Are We Infatuated With Fats?

Americans are fatter.  In 1995 no state had an obesity rate over 20%. In 2010 Colorado was the only state that didn't. However, Colorado – like all the other states – hadn't had a decline in its obesity rate. In 2006 only one state had an obesity rate over 30%. In 2010 12 states did. In fact, over the past 15 years 7 states doubled their obesity rate. For the 7th year in a row Mississippi was the fattest state followed by Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Arkansas and Michigan. It seems that the South has risen again!

One reason Americans are fatter is we're eating more. The average American adult ate about 2,375 calories daily in the mid-2000's – nearly 33% more than in the late 1970's. We've gone from 3.8 snacks and meals daily to 4.9 – a 29% increase. A study published in PLoS Medicine analyzed data from 4 nationally representative food surveys taken between 1977 and 2006 and found that the time between snacks and meals had shrunk and calories consumed from snacks had skyrocketed. Because snacking – not portion size – is supposedly what's responsible for Americans overeating, we need to get "over eating" so much.

Diet sodas are another reason why Americans are getting fatter. A study done by the University of Texas/San Antonio analyzed data from 474 older adults. At the beginning of the 9- year study and at 3 follow-up exams, participants reported diet soda intake and had their height, weight and waists measured. Although all the participants' waistlines increased, diet-soda drinkers had 70% greater increases than non-diet-soda drinkers. Those who drank 2 or more diet sodas daily had 500% greater increases. Because the brain expects sweet foods to be calorie-loaded, it seems to trigger the body to store calories as fat. The brain becomes "trigger-happy".

Fatty foods trigger the body to produce chemicals like those in marijuana that cause "the munchies". In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, rats were fed a health shake, sugar solution, protein-rich liquid or high-fat drink. Only the high-fat drink triggered the release of endocannabinoids. This process, in turn, caused more signals – all saying to eat more of whatever fatty food was being eaten. In the evolution of animals, fats necessary for survival were scarce in the mammal diet. Today a human diet that doesn't have too many fats is scarce.