George Washington University researcher Leigh A. Frame, Ph.D., warns that as food consumed in the U.S. becomes more and more processed, obesity is likely to become even more prevalent. Not surprisingly, she listed potato chips, sugar sweetened drinks, sweets and desserts, refined grains, red meats and processed meats as contributors to the growing obesity epidemic. Beyond that, she named insufficient intake of dietary fiber and a dramatic increase in food additives such as emulsifiers and gums. One major contributor: a fast-paced U.S. lifestyle. In an article for “Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology” she noted that recent investigations have linked ultra-processed foods to decreased fullness, eating too fast, worsening inflammation and high cholesterol as well as weight gain. In contrast, she added populations whose diets are low in meat, high in fiber and include minimally processed foods have far less chronic diseases, lower obesity rates, and live longer disease-free.

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