Americans continue to fatten up

Ninety percent of dieters who lose weight regain all or part of it within five years. Obviously, fad and crash diets are not the answer to slimming down permanently. The intrinsic nature of our nation's dieting habits is that we all are focusing on a deadline. We want to lose 40 pounds before the first day of summer; 20 pounds in time for the class reunion; 10 pounds by our wedding day.

Instead of concentrating on following a weight-loss diet plan over a select period of time, Glenn A. Gaesser, professor of exercise physiology at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, believes Americans need to apply that focus and discipline to their everyday food choices.

Individuals would benefit from controlling portion sizes instead of cutting out food groups with important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The abandonment of grains is a perfect example of how people neglect long-term health benefits for instant gratification and eliminate key nutritional sources that can help stem heart disease, obesity, and some cancers.

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