The rates of obesity are climbing. An ominous statistic is that the percentage of children and adolescents who are obese has doubled in the last 20 years. During this same time, the per capita consumption of sugar, from 20 pounds per person in 1930, has risen to 135 pounds per person today, especially among children. While there is no clear link to diet yet, eating too much sugar may be a major cause among children in juvenile onset diabetes. Also, their seems to be a direct relation between sugar intake and obesity, i.e., the more refined or simple sugars one ingests, the more likely they are to become overweight, especially as they age.

The basic nutritional needs of most people are approximately 2,000 calories a day for women, and 2,500 for men. However, a professional athlete or manual laborer may need 4,000 or more. Pregnant women and nursing mothers require about 300-500 more calories/day than women who are neither pregnant nor nursing.

Because the body cannot store carbohydrates, the excess intake is converted to fat and stored. One pound of fat represents about 3,500-4,100 excess calories.

Obesity increases a person’s risk of illness and death due to diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and kidney and gallbladder disorders. Obesity may increase the risk for some types of cancer. It is also a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.

Genetic factors also play some part in the development of obesity – children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight.

Common Causes of Obesity

• Consumption of more food than the body can use
• Excess alcohol intake
• Sedentary lifestyle

As a note, alcohol carbs average 7 calories per gram compared to 4 for normal carbs from bread, etc. And, the energy from alcohol serves immediate calorie needs, which means additional calories are stored as fat – in simple terms.

To increase intake of complex carbohydrates in the diet we recommend that you:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Eat more whole grains, rice, breads and cereals.
• Eat more beans, lentils, and dried peas.

Following are some recommended serving sizes for foods high in carbohydrates:

• vegetables: 1 cup of raw vegetables, or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, or 3/4 cup of vegetable juice
• fruits: 1 medium size fruit (such as 1 medium apple or 1 medium orange), 1/2 cup of a canned or chopped fruit, or 3/4 cup of fruit juice
• breads and cereals: 1 slice of bread; 1 ounce or 2/3 cup of ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked rice, pasta or cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans, lentils, or dried peas
• dairy: 1 cup of skim or low-fat milk

Also, following is a sample 2,000 Calorie menu of which 50 to 60% of total calories are from carbohydrates:

Breakfast

• 1 cup of raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened cereal, with 1/2 sliced banana
• 1 cup of skim milk
• 1 slice of whole wheat toast
• 1 teaspoon of margarine
• 1 teaspoon of jelly
• coffee (black) or tea

Lunch

• turkey pita pocket sandwich (2 slices of whole wheat pita bread, 3 ounces of lean turkey breast )
• 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of green peppers
• 1 tablespoon of salad dressing
• 1 cup of skim milk
• 2 fresh medium-sized peaches

Dinner

• 4 ounces of broiled salmon with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and sprinkled with paprika
• 1 cup of pasta
• 1 dinner roll
• 6 steamed broccoli stalks with sprinkled black pepper
• salad:
  1 cup lettuce
  1/4 cup of sliced mushrooms
  1/2 cup of sliced tomatoes
  1/2 cup of sliced carrots
  1 tablespoon of salad dressing
  1/2 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries, sweetened with 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1-inch slice of angel food cake
• 1 cup of skim milk

These are simple examples. There are so many foods and many choices you can make, just make wise choices.

Carbohydrates can best be defined as a large group of sugars, starches, cellulose’, and gums that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in similar proportions.

The primary sources of carbohydrates in our diet are:

Complex carbohydrates (a good source of minerals, vitamins, and fiber) are starches found in:

• breads
• cereals
• starchy vegetables
• legumes
• rice
• pastas

Simple carbohydrates also contain vitamins and minerals. They naturally occur in:

• fruits
• milk and milk products
• vegetables

Simple carbohydrates are also found in processed and refined sugars such as:

• candy
• table sugar
• syrups (not including natural syrups such as maple)
• regular carbonated beverages

Refined sugars provide calories, but lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In excess, these types of carbohydrates should be considered the enemy as they contribute substantially to weight gain. We’ll talk more about this later.

The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body, especially the brain and the nervous system. The body breaks down starches and sugars into a substance called glucose, which is used for energy by the body.

Your individual dietary consumption recommendation is generally between 40 to 60% of total daily calories. We recommend that these come from complex carbohydrates (starches) and naturally occurring sugars rather than processed or refined sugars such as candy and soda pop.