Weight Loss Is A Long One CONSUMERS CORRECTLY AGREE GRAIN FOODS CAN ASSIST WITH HEALTH-RELATED PROBLEMS: 2002 Agree grain foods may help prevent heart disease Agree grain foods may help prevent cancer 68% Agree grain foods help increase energy 81% Agree grain foods help with weight control % 76% T 10 T 20 T 30 T 40 63% ! 60 ! 70 ! 80 90 Grains, not fad diets, are a key part of the long-term solution to being overweight. (NAPSA)—Arecent Gallup survey shows 75 percent of Americans realize high-protein, lowcarbohydrate diets may offer short-term results, but acknowl- edge weight-loss results from these diets are difficult to maintain long term. Additionally, 70 percent understand depriving themselves of foods rich in carbohydrates is not healthy. While 63 percent of consumers agree complex carbohydrates are good for them and grain foods can help with weight control, more than half think bread and pasta— which are complex carbohydrates and grain foods—are fattening, whentheyare not. In addition, according to the survey, more than 68 percent rec- ognize the health benefits that bread and grain foods provide, including the fact they may help prevent heart disease, cancer, dia- betes, and birth defects, as well as increase energy. “Americans are confused about basic nutrition, especially the benefits of grain foods,” said Dr. Holly Wyatt, assistant professor of medicine with the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. “Consumers need to know the facts about food staples, such as grains, and the integral role they play in a healthful diet.” Researchers at the University of Colorado, including Dr. Wyatt, collecting data for the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) found most members achieved long-term weight loss success by following a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, including a variety of grain foods and reducing caloric intake, as well as exercising regularly. Another study, recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) comparing low-carbohydrate and high-carbohydrate diets also found those who followed a high-carbohydrate diet were morelikely to be in the normal weight range and consume more key vitamins and minerals. “The research shows grain foods are a key part of the solution to long-term weight management,” said Judi Adams, M.S., R.D., president of the Wheat Foods Council. “It is important for Americans to learn the truth about grains and other healthful foods so they can stay on track for a long, healthful life.”
