Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, July 06, 2011, Page 10, Image 10

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    Page 10
fft?t Jarliani» (Observer
July 6. 2011
Potato Chips are Piling on the Pounds
Biggest demon behind weight creep
And the reason is partly that old
advertising cliche: You can't eat just
(A P )-B lam ethepotatochip. It's plagues many of us, a major diet one.
the biggest demon behind that study found. Bigger than soda,
They're very tasty and they have
pound-a-year weight creep that candy and ice cream.
a very good texture. People gener­
ally don't take one or two chips.
They have a whole bag," said obe­
sity expert Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyerof
the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital
Center in New York.
What we eat and how much of it
we consume has far more impact
than exercise and most other habits
do on long-term weight gain, ac­
cording to the study by Harvard
University scientists. It's the most
SHOW DOGS G RO O M ING SALO N &
comprehensive look yet at the ef­
BOUTIQUE
fect of individual foods and lifestyle
9 2 6 N L< >M BA R D
choices like sleep time and quitting
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smoking.
503-2X 3-1 177
The results are in Thursday's
n TES-SAT 9 AN1-7PN1
New England Journal of Medicine.
' <) D A W O IS G O N N A Lt m >K LIKE A SH< >\V D A W U
Weight problems are epidemic.
A N D YO UR KITTY WILL BE PRE TTY
Two-thirds of American adults are
' " c puraio cmp is me Diggest demon behind that pound-a-year
weight creep that plagues many o f us, a major diet study found.
Bigger than soda, candy and ice cream.
overweight or obese. Childhood
obesity has tripled in the past three
decades. Pounds often are packed
on gradually over decades, and many
people struggle to limit weight gain
without realizing what's causing it.
The new study finds food choices
are key. The message: Eat more fruits,
vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
Cut back on potatoes, red meat,
sweets and soda.
"There is no magic bullet for
weight control," said one study
leader, Dr. Frank ftu. "Diet and exer­
cise are important for preventing
weight gain, but diet clearly plays a
bigger role."
Doctors analyzed changes in diet
and lifestyle habits of 120,877 people
from three long-running medical stud­
ies. All were health professionals and
not obese at the start. Their weight
was measured every fouryears forup
to two decades, and they detailed
their diet on questionnaires.
On average, participants gained
nearly 17 pounds over the 20-year
« m
period.
For each four-year period, food
c h o ic e s c o n trib u te d n early 4
pounds. Exercise, for those who did
it, cut less than 2 pounds.
Potato chips were the biggest
dietary offender. Each daily serving
containing 1 ounce (about 15 chips
and 160 calories) led to a 1,69-pound
uptick over four years. That's com­
pared to sweets and desserts, which
added 0.41 pound.
For starchy potatoes other than
chips, the gain was 1.28 pounds.
Within the spud group, french fries
were worse for the waist than boiled,
baked or mashed potatoes. That's
because a serving of large fries con­
tains between 500 to 600 calories
compared with a serving of a large
baked potato at 280 calories.
Soda added a pound over four
years. Eating more fruits and veg­
etables and other unprocessed
foods led to less weight gain, prob­
ably because they are fiber-rich and
make people feel fuller.
m
H ealth W atch
Saturday, Aug« 2Oth a t 8s3O AM
in Dawson Park (at N. Vancouver & Stanton) 15 mile loop and 5K Walk!
Registration : $20 1 Music, food, & fun!
Children under 6 FREE (must be accompanied by an adult)!
ounts available!
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UtotarA««
Cholesterol Profiles - Get the resources to help you keep an eye on your
cholesterol and other indicators of heart health. Educational material
provided. For more information, call 503-261-6611.
B ereavem ent S u p p o rt G ro u p s - Free, safe confidential group meetings
for those who have experienced the death of a loved one offered on various
nights and locations. For information and registration, call 503-215-4622.
M aternity W ater W orkout ~ Helping new moms regain muscle tone,
strength, and flexibility, all in the support and freedom of the water. Call
503-256-4000for more information.
Senior A erobics - A low-impact workout geared specifically toward
seniors. Call 503-449-0783 for current schedule.
O steoporosis Screening - An ultrasound bone density screening with
personalized education; fee $30. To schedule an appointment, call 503-
261-6611.
M in d Body H ealth C lass - Learn and practice techniques to help you
im prove your mood, health and wellbeing, including effective ways
to m anage difficult em otions and chronic stress or illness. R egistra­
tion is $70 for K aiser Perm anente m em bers and $95 for nonm em bers
Call 503-286-6816.