Dr Sally Norton says many obese people survive on a diet of pizza, fries, crisps, cakes and biscuits which leaves them obese - but undernourished
The number of people who are malnourished despite being obese is scandalous, a leading weight loss surgeon has said today.
A recent study showed despite high levels of obesity in the U.S., many people are undernourished.
A diet of pizza, fries, crisps, pasta, rice, biscuits, cakes leaves many people consuming a lot of calories but few nutrients, says Dr Sally Norton, an NHS consultant specialising in weight loss and upper gastrointestinal surgery.
The problem is exacerbated by coffee shops serving sugary and fatty drinks appearing in hospital foyers and junior doctors being given minimal training on nutrition.
Drug companies push the sales of expensive drugs which treat the symptoms of the disease but not the cause, she says.
Instead we should treat disease with nutrition, letting food be our medicine.
Here, she gives her view...
As a doctor, it never fails to astonish me how little training we are given in good, sound nutrition, and how little emphasis we place on the role of eating well in preventing and curing disease in Western medicine.
Need proof? Just look at the dismal food we serve to our patients in many hospitals, or the sugar and fat-filled snacks we offer in our hospital foyers.
Look too at the multi-million pound drug industry that is encouraging us as doctors to treat type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and other conditions related to poor nutrition with expensive drugs rather than healthier food.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was so right when he said, over 2,000 years ago: 'let food be thy medicine'.
And yet, fast-forward to the 21st century and a recent study of Americans shows that many Americans are undernourished.
Yes, you read that correctly – despite the USA's high levels of obesity, much of its population is undernourished!
For example, only 11 per cent of people meet the daily recommended intake of fibre and only 5 per cent consume recommended amounts of potassium.
A large majority also fall short on vitamins A, C, D, calcium and iron – instead eating more saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium than recommended.
These stats are so frustrating to me as a doctor – and I suspect the UK is no better.
It may seem shocking that you can be both obese and undernourished, but perhaps it isn't so astonishing if you look at the nutrients in may of our regular snacks.
CAN OBESE PEOPLE REALLY BE MALNOURISHED?
Malnutrition is a word we usually associate with the tragically thin figures from TV news reports of third world famines.
In fact, it's a shockingly common problem in Britain. Though not at starvation level, there are millions of patients who aren't getting sufficient calories, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Overweight people can still be malnourished if they eat foods giving enough energy but no nutrients
Doctors say our growing reliance on fast food, coupled with soaring rates of binge-drinking, means many are lacking the vitamins and minerals essential for health.
The result, in the most extreme cases, is pot-bellies, wasted limbs and emaciated bodies - all conditions more usually associated with famine victims in the developing world.
While malnutrition can be fatal, in more mild forms it can cause a host of symptoms that impact on every day life, from hair loss and muscle wastage to food cravings and lethargy.
How many nutrients do you get in biscuits, pieces of cake, crisps, fries, pizza, white rice, pasta and bread?
Not a whole lot. So, if we are eating these 'nutrient deficient' foods regularly, we must make sure we are getting our nutrients from real, fresh, whole foods, too.
Every day I read of yet another study that demonstrates how the food we eat is contributing to our ill-health, rather than nourishing and fuelling our bodies, and how, if we only ate a more nutritious diet, we could reduce our risk of illness and even treat problems we have already.
I could list hundreds of examples – but here are a few that really highlight the power of good nutrition:Heart Researchers showed that a heart-healthy eating plan rich in fruits, vegetables and fish significantly reduced the chance of a second heart attack and stroke in people with cardiovascular disease.
Diabetes Another study from Harvard showed that eating more whole fruits, particularly blueberries, grapes, and apples, was significantly associated with a lower risk of type-2 diabetes.Mental Health Various studies have linked a higher intake of omega 3 with improvements in mental health.
Stroke A Mediterranean eating pattern supplemented with nuts can reduce your stroke risk according to the American Heart Association's review of the literature.
Cancer Over 25 studies have shown that eating plenty of fibre reduces the risk of bowel cancer.
All bad news? Not so. Firstly, what I've highlighted above actually gives the power back to the individual, away from the doctor. YOU can treat yourself and the prescription is simple – real, fresh, honest, unprocessed food in sensible portions.
How great is that? These studies demonstrate that not only can you improve existing conditions (it's never too late!), but can also take great measures to prevent future illness – just by what you put in your shopping basket this week!
Thomas Edison, the genius who invented the light-bulb, had another 'lightbulb' moment when he said this:
'The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition'.
That was around 100 years ago… it's about time we took his advice!
Dr Sally Norton says changing a person's diet to prevent illness is not 'bad news' - instead it gives the power back to the individual, allowing them to improve existing conditions and prevent future illness
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2823213/Obese-people-actually-MALNOURISHED-eat-poor-quality-food-says-NHS-weight-loss-surgeon.html#ixzz3MRw3D72R
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