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Eating Many Different Foods Can Cause Obesity in Chinese AdultsSea MM, Woo J, Tong PC, et al.: Associations between food variety and body fatness in Hong Kong Chinese adults. J Am Coll Nutr 23:404-413, 2004. What is the problem and what is known about it so far?Obesity is a growing problem in Hong Kong. We know that eating a variety of snack foods can lead to obesity in Caucasians. However, less is known about how snacks and other foods affect obesity in Chinese people. Who was studied?There were two groups of people -- 60 obese adults who were patients of a Hong Kong medical office and 60 people of normal weight. How was the study done?People in the study kept track of the food they ate for one week. Researchers put food into six groups: grains (bread, pasta, rice), vegetables, fruits, meats (meat, fish, eggs, tofu), beverages and soups, and snacks. Researchers wanted to know how much the people ate from each food group. What did the researchers find?Eating a lot of different foods is one cause of obesity in these Hong Kong Chinese adults. The obese people ate fewer kinds of grains and meats than the normal-weight people. But the obese people ate twice as many kinds of snacks. What were the limitations of the study?Condiments and sauces (like soy sauce) are often served with rice. But people did not keep track of these foods. In other studies like this one, women didn't report all the fat they ate. Also, obese people in other studies didn't report all the fat or snack foods they ate. Therefore, the findings of this study might not be correct. What are the implications of the study?Chinese adults could benefit from eating more lean meats (like chicken) and grains and fewer snacks. Doctors should talk to their patients about eating different kinds of foods and staying at a healthy weight. |
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