Very Interesting recent article published in JAMA( Journal of the American Medical Association) found a link between consumption of high calorie subsidized food and the subsequent development of the obesity and many related Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and their complications .
The study used the seven subsidized food items in a ( Subsidy Score) including corn, soy beans , wheat, rice, sorghum, dairy and livestock as a percentage of total calorie intake. Then, various clinical parameters were used including Body Mass Index ( BMI) which is a simple ratio of waist circumference to height, C- reactive protein( a marker of inflammation ) blood pressure, HgA1C which is an indicator of blood sugar control, and ( NON-HDL) cholesterol which is basically the bad cholesterol. Also, avoiding any other possible contributing risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, poverty, and food insecurity.
The study showed with higher consumption of high calorie subsidized food items, there was higher incidence of heart disease and diabetes, all related to obesity resulting from consuming those subsidized food items. The current cost of treating those diseases and related complications would reach $ 300 Billion dollars annually which would exceed the money spent on subsidizing these high calorie nutritional items
This study support the current nutritional recommendations to limit carbohydrate intake, use fresh fruits and vegetables. Also use unsaturated fat to replace saturated fats and trans-fats. After all, you are what you eat. So, if you eat healthy food, you will stay healthy and if you eat unhealthy, then will lead to many chronic illnesses, exactly like the car to run well, it needs good gas!
In our Concierge Medicine program , we put big emphasis on proper nutrition, use food as medicine to strengthen the immune system thus preventing disease, provide energy and improve quality of life.
