U.S. panel calls for taxing sugary foods to curb obesity

[Dakine10 5,452]

dakine10 is smarter than me

No I'm not.

[khwaidee1 196]

One soda a day is about 15 LB's worth of extra weight a year. It's obviously not as simple as that, but it's something to think about because a lot of people drink several cans of soda a day. Pure empty calories.

We never got to drink soda as kids so we grew up without it and we are all pretty thin. Happy drinking my pomegranate flavored green tea, water and mate. Occasionally a diet Dr. Pepper tastes good. Now beer, another subject......... but, the Bud Lite Platinum is passable.

[Dakine10 5,452]

If they ended the sugar subsidy, and allowed the importation of sugar, there probably wouldn't be as much of a market for HFCS.

Definitely motivated by cost, which only adds to the consumer mistrust. The same folks (FDA) that said aspartame is good and raw milk is bad are telling us this stuff is OK.

[decocker 7,198]

No I'm not.

if you insist.

[Dakine10 5,452]

You just have to burn more calories than you take in. Diversify your diet and drink lots of water.

If you have a relatively healthy metabolism, that's good advice for staying that way. As people start to put on excessive weight, there are metabolic issues that make it much easier said than done. The one size fits all approach of the diet and exercise industry isn't always the best approach.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

For the most common type of HFCS that is typically consumed, they are similar. A large soda sweetened with HFCS would account for about 3g more fructose than a simlilar amount sweetened with sugar. Anyone consuming enough to make a metabolic difference would have problems either way.

There is stuff like HFCS90 that is up to 90% fructose. That can add an extra 15-20g of fructose to a sweetened drink. That can add up to problems pretty quickly.

I don't think there is any labeling requirements as to the actual type of HFCS used so it is probably something to be careful with.

The ratio of fructose to glucose in HFCS 55 (the typical commercial sweetener) is 1.2, the same as the average for honey. Makes you wonder why they picked that ratio. HFCS90 is usually used as a "natural" preservative.

Edited February 20, 2015 by I AM NOT THAT GUY

[GandD 5,966]

If you have a relatively healthy metabolism, that's good advice for staying that way. As people start to put on excessive weight, there are metabolic issues that make it much easier said than done. The one size fits all approach of the diet and exercise industry isn't always the best approach.

I've seen stories of people with legitimate health problems or disorders that lead to massive weight gain but from what I've seen, these people were in the extreme minority of obese people. Granted I'm no expert in the field. I'm just not sure how one can add fat to their body if they're not surpassing or staying within their daily caloric burn. Different metabolisms are for sure a big deal. That's why my wife is skinnier than me despite complete lack of exercise and me running 10-15 miles a week. Well that and I drink way too much beer I've developed a habit of really looking at what people are eating, what's in their shopping cart, blah blah. It's exactly what you would expect almost everytime. People don't know how to diet because they can't deal with sacrifice. Being hungry is not the end of the world. Use standard portions and eat at designated times. Not eat what sounds good, when you're hungry, till you're full. Well at least that's what I do. I'm pretty sure other people's food life is way more awesome than mine but I appreciate awesome food more i think.

[eieio 1,594]

Oh great Now we are going to have a war against obesity. I am sure it will be just as successful as the war on poverty….or the great success of prohibition

Now we have shows on tv like…My fat and fabulous life….or whatever it's called. Time to shut these fat people up and make them eat the food we know is good for them

Fat people be warned…..you are next. But we only want to abuse you and trample on your rights….because we love you

[Dakine10 5,452]

The ratio of fructose to glucose in HFCS 55 (the typical commercial sweetener) is 1.2, the same as the average for honey. Makes you wonder why they picked that ratio. HFCS90 is usually used as a "natural" preservative.

The more fructose, the sweeter the syrup, which means you can use less of it. So my guess is 55% is the "sweet spot" for cost vs effectiveness.

