The advice to eat more fruits and vegetables, which could reduce fat in the diet as well as provide other important disease-fighting nutrients, does not register as well in the consumer consciousness. Apparently, shoppers who say they changed their diet for health reasons are trying to decrease the amount of fat in their diets without eating more fruits and vegetables. While health benefits such as a reduced risk of heart disease may be gained by reducing calories from fat to recommended levels, any such benefits may be wiped out by the health risks associated with obesity. Obesity is an independent risk factor for heart disease as well as other disorders. We still need to eat a wide variety of foods but we also need to get off the couch and get moving.
Studies show that energy expenditure appears to have declined remarkably in all age groups.
Twenty minutes of continuous exercise three times a week will do wonders. Food and eating play a variety of important roles in health, from supplying purely physical needs to providing social outlets and, at times, psychological needs as well. There are a myriad of food choices out there and when combined with exercise, the real joy of eating can be yours. Named products are used for clarification and ease of discussion only and are not necessarily endorsed or promoted by the University of California Cooperative Extension.