Americans DO change what they eat based on nutritional news

[KurtNYC]

I have spent the last three years trying to help people improve their nutrition and health. I have created software that helps people make better food choices. I also counsel people to help them find healthier foods which they will eat and like; and how to make effective trade offs. (Canadians on the whole have been more receptive to my efforts than people in the US. I think they are less science-phobic but that is a whole other topic).

What I have found is that people are all over the range in their reactions to nutritional advice. Many people really feel that science is a kind of fuzzy cloud that really can't tell what is good or "bad for you." People will tell me things like "yeah but in 3 months there will be another study that shows that bacon is good for you." And after hearing quite a bit of that, I began to feel a little frustrated. Many are defiant or in denial about their health prospects and they throw up a shield of fatalism: "you're going to die anyway, might as well eat what you like."

A friend of mine has diabetes but he continues to eat horribly. He absolutely lusts after junk food: hot dogs, ice cream, soda, soda, soda, white bread, french fries, pizza. I have told him (gently I hope) that hot dogs are definitively linked to pancreatic cancer but he eats 4+ per week. He recently had some blood work done and they found the metabolites of pancreatic cancer in his blood. He has only a 24% chance of surviving the next 12 months and only a 5% chance of living 5 more years. Sometimes it sucks to be right. It really saddens me that I failed to influence his choices but I know on a conscious level that you can't help people who don't want it. I have a hard time knowing that he threw away his health for crappy liquid meat and high fructose corn syrup hot dogs!

So what has cheered me up is seeing the statistics on red meat consumption (down), chicken (up), beer and liquor (down), red wine (up), milk chocolate (down), dark chocolate (up). And for virtually every other food which is being studied, the results of new studies influence peoples' choices. Not every person, but on average people do listen. They do want to make the right choices (especially if you don't have to give up a food that you love). Now I see why food lobbyists work so hard to fight back the facts with confusion and sow a sense of helplessness and distrust within the consumer. People ARE interested in being healthy and in living a full, long and healthy life.

And btw, eating 1.5 ounces or more per day of hot dogs, lunch meats or bacon raises your risk of pancreatic cancer by 67%.

http://www.aacr.org/Default.aspx?p=1066&d=436

[Lib Grrrrl]

1. Ah, Come On...Do We All Gotta Eat Nothing But RABBIT FOOD?!?!

I mean, what's the point of living five years longer if, in order to do it, you have to deprive yourself of everything you enjoy eating?

Me, I'd rather be happy and live five less years.

It's about QUALITY of life, not QUANTITY. and, for me, at least, QUALITY also takes into account a certain amount of enjoyment.

Rabbit food doesn't do it for me.

[newyawker99]

6. Hi Lib Grrrrl!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[specimenfred1984]

9. Sliming Down Toxins is "Quality" to You?

Try eating healthfully for 1 week, you'll feel what "quality" really is.

[Beaverhausen]

10. Hi Lib Girl. I have a big history of colon cancer in my family

so I gave up eating meat about 20 years ago. Fortunately I have had 2 clean colonoscopies. I would not want to go through my last years of life having to wear a colostomy bag like my grandfather did.

"Rabbit food" as you call it is yummy AND healthy!

[Katherine Brengle]

19. Amen--my grandmother was a huge meat eater, and...

she died of colon cancer a year and a half ago.

It's a very ugly, painful disease, and it isn't worth it.

[Beaverhausen]

11. oops- dupe

:hi:

[XemaSab]

16. Welcome to DU!

And BTW, I've taken to having two glasses of red wine and a little dark chocolate every day... for my health!

:toast:

[Katherine Brengle]

18. How high is the quality of your life going to be if...

you develop diabetes and heart disease and cancer from eating food that isn't healthy for your body?

There is so much more to enjoy in life than nasty food.

A big part of the problem is that we are so focused on food consumption in this country--we can't countenance the idea that food may not be the be-all, end-all of enjoying life.

[renate]

22. my husband used to talk like that, when we were in our 20s

It both hurt my feelings and made me mad that he seemed to care more about a bottomless bag of Oreos than about having a longer life with his family. Plus, people with kids have an extra responsibility to take care of themselves, I think.

Besides, it's not as though eating healthy foods means NEVER having fun. It does generally mean eating smaller portions of things that aren't good for you, but again, don't a person's friends and loved ones bring more joy than the difference between ten Oreos and two?

