Opinion
Fighting the fat wars: which diet is the most healthy for South Africans?
Cutting the carbohydrate controversy down to size requires a balanced view
Much debate and conflicting evidence has been presented in scientific journals about the role of carbohydrates in a healthy diet. The controversy includes the emergence of the high-fat, low-carbohydrate paradigm.
There is little doubt that there has been a global explosion of obesity, metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes in the past few decades. This change has coincided with the increased availability and marketing of refined carbohydrates and sugar-sweetened beverages produced by the industrial food sector.
The question is: are all carbohydrates bad?
A recent study in the Lancet journal projected that life expectancy would increase significantly in 35 industrialised countries by 2030. The leading four countries in this study were South Korea, France, Spain and Japan. By 2030, women in South Korea would have a 90% probability of living to 86.7 years. The study also indicated men had a 95% probability of living to at least 80 or longer in South Korea, Australia and Switzerland.
Other studies also show increased life span is expected around the world. So does diet play a role in this?
Nothing wrong with croissants, then
A brief review of traditional diets of the four industrialised countries with the greatest projected longevity is interesting.
The typical South Korean diet always includes rice and has a high proportion of vegetables, legumes and fish, and low red meat levels. French cuisine consists of meat, vegetables, cheese, breads and dessert, while the staples of Spain include ham, eggs and rice.
Finally, the typical Japanese diet includes rice as a staple carbohydrate together with a high consumption of fish, salted foods and green tea.
Clearly, carbohydrates are an integral component of the diets of both developed and developing countries. Carbohydrate intake in these countries does not seem to have adversely influenced projected longevity.
In a meta-study, we investigated the relationship between total carbohydrate intake and obesity. The results of this survey revealed no link between total carbohydrate consumption and obesity...
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