“Dr. Sears, I stopped the exercise plan you designed for me. I don’t need it any more. A new study says it’s better to be overweight.”
In today’s Health Alert, I’ll tell you what this patient read and why a single study caused so much confusion. And, you’ll get some easy tips for moving yourself in the opposite direction toward staying slim and feeling young.
Another Fat Government Study
Our government’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) did a study of obesity in the US. The CDC claimed that people who are overweight – but not obese – have a lower risk of death than those of normal weight. Confusion in the media and the public ensued.
But before you reach for the potato chips, let’s look at the facts of the study. Then you’ll understand how they made such a claim. A claim that I (and probably you as well) know to be false.
When they looked at people who were lean and thin, they included all the smokers and people who were already ill. When people get very ill, they lose weight (Duh!) When these sick people got sicker and died, it made it appear that being fat was better.
When other doctors had a second look at the data, they found that adjusting for just a single measure of health in the fat verses the non-fat populations reversed the conclusion. For instance, lean people who never smoked, had the lowest risk of dying. That information never made it to the report. And independent assessment from doctors like me couldn’t stop ABC News from reporting, “Obesity may not be as deadly as we once thought.”[1]
Learning the Real Lessons
There are two lessons here: When you read about new studies, don’t discard all common. Being overweight dramatically raises your risk of serious disease. This huge commonality of evidence can’t be controverted by a single study.
Point number two: Researchers can manipulate data to prove just about anything. And they sometimes do. The big drug makers often use nearly indecipherable statistical gymnastics to slant data in their favor. Their goal is not the pursuit of truth but marketing. Not that there is anything wrong with marketing but be aware that successful marketing here means convincing your doctor that you need their expensive and often dangerous drugs.
Obesity continues to be a historically huge, consequential and expensive, epidemic problem for our country. But you’re not helpless.
Once you realize that the root cause is simply that your environment has changed, you’re on the road to the cure. Processed foods, excess hormones, additives, chemicals and a vast number of other toxins all contribute to both poor health and obesity.
Sometimes, eating the wrong foods becomes addictive. But once you feel the extra energy and self-confidence that comes from shifting to your natural diet, you’ll never look back. When you’re shopping in the grocery store, stay on the outer rows where you’ll find the real food. And, remember my simple formula: High protein + Low carbs + Right fats = Good health and long life.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
P.S. – If you plan on enjoying (or baking) some of the sweeter foods this holiday season, remember that natural ingredients are best. A fresh fruit pie made with real eggs, real fruit and real sugar is far better for you than processed deserts you find in the store.
(To burn off the extra intake, try my PACE® program; see Health Alert 58.)