You might have seen the ads on TV about how to “cut back” on sugar in the hopes of losing weight and having better health.
It’s easy to fall for the premise that sugar is bad for your health.
But is it really the case that the only way to shed weight is to cut out the bad stuff?
Diabetes, obesity, and weight gain are all major factors in the rise of the obesity epidemic, with the latter affecting more than a quarter of adults and one in six children in the UK.
In the UK, the NHS has already recognised that diabetes, obesity and weight loss are all serious health issues and has launched a campaign to make sure everyone knows they are part of the problem.
It’s called the Healthy Weight Challenge and aims to make people aware that, “Cutting back on sugar is not the answer for weight loss, or weight management, or overall health.
Diabetes is one of the major factors behind this epidemic.”
And the campaign has already hit a nerve with some celebrities and doctors.
“I think the message that is coming across is that diabetes is a very serious condition and the only cure is a lifestyle change,” says Dr. John McBride, the president of the American Diabetes Association.
Dr. McBride is not alone in the health community who is not convinced that cutting back on sugars will result in long-term health gains.
“A lot of people are really concerned about the weight loss effect of a diet that is low in carbohydrates, which is what we are recommending,” says Michael Karp, professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
“People who do that will likely be eating less carbohydrate, which will lead to weight loss.
If you are overweight and obese, the only real benefit is the weight gain.”
So is the Healthy Body Challenge really the solution to obesity?
Well, yes, in the long term.
The campaign has proven to be successful with its target of reducing the number of people with diabetes by 20 per cent by 2030.
But the main issue is that it’s a one-off campaign and the UK is a country of just over 30 million people.
In Canada, the health ministry is currently working on a plan to make the country one of only three countries that offers universal access to the HBCU program.
They are also trying to convince as many people as possible to participate.
In fact, in Canada, there is no one plan for everyone.
In Ontario, for example, there are plans for everyone to participate, but it is a different plan for people who are overweight.
In other words, if you want to lose weight, you might want to keep the same number of calories in your diet as you are currently consuming.
But you might also want to take a few steps to increase your intake of vegetables, fruit, and lean protein, which can help keep your weight under control.
This article originally appeared on Business Insider.