In our particular case, I do all the cooking and grocery shopping anyway, and he'd rather get out of doing that work than plan and cook the meals of his dreams. Besides, as he's grown older he's started to be happy to eat well anyway. I do keep Oreos in the house, and potato chips and candy and stuff. I'm not a total party-pooper, and he's a grown man and is entitled to make bad food choices for himself (and kids deserve treats, of course). I just don't want to be an enabler.

Welcome to DU! I hope you don't mind that my first reply to you is a (gentle) disagreement. Different strokes for different folks.

[Lib Grrrrl]

29. It's OK To Agree To Disagree...

Fact is, I am not married, and do not expect ever to be. I have no children. I have no real friends. Most of the family I do have, I will likely outlive, if only because of the age difference. I really don't have anyone to live for...not that I WANT to die, but...hey, in ordeer to get into this game called life, we all gotta agree to quit playing someday, right?

Well, when all my family is gone...what more is there left for me? The closest in age that I have, in my family, that I care at all about is my cousin, who is eight years older than me. After that is my mom, who is 24 years older than me.

Barring accidents, I ought to probably outlive both of them.

Being as I am 35 years old and still single (and NOT LOOKING) I do not expect to be married in my life...and I do NOT want children (I really lack the maternal instinct) I can't see what the point is to live just a few years longer...and meanwhile constantly be depriving myself of everything I LIKE to eat.

Sorry, but I LIKE my meat, I LIKE my junk food...and I'm just plain not about to change, either.

The only diet I ever got on that I was happy being on was Atkins. That gives you an idea of the kinds of foods I like. And to give them up would be pure misery for me.

So we agree to disagree here.

As I said...it isn't as though I really have much of anyone to live for, anyway.

I expect that, when I die...as there will be no one to leave whatever estate I may have to...I will likely donate the entire thing, in my will...to a worthwhile charity of some sort.

I mean...I have acquaintances, yes...but no REAL FRIENDS. And most of my family is basically good for nothin'. My mother and my one cousin are the only two blood-family I have that I ever want to have anything to do with.

I understand where you are coming from, but, in my case, it simply doesn't apply, because I really don't HAVE anyone to live for, really.

[Solly Mack]

2. I'm a soy kind of person myself

some chicken, some fish...fat-free mayo,organic fat-free milk, fat-free cheese...if it's fat-free, it's my friend.
Wheat/oat products
lots of vegetables
water and more water

and I don't feel deprived or that I'm giving up anything.

I take a favorite recipe and greatly reduce the fat/cholesterol/sodium without sacrificing the taste...you just gotta be creative.

Though I do miss the taste of a thick and juicy cheeseburger, I would never begrudge or deny anyone their moo-cow.

My choices are not everyone's choices.

[DBoon]

3. Another bonus from healthy eating

is that warm feeling of smugness

[Solly Mack]

4. lolol!

I still look with lust at a bag of Cheetos - but I go home to my carrots. Sure, I tell myself the carrots are orange and crunchy too...but it's just not the same - so I pretend my carrots are Cheetos.

[KurtNYC]

5. Is that what that warmth is?

I thought it was the warmth of your flame.

Not sure why you feel personally attacked by my post.

[Katherine Brengle]

20. Yeah, it makes me feel so smug to be...

healthy!

Whoo hoo--go me!

Flush your health down the toilet if you want to--but don't blame those who choose not to for giving you information about alternatives.

[DBoon]

28. I didn't say that I was without smug moments

I just had a bowl of home-made vegan barley chowder for dinner.

I will have smug dreams all night

smug is good

[Glenda]

26. I'm smugly cooking my brown rice noodles

I can hardly wait!

:woohoo:

[SmokingJacket]

7. A 67% increase of a small number is still a small number.

What are the chances of getting pancreatic cancer? The chances of getting it are very low, (about 30,000 cases a year) so an increase of just over half that risk is still extremely low. And at least a 1/3 of those cases are directly linked to smoking.

Hey -- I avoid nitrites whenever I can! But it was hardly inevitable that your friend happened to get it. An overwhelming majority of people with the worst diets in the world STILL don't get come down with it.

Just poking you with statistics -- I agree that people should eat better...

[KurtNYC]

13. Diabetes is also a risk factor for pancreatic cancer

and my friend's diabetes was destroying his quality of life. For most people, diabetes (type 2) is caused by diet. Pancreatic cancer is a death sentence. Like you say the incidence seems low but cancer is the #2 most common cause of death and pancreatic cancer is the #4 most common type of cancer death.

I know some people feel like this kind of news inhibits their enjoyment of food/life but to me it seems easy enough to cut back a little or find something else to eat. And it doesn't have to be rabbit food (see post #1: I cited chicken and dark chocolate as being healthy and what people hear instead is boring "rabbit food").

