7 ms·

Just curious, what kind of diet is considered "Western"? I would assume you are talking about diets high in sugar and carbs, but I'm sure other Eastern cultures

Just curious, what kind of diet is considered "Western"? I would assume you are talking about diets high in sugar and carbs, but I'm sure other Eastern cultures eat plenty of high carbohydrate diets too right?

bad_user 8y ago
Two things define the western diet: 1. high in refined carbohydrates 2. snacks between meals Yes, there are Asian cultures with diets high in carbs that don't suffer from our epidemic. But those diets aren't high in refined carbohydrates or other crap we've been told to eat to lower the fat intake (e.g. margarine).
- kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
  > snacks between meals Where is it written that thou shall only eat three meals a day? This is in itself a Western cultural bias.
  - bad_user 8y ago
    There is a high correlation between snacking and obesity. The obesity crisis started in approx 1977. If you look at the the eating patterns from 1950, people ate less meals per day back then, an average of 3. There's also a scientific explanation for it: when you snack, insulin goes up. By having 6 meals per day, like the average American now does, the insulin never goes down during the day. The body then develops insulin resistance, leptin resistance (satiety hormone) and it's all downhill from there.
    - Tehnix 8y ago
      I think you are mixing up your correlations. Obese people may be more prone to snacking, but snacking does not make you obese! In fact, ACTUAL studies show that the number of meals doesn’t affect weight loss, only the amount of calories[0]. How you eat, how many times and how that affects your weight loss is totally up to the individuals preference, and what they feel is easier for them to maintain in their daily life. [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11319656/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11319656/
      - bad_user 8y ago
        Are you seriously showing me a study done on 26 women only?
      - stevenhuang 8y ago
        Parent did not say snacking causes obesity, only correlated. And you did not address his main point: that when one snacks, insulin goes up. It's a contributor to obesity, and as I understand it, is not controversial.
will_brown 8y ago
I think “Western diet” is more than high sugar, high carb. It’s probably safe to say it is high sugar, high carb, high fat, high protein, high preservatives, high in toxins, highly inflammatory, high in calories... yet low in micro nutritional value (vitamins and minerals). When you have all that, it explains why we focus on sugar and carbs, because when you combine all that with insulin spikes/high blood sugar levels it becomes deadly, and in that environment removing the sugar/carbs (insulin spikes) it is going to result in significant improvements in health and weight. Those factors also explain high incidents of chronic diseases (heart disease, fatty liver, type 2 diabetes) and obesity.
- JoeAltmaier 8y ago
  Geeze - I look in a grocery store and see way more good food that that kind of crap. Is it just that the average American doesn't eat/cook what they find at the grocery?
  - blobbers 8y ago
    I suspect you might be just a little bit desensitized to what 'good food' is. Grocery stores sell products. They used to sell food.
    - com2kid 8y ago
      > Grocery stores sell products. They used to sell food. Walk only around the outside of the store and you'll be fine. Don't go down any aisle except for spices.
  - castlecrasher2 8y ago
    It's difficult in the US to buy any kind of processed grain that doesn't have added sugar
  - ajmurmann 8y ago
    Guess: you probably shop more around the outside of the store where you'll typically find the unprepared foods and probably don't shop for groceries at Walmart, maybe not even Safeway. I know it's true for me but not most Americans.
lawlessone 8y ago
We eat a lot of meat other cultures eat meat but we really eat a lot.
- bad_user 8y ago
  There are in fact tribes known to eat only meat and that do not suffer from obesity, heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

bad_user 8y ago

Two things define the western diet: 1. high in refined carbohydrates 2. snacks between meals Yes, there are Asian cultures with diets high in carbs that don't suffer from our epidemic. But those diets aren't high in refined carbohydrates or other crap we've been told to eat to lower the fat intake (e.g. margarine).

kevin_thibedeau 8y ago
> snacks between meals Where is it written that thou shall only eat three meals a day? This is in itself a Western cultural bias.
- bad_user 8y ago
  There is a high correlation between snacking and obesity. The obesity crisis started in approx 1977. If you look at the the eating patterns from 1950, people ate less meals per day back then, an average of 3. There's also a scientific explanation for it: when you snack, insulin goes up. By having 6 meals per day, like the average American now does, the insulin never goes down during the day. The body then develops insulin resistance, leptin resistance (satiety hormone) and it's all downhill from there.
  - Tehnix 8y ago
    I think you are mixing up your correlations. Obese people may be more prone to snacking, but snacking does not make you obese! In fact, ACTUAL studies show that the number of meals doesn’t affect weight loss, only the amount of calories[0]. How you eat, how many times and how that affects your weight loss is totally up to the individuals preference, and what they feel is easier for them to maintain in their daily life. [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11319656/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11319656/
    - bad_user 8y ago
      Are you seriously showing me a study done on 26 women only?
    - stevenhuang 8y ago
      Parent did not say snacking causes obesity, only correlated. And you did not address his main point: that when one snacks, insulin goes up. It's a contributor to obesity, and as I understand it, is not controversial.

will_brown 8y ago

I think “Western diet” is more than high sugar, high carb. It’s probably safe to say it is high sugar, high carb, high fat, high protein, high preservatives, high in toxins, highly inflammatory, high in calories... yet low in micro nutritional value (vitamins and minerals). When you have all that, it explains why we focus on sugar and carbs, because when you combine all that with insulin spikes/high blood sugar levels it becomes deadly, and in that environment removing the sugar/carbs (insulin spikes) it is going to result in significant improvements in health and weight. Those factors also explain high incidents of chronic diseases (heart disease, fatty liver, type 2 diabetes) and obesity.

JoeAltmaier 8y ago
Geeze - I look in a grocery store and see way more good food that that kind of crap. Is it just that the average American doesn't eat/cook what they find at the grocery?
- blobbers 8y ago
  I suspect you might be just a little bit desensitized to what 'good food' is. Grocery stores sell products. They used to sell food.
  - com2kid 8y ago
    > Grocery stores sell products. They used to sell food. Walk only around the outside of the store and you'll be fine. Don't go down any aisle except for spices.
- castlecrasher2 8y ago
  It's difficult in the US to buy any kind of processed grain that doesn't have added sugar
- ajmurmann 8y ago
  Guess: you probably shop more around the outside of the store where you'll typically find the unprepared foods and probably don't shop for groceries at Walmart, maybe not even Safeway. I know it's true for me but not most Americans.

lawlessone 8y ago

We eat a lot of meat other cultures eat meat but we really eat a lot.

bad_user 8y ago
There are in fact tribes known to eat only meat and that do not suffer from obesity, heart disease or type 2 diabetes.