[lostinblue 1,989]

[Dakine10 5,452]

I've seen stories of people with legitimate health problems or disorders that lead to massive weight gain but from what I've seen, these people were in the extreme minority of obese people. Granted I'm no expert in the field. I'm just not sure how one can add fat to their body if they're not surpassing or staying within their daily caloric burn. Different metabolisms are for sure a big deal. That's why my wife is skinnier than me despite complete lack of exercise and me running 10-15 miles a week. Well that and I drink way too much beer I've developed a habit of really looking at what people are eating, what's in their shopping cart, blah blah. It's exactly what you would expect almost everytime. People don't know how to diet because they can't deal with sacrifice. Being hungry is not the end of the world. Use standard portions and eat at designated times. Not eat what sounds good, when you're hungry, till you're full. Well at least that's what I do. I'm pretty sure other people's food life is way more awesome than mine but I appreciate awesome food more i think.

I guess I'm saying weight gain and weight loss are two separate issues. You can avoid weight gain by not consuming excess calories. I think that's relatively straight forward.

Weight loss is not always as simple. It's not as easy as eating 200 calories less and losing a couple of pounds a month. The metabolic changes that occur with weight gain can make it a lot harder to lose weight than it was to gain it. There are things like leptin resistance and mitochondrial issues that really hinder the process. You kind of have to work out the metabolic issues first or it's really a case of diminishing returns.

[Teddy B 17,252]

You just have to burn more calories than you take in. Diversify your diet and drink lots of water.

As simple as this seems, it's exactly right and works like a charm. Wifey and I have lost over 30lbs between us in less than 2 months, by reducing the junk, eating a little more protein, drinking more water and exercising daily. It's really not that hard to do. Having the willpower to not eat the junk food is the hardest thing.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Weight loss is not always simple becuase it requries education and the consequent understanding that our metabolism changes as we age and depending on our lifestyle. It is the quintessential example of personal responsibility.

We need to educate our kids on the dangers and risks of obesity, which if left untreated will place undue burden on others - be it in social cost or even financial costs due to higher insurance premiums.

The map below from 2010 shows an interesting picture, one which I beleve supports the notion that we need to address obesity early on in life and through education.

http://preventcancer.aicr.org/new/images/diagrams/USA2010_Fat.jpg

I guess I'm saying weight gain and weight loss are two separate issues. You can avoid weight gain by not consuming excess calories. I think that's relatively straight forward.

Weight loss is not always as simple. It's not as easy as eating 200 calories less and losing a couple of pounds a month. The metabolic changes that occur with weight gain can make it a lot harder to lose weight than it was to gain it. There are things like leptin resistance and mitochondrial issues that really hinder the process. You kind of have to work out the metabolic issues first or it's really a case of diminishing returns.

[JohnR! 5,495]

We vary our workout constantly taking it outdorrs and indoor, using machines or just going for walks and jogging. I believe that helps us keep our bodies from settling into any particular pattern.

Also the biggest change we did consciously was to dring more water - even when we're not thirsty at times - and slow our pace during meals. Eat more slowly, savor the food more and getting satisfied with less food.

It can be done without any major lifestyle changes but someone must start it in the household.

As simple as this seems, it's exactly right and works like a charm. Wifey and I have lost over 30lbs between us in less than 2 months, by reducing the junk, eating a little more protein, drinking more water and exercising daily. It's really not that hard to do. Having the willpower to not eat the junk food is the hardest thing.

[Teddy B 17,252]

We vary our workout constantly taking it outdorrs and indoor, using machines or just going for walks and jogging. I believe that helps us keep our bodies from settling into any particular pattern.

Also the biggest change we did consciously was to dring more water - even when we're not thirsty at times - and slow our pace during meals. Eat more slowly, savor the food more and getting satisfied with less food.

It can be done without any major lifestyle changes but someone must start it in the household.

Portion control is also a major part. It's amazing how much we eat when not paying attention, then when you start measuring servings to coincide with the nutritional labels, it's like wth is that little sampling? I was eating an easy 800 extra calories a day simply by oversizing my portions. It takes some getting used to, but now the smaller portions do fill me up.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Teddy B