NUTRITION
So here is another topic that is extensive to cover, but
I’ll try to summarize the key take home points I got. Just like the lack of counseling on exercise, we physicians
do not adequately counsel our patients on nutrition. Some sobering facts:
·
58% of adult obese patients do not report
receiving any prior advice from physician about weight loss
·
patients who were told to lose weight were 3
times more likely to attempt weight loss
·
7 out of 10 patients would like to discuss diet
·
2/3 of patients would like to discuss weight
loss
·
> 90% say they would make a change if advised
by their primary care physician
Tops reasons why physicians neglect to address this topic:
·
time constraint
·
fear of offending
·
lack of medical school training on nutrition
counseling
Well so let’s get talking! I may have to come up with some brochures or fact
sheets or something because a
15min office visit is going to be tough to get into all the nitty gritty. In a nutshell here are some simple
tips…
Tips for Eating Better
·
Eat fruit before snacking
·
Use small plates
·
Never eat form a package (transfer food)
·
Eliminate the cookie jar and replace with fruit
bowl
·
Control your environment
I also found these food rules amusing. It is from Michael Pollan’s, FoodRules: An Eater’s Manual:
·
Eat food
·
It’s not food if it arrived through the window
of your car
·
Don’t get your fuel from the same place your car
does
·
Shop the peripheries of the supermarket
·
If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made
in a plant, don’t
·
Cook
To expound on that last point:
·
The average American spends 27 min/day on food
preparation and another 4 minues cleaning up (less than half the time spent in
1960’s)
·
What are we doing with the extra time? Watching cooking shows!
To see what is the current recommendation for food go to
ChooseMyPlate.gov
I also like Harvard Public Health’s slight variation at
Healthy Eating Plate
