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Funk (1912) was one of the first studies to link nutrition to public health. His research had a world-wide impact on the nutritional health of society (M;leer-Landlord, 1994). Today, nutrition plays a major role In preventive and therapeutic measures for disease (Medical Nutrition Therapy, 2014). The typical U. S. Diet is at least 37% fat (Last & Wilson, 2006), which is above that recommended by the American Heart Association (Knowing Your Fats, 2014). According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture (201 1), the type of fat consumed Is as Important as the amount of fat ingested.
Recommendations regarding the types and quantities of dietary fats are causing controversies among nutrition professionals and confusion among consumers (Zealand & Kennedy, 2005). Based on my practice as a registered dietitian, feel that proper weight loss and maintenance are more Important to health than dietary fat modifications. This essay presents evidence-based research studies which challenge and support my thesis. Fat Facts Dietary fats can be categorized as saturated and unsaturated (Muhammad, 2006, p. 131). The more solid the fat, the more saturated Is its composition; the more unsaturated the fat, the more liquid Is its nature.
Saturated fat has been associated with heart disease, whereas unsaturated fat lowers blood cholesterol and improves cardiovascular health (World Heart Federation, 2014). These are the reasons nutrition educators have warned the public against consuming saturated fat. Since any type of fat Is high In calories, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (2005) recommended limiting all types of dietary fat for weight control. The Fat Controversy FIFO intake for weight control replaced dietary fat with refined carbohydrates such as sugar. The respective author encouraged a healthy-heart diet, which restricted sugar ether than fat (Huh, 2011, p. 542). In addition to this study, research by Sir-Traitor, Sun, Huh, and Krause (2009) also showed insufficient evidence linking saturated fat intake to compromised cardiovascular health. Willet (2011) disagreed with the foregoing studies and advocated limiting saturated fats to 10% of one’s total daily calories. His views on this issue are espoused by other research studies (Liechtenstein, 2011; Keller, 2011). However, a study by Sacks, et al. , (2009) concluded that calorie-controlled diets for weight loss could reduce cardiovascular risks sugarless of dietary modifications in fat, protein, or carbohydrate.
A study by Minimization (2011) echoed the conclusions of Sacks, et al. He stated that the public becomes confused when they have to concentrate on specific nutrients like saturated fat; he instead advocated a diet of vegetable oils, fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts (Minimization, 2011, p. 666). Conclusions and Social Impact An unhealthy weight contributes to several serious medical conditions (National Institutes of Health, 2012). Therefore, I concur with the above studies, which emphasized calorie-controlled diets rather than modified-fat diets that may not intro weight.
Overweight contributes to of type 2 diabetes cases (National Institutes of Health, 2012, p. 2). Being overweight means having a large waist. The function of insulin, a hormone which controls blood sugar, can be affected by waist size: [An] important number to know is your waist size in inches. Having too much fat around your waist may increase health risks even more than having fat in other parts of your body. Women with a waist size of more than 35 inches and men with a waist size of more than 40 inches may have higher chances of developing diseases related to obesity. (p. 1).