I’ve been a bad blogger lately, which is sad for you because there’s been some great stuff in the news. Hopefully my schedule will clear a bit next week so I can get to the meatier issues. Today I’m going to start with a little appetizer from Harvard; a mass study (43,000) showing that those who drank soda, any soda, were at a 20% higher risk for heart disease than those who didn’t.
While this may sound shocking a little digging shows it’s not, really. The study’s parameters were broad and, basically, only led to the not-so-surprising conclusion that those who ate a healthier diet fared better than those who did not. From ABC News:
A growing body of research connects sugary drinks with increased risk of diabetes, weight gain, high blood pressure and a number of other chronic diseases. But nutrition experts note that the current study doesn't show that sugar-sweetened beverages cause heart disease. Consuming sugary drinks every day may simply indicate less healthy lifestyles that could lead to heart disease.
"To some extent, people who drink more soda are apt to eat less well overall," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center. "Too much added sugar in the diet is likely a 'marker' of lower overall diet quality."
Still, it’s another indictment of the sugary drink world (soda, sports drinks, and sugary juices were lumped together, which makes sense since they’re all basically the same) and that’s a good thing. The facts still remain; sugary drinks are the single largest caloric source in the world. And until that stops the obesity epidemic is going to continue to expand.
God help us.
ReplyDeleteIf there was a god, which there isn't, of course.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing dude, don't matter what you eat or don't eat, your gonna get sick and die. Or, just die.
If drinking a coke makes you happy, then who gives a shit about the science? Last time I checked, happiness is better than unhappiness.
Of course, there are those fitness-ninnies out there who believe they know better than the rest about how to be happy and healthy. Maybe we should just let people live their lives the way they want.
"fitter, happier, more productive,
comfortable,
not drinking too much,
regular exercise at the gym
(three days a week),
getting on better with your associate employee contemporaries,
at ease,
eating well
(no microwave dinners and saturated fats),
......
calm,
fitter,
healthier and more productive
a pig in a cage on antibiotics."
J
who gives a shit about the science
ReplyDeleteprobably you do josh. without science our life expectancy would be around 30 years.
crack makes people happy. should just let people do as much as that too?
your comment reeks of ignorance.
In defense of Josh, he sometimes waxes a bit melancholic...or satiric. At times it may be difficult to tell the difference, but not this time.
ReplyDeleteIf he was melancholic, he'd be talking about bourbon, not coke.
For my own two cents, attitude regarding eating means as much as what you eat. Eat happily and you'll be healthier, even if its crap. Eat stressed, and I don't think it matters if you're consuming raw kale and organ meats, your health will suck. So satiric or not, Josh has a point. Stainless, any studies on this?
Josh is right, overall You live one life, and live it to the fullest. Some of us want to be super healthy, that's our choice. If someone wants to eat a burger from McDonalds everyday, that's their choice as long as it makes them happy. But we definitely need science
ReplyDeleteHere's my hypothesis: Today's junk food is far more potent than junk food of 20 years ago, and far less potent than it will be in another 20 years (unless there is a major change). Here's why: Junk food "evolves" to be more and more addictive. What I mean by evolved is that food companies are constantly introducing new junk foods, but only a few have true staying power in the marketplace. For instance, when you count generics, there have probably been hundreds of fruit-flavored breakfast cereals since the 1970s, but as others come and go, Froot Loops and Fruity Pebbles are still there. In a sense, it's Darwinism in the marketplace. OK, I know it's not true evolution, but the idea is that the most addictive junk foods rise to dominate the food market until they replaced by another that is even more addictive.
ReplyDeleteHappiness is of course the most important thing, and much more important then telling people how they should live.
ReplyDeleteBut don't we owe it to society to educate them on the realities of their decisions? Burgers may make people happy, but in the future will they be happy living with an obese body, requiring people to help them with everyday tasks and suffering painful operations?
Of course this is extreme, but i exaggerate to make a point. Today 1 in 4 British people are Obese, I believe this is largely due to lack of understanding and because we don't support a healthy way of living in everyday society.
Articles like this speak the truth, past all the marketing lies of what you should eat and drink, and tell people of the harsh reality of what they're doing to themselves.
The health of people doed matter. If you are not healthy you become sick easier. I never met a happy sick person. Think long term each of us will likely out live our own expectations.
ReplyDeleteSmoking made me pretty happy for a long time, but I struggled to quit my mental and physical addictions because in the long-run my decisions about my health affect not just myself but also my family, as well as society. When you live an unhealthy life, we all pick up the tab when you get older.
ReplyDeleteNot telling anyone that they don't have freedom of choice, but we should be smarter than to think our decisions don't affect each other on a greater level.
You have your story I have mine.
ReplyDeleteThe Oatmeal has a good take on people and their NEED for soda:
ReplyDeletehttp://theoatmeal.com/pl/3d_movies/soda
Enjoy
Last time i checked fit and healthy people are happy & fat unhealthy people are always complaining and being negative and unhappy.. skiny people who ate unfit can't even run to the corner with out being out of breath LOL negativity never makes one happy how sad:/ everyone i know wants to be fit and healthy glad I have positive friends.. u only live once on earth & by enjoying it longer I guess u have to be healthy & not die from a heart attack from eating unhealthy:/
ReplyDelete