[Iris]

8. guess it depends on how far along the 5 years goes.

5 years longer than 80? ok, maybe no big deal

5 years longer than 45? Well, yeah, bigger deal

[Iris]

24. oops! This was a reply to the first reply!

[Rowdyboy]

12. My partner and I made a strong dietary change in January.....

3-5 servings of fruit a day, lots of spinach/broccoli/carrots/cauliflower, low calorie yogurt, and lots of seafood and chicken with a very occasional steak. We've reduced fried food in our diet 75-90% and our only fast food has been from Subway. No more bacon and eggs, now its oatmeal or cereal.

The only area where we've been unwilling to compromise is beer.....what can I say.

Low fat doesn't mean bland or flavorless. Many recipes can easily be converted to, at least, lower fat and its really not necessary to give up much of anything if you exercise moderation. Since I love fried seafood, I reserve that part of my diet for restaurants where I know they do a quality job.

Any benefits? Well, coupled with a new, daily exercise routine I've lost 23 pounds, feel wonderful and, er....my sex life (which was already good) has improved.

So yeah, a little gets through here and there. I waited until I was over 50 to do this, so it'll take me longer but, what the hell, I've got all the time in the world.

Thanks for helping to educate people, however unwilling they may be...Like I said, I'm proof that at least a little gets through.

[KurtNYC]

14. Good for you

I know food is a very emotional subject. Giving up any food that you love feels like you are punishing yourself. And look at the terms that we use for certain items: "Comfort food" and "Happy meals." Who wouldn't want to be comfortable and happy?! I try to keep people focused on the healthier (or even neutral) foods that they like rather than the ones they should give up. Helping yourself shouldn't feel like punishment.

If I could get only one message across it would be that: small changes are worth making because they can make a big difference.

[Rowdyboy]

15. Had someone tried to put me on this diet, I would have fought and cheated

Since we did it voluntarily and slowly its been relatively pain-free.

[Lib Grrrrl]

30. But That Is Just The Problem

It DOES feel like punishment. Especially since there is so little in this world that gives me any joy, whatsoever. I mean, I really hate to sound so negative, but...there really isn't much in this world that gives me joy...except my tasty food....and dogs. I absolutely love dogs, they are the most perfect creatures, as far as I am concerned.

[Katherine Brengle]

21. Congrats to both of you!

I am a veggie, but your diet sounds very sensible and healthy, and I applaud the effort you have made and the results you have seen as a result!

[gratuitous]

17. Yep, education tends to kill ignorance

Which is why there is such a strong push by certain segments in our society to kill off pathways to education, whether it's starving public schools of money or limiting the nutritional information on food.

Run "Super Size Me" on TV as often as episodes of "American Idol," and McDonald's would be out of business in a year.

[AllieB]

23. My husband tested positive for diabetes 18 months ago

He ate like your friend, but not as bad. The problem with the diabetic diet approved my the ADA is that it is high in carbohydrates, and carbs cause a spike in a diabetic's blood sugar. At one point eating low-calorie and high-carb, his blood sugar rose to 500! :scared:

Once we began eating a low carb diet, my husband lost 50 lbs and his blood sugar is now on the low end of normal. His cholesterol fell below 200. By "low-carb" I mean lots of vegetables, free-range, hormone-free meat and dairy, most fruits, and occasionally whole grain bread or crakers. We eat no white flour, no white sugar, and no processed food. I really didn't need to lose weight, but I managed to drop 10 lbs and several inches in my waist. My cholesterol, which hovered around 210, dropped to 160. Most people think of low-carb as only fatty meats, but if they read books like 'Protein Power' or the Atkins books, they would realize that the diet focuses on fresh food and vegetables (3 cups per day at least).

I feel bad for your friend. He sounds like he's 'addicted' to the foods that he eats. Sugar causes that reaction in people, and sugar is in everything, as you know! I'd be interested in hearing about your software. :-)

[Nikia]

27. My surviving grandfather has done quite well eating right w/ diabetes2

He ate lean meat, dairy, vegtables, whole wheat bread, and fruit. I never saw him eat any dessert, hot dogs, hamburgers, or processed snack foods. He has had type 2 diabetes for almost 40 years now and is in his early 90s, has not gone blind, nor has had any ammutations.
I have not seen the statistics, but the people who have had complications who I know seem to have not done much to change their diets and still continued to eat sugar and junk food.
I which continued health on your husband.

[renate]

25. BTW, KurtNYC, where can people get your software?

Sounds interesting!