are choosing to be fat. (Although I have

also argued on occasion that there is so much conflicting information

out there from people who are trying to take money from overweight

people that it is difficult for many of those overweight people to

figure out what they should do.)

(the ninja of nice)

Yardley, PA, USA