Better Understanding On Obesity and Processed Foods

Ever spent hours discussing a topic with a friend and reached no conclusion? Like what came first? The chicken or the egg?

It seems that the debated question “are people overweight because they are lazy or is laziness a consequence from being overweight” is one step closer to being answered.

A recent study has found that being overweight contributes to a sedentary lifestyle. These findings are in opposition to the traditional idea that sedentary lifestyles contribute to being overweight. If we extrapolate and interpret this data, then we can reach the possible conclusion that frequent consumption of junk food not only contributes to weight gain, but it also plays a role in lack of energy and cognitive impairment.

What Processed Foods Have To Offer

If we analyze this further, someone who is in the habit of eating processed foods is getting mainly the calories and not that many nutrients, which may explain their lack of energy.  Overly processed foods are usually high in fat (not the good kind), sugar, and salt while also being extremely low in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. How many “good for you” nutrients can a fast-food burger possibly have? As a general rule, one should aim for colorful meals making sure that at least half of your plate consists of fruits and/or veggies. It is safe to say that a fast-food meal is likely not following that rule.

For someone who does not care much for fruits and veggies and prefers processed foods, this might seem like torture, but there is a reason for this recommendation. You want to get in as many healthy nutrients as possible because that’s what makes us function properly. Essential vitamins and minerals each play crucial roles in maintaining our health and wellness—and let’s not forget about fiber! Although it’s not technically considered a nutrient (it’s a carbohydrate that our body can’t digest), it has amazing health benefits like:

• promoting satiety
• helping lower cholesterol
• maintaining bowel health
• controlling blood sugar levels 
• and a bonus: our gut bacteria loves it!

So assuming that people are overweight because they are lazy is neither accurate nor helpful in combating the obesity epidemic. If anything, fingers can be pointed instead to the constant consumption of junk food as a main contributor to weight gain and “laziness”—even if it is the healthier version because healthier junk food is still junk.

Once again we see the benefits of having our fruits and veggies and that a balanced and healthy eating habit pays off!