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July 26, 2006
Fat on the Brain
Hi AH... and thanks for your nice comments on the blog! Glad you're enjoying it! I think, however, that we still have a point of disagreement. According to the school's website, the kids are eating a diet that typically contains 10 grams of fat (that's 90 calories worth of fat -- fat has 9 calories per gram) per day and then salads, fat free yogurts, fruits and vegetables on top of that. The traces of fat in fruits and vegetables are not going to add up to 15-20% of calories from fat, nor are they going to provide the essential fatty acids in adequate amounts that a teaspoon of flax or olive oil would provide. The website doesn't say that the kids are eating 10-15% of calories from fat -- it just quotes a study that says that people find that kind of diet satisfying. “Popular Diets: A Scientific Review (published in Obesity Research, 2001)” Dr. Marjorie Freedman and her colleagues noted that “Low-fat diets (15-20% fat) received higher hedonic [pleasure] ratings compared with higher-fat diets (30%-50% fat)." [That's a direct quote from the website.] If these kids are eating a diet of 1500 calories a day (which would be very low calorie), then let's say, to be very generous, that they're getting 5 grams of fat from traces of fat in "uncontrolled foods," in addition to the 10 grams in the controlled foods (all of which, it seems, are coming from meat, since no sources of unsaturated fat are listed), then that's a total of 135 calories a day from fat. That's 9%. Since it strikes me as rather unlikely that 5 grams of fat can be squeezed from fat free yogurts and salads, let's say that in a 1500 calorie a day diet, there are 108 calories from fat (that's 12 grams). That's 7%. No source of unsaturated fat mentioned anywhere.
AH says, "And I still don't think that it is as deadly as a problem as you made it seem, at least not in comparison to the weight problem that the teens have." I don't get the comparison: just because these kids have a deadly weight problem doesn't mean that they should be malnourished while losing weight. Is is quite possible, and in my experience easier, to lose weight on a diet that provides adequate nutrition. Essential fatty acids are an essential nutrient, just like vitamin C and vitamin A. Fat isn't what makes people fat -- excess calories, no matter what their source, make people fat. Cutting calories while maintaining (and even improving) nutrition is the cornerstone of healthy weight loss. Even Dean Ornish has said for the last several years that unsaturated fats are essential to good health, especially keeping Omega 3's and 6's in balance. It is easy to create a diet that is low in calories and extremely high in nutrition, including in healthful fats. I do it every day.
The early nineties mythology that fat is what makes people fat may have encouraged people to cut back on steak and french fries. That's a good thing! I'm all for it! But it also spawned the fat-free junk food industry, filling foods that used to consist mostly of fat with useless carbs and sugar. There's a better way: keep the calories low by eliminating nutrient-free foods, both high carb and high fat. Get rid of the nutrient-free carbs (like bagels) and replace those calories with flax oil and olive oil. Fat actually improves the absorbtion of many of the nutrients in vegetables. I know how hard it is to make the transition from thinking of fat as the enemy to realizing that fat (in measured amounts -- some people find it easy to eat a whole bag full of nuts, but that's not what we're suggesting here!) to realizing that some kinds of fat are not only healthy, they're necessary. I was so used to no-fat cooking that it took me awhile to learn how to use oil and nuts in my dishes. Now, however, I realize not only how delicious a teaspoon of flax oil can be on a dish of berries, but also what a positive effect the addition of the flax has on my moods, my hunger satisfaction, and my skin quality. Because my diet has very little saturated fat (and I have more than I think I should, since I occasionally consume chicken when I eat out with co-workers) I have very low cholesterol levels and almost no risk for heart disease. One need not give up fat all together -- in fact, one should not. A diet that includes healthy unsaturated fats in measured amounts, along with healthy carbs like veggies and fruits, is the only healthy way to go.
I applaud all who try to put an end to the public health crisis of obesity, whether it is among adults, adolescents or children. I believe that all those who work at the Academy of the Sierras are doing their best to help kids who are in truly desperate shape. I just wish they would take advantage of up to date information and feed the kids some flax oil for omega 3's and perhaps sunflower oil, grapeseed oil or safflower oil for omega 6's? Maybe a hazelnut here and there. The kids would be healthier and happier. On this, I am willing to bet an entire bottle of excellent French extra virgin olive oil.
Posted by april at July 26, 2006 8:35 PM
Comments
Well written, and I agree completely.
Posted by: Emily at July 26, 2006 11:09 PM
My daughter attended this school. I think your dietary concerns are valid. The students are expected to stricty adhear to the 12grams of fat/day plan, and are considered to be failing if they only lose 1-2 lbs/week. They are often then encouraged to reduce their total caloric intake to as little as 700/day. Also, students are discouraged from eating fattier fish such as salmon, as well as nuts. This school is a business concerned about the bottom line only, not the well being of its students.
Posted by: Katie at August 7, 2006 1:19 PM
I went to AOS and everything you say is true. I was yelled at if I lost only around a pound or two a week. And going home it was immpossible to eat under 10 grams of fat a day, which was the goal we were told to aim for. I gained back all my weight and ten pounds since I got home. So did all my freinds I keep in contact with. I agree with the above comments that the school focused highley on how their statistics would look not on the individual student. And I'm not even getting in to the brainwashing that went on between the "therapist" and the parents. I think that unfortunatly AOS is not the program that if thinks it is, and it's results are not going to last. You can't force weight loss and a child and expect them to keep it off.
Posted by: Anon at September 7, 2006 2:12 AM
Need advice from someone who has been to this school. I am thinking of sending my daughter in three weeks.
Posted by: Terri at August 2, 2007 9:50 AM
My daughter has been attending Academy of the Sierra's since June. She has lost 30 pounds and want's to stay for the Fall. If you like to talk to me your can e-mail me at clmcalister@msn.com. Thank yu for the awareness of the need for essential fats. I will address this with Phil Obbard.
Posted by: Cindi at August 11, 2007 7:38 AM