The USDA sets dietary guidelines for a 5-year span. They are starting to let out some of the information that will be used in the 2025-2030 dietary guidelines. One of those pieces of information they will be using is a study that showed there is little difference in your calorie source for maintaining weight. In other words, your weight gain, loss or maintenance is not determined by what the calories come from (quality, whole foods versus junk food), just the number of calories.
In one study, one group received a highly processed grain like white bread and the other a lower processed grain like oatmeal. All other variables were controlled like calories and macro-nutrient mix like carbs/protein/fat. This study was conducted in an environment where the participants could not leave the facility and only eat the food they were given—no cheating. The study showed that both groups maintained about the same weight. There is one huge problem with the study. It is not real life.
Real life scenario #1:
A person goes to work after a breakfast of toast and jam and goes by the break room. The muffins on the counter are screaming at them. They are hungry; the high carb/high sugar breakfast caused their blood sugar to increase. It has now started to drop quickly. They grab a muffin.
Real life scenario #2:
A person goes to work after eating a breakfast of the same macro-nutrient balance. This person had old-fashioned oats with some milk. He walked by the break room and saw the muffins on the counter. His blood sugar has dropped slightly due to the high carb breakfast. The muffin looks good, but because he is a little hungry and their blood sugar is wavering, it is very difficult to walk away. He may or may not be able to resist the temptation of a muffin.
Real life scenario #3 (not part of the study):
The macro-nutrient balance is changed by lowering the amount of oatmeal but adding nuts and seeds. The person still walks by the break room at work. The muffin looks good, but they are full from a steady blood sugar, so they walk away.
Even if we take all other health issues off the table, you will lose weight whether you are locked in a cell and fed 800 calories of Doritos and Twinkies or 800 calories of whole foods.
Why would the US Government look to studies that don’t consider real life? Because money from lobbyists drives those decisions. There is money from fruit and vegetable growers, but it is small compared to the money lobbyists throw at politicians from packaged food producers. In 2015, processed food manufacturers spent 32 million on lobbying while the fruit and vegetable industry spent 3.7 million. And most of that 3.7 million is from the National Potato Council which represents potato farmer’s interests in french fries and the fast-food chains where most of them are sold.
The bottom line is that you need to be careful of what you read and who paid for it.
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