Love Your Gut

A NATION OUT OF PORTION-CONTROL

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Oversized portions mean Brits pile on the pounds

Brits are unaware of what constitutes a standard portion size and because of this men are consuming a staggering 778 calories^1a extra per day, which could add up to one and a half pounds^1b of excess weight a week. Women aren’t far behind, eating and drinking an extra 546 calories^1a per day, leading to a possible weight gain of just over a pound^1b a week, new research from Loveyourgut.com reveals.

The study has been carried out to coincide with Gut Week (22-28 August), a national campaign which aims to raise awareness of good gut health. Shockingly, the survey reveals almost half (44%) of us are oblivious to how many calories we should be consuming per day, whilst almost a fifth (18%) admit to not knowing the correct portion size we should be serving ourselves. Subsequently, as a nation, we’re eating more than a third² over the recommended servings of foods such as rice, pasta and potatoes.

Dr Christian Jessen looking at the problem of over sized portions

Dr Christian Jessen, medic and supporter of Gut Week 2011 says, “It’s very easy and tempting to eat too much food, but regularly consuming large portions can significantly increase your risk of excess weight gain, digestive problems, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. I think many people will be shocked to learn that big portions can not only affect their waistlines, but can also cause internal health problems that may not be so clear. Dropping just a few calories per day, combined with regular exercise will significantly help over time.”

Food mannerisms

The research also reveals we’re not only in the dark about portion sizes; we’re also a nation unashamed to pile food onto our plates. A staggering three quarters (77%) eat more food at home than when out, a greedy fifth (23%) of us admit to having larger amounts of food if we are serving ourselves and one in ten (12%) have more than one helping for their evening meal. A worrying quarter (25%) also regularly eat their evening meal in front of the TV, where distraction leads to them being unaware of the amount they’re consuming. But, we don’t seem to just overindulge ourselves – when it comes to hosting friends or family we’re more likely to overcompensate, with over a fifth (21%) of us often providing more food for our guests than we feel necessary to prevent the worry of not having enough.

Hibernating habits

As we head into autumn, it appears the increasingly colder weather can have a negative impact on our food choices and lifestyles. The research reveals:

• Almost a third (30%) of us eat larger portions and two thirds (66%) increase our intake of carbohydrates such as bread, pasta and potatoes
• Over two fifths (45%) eat more processed and high calorie foods, such as ready meals, crisps and chocolate
• One third (33%) admit to exercising less
• 31% of us choose to sleep longer and 23%, to socialise more at home
• And 15% of us treat ourselves to more takeaways, rather than cooking at home

The research goes on to show a lack of awareness amongst the nation when it comes to high energy dense foods. A third (33%) of us admit we are unsure of what is meant by the term; 39% believe high energy dense foods are carbohydrates and over a fifth (22%) think they’re foods with energy boosting properties. This confusion is leading to unhealthy eating habits as almost a quarter (24%) of Brits are eating more high energy dense foods during the colder weather.

“Contrary to popular belief, high energy dense foods are those which have a high amount of calories in a small amount of food, such as chocolate and cheese”, says Dr Christian Jessen. “When the weather gets colder, people are tempted to tuck into larger portions of these foods, often in front of the TV, so not only are we eating more, but we’re also exercising less. This common practice of eating in front of the TV can be a big problem as you often eat a lot of food without noticing it, because you’re concentrating on your favourite programme! Watching what you eat doesn’t mean you have to give up everything you like – start with a few swaps and some simple changes and you’ll easily maintain a healthy weight.”

1)      Use smaller plates – it will make even a normal size meal seem like a lot

2)      Eat together – if possible, eat with family or friends. This gives visual clues as to how much others are eating and will help to monitor your own intake

3)      Leave debris around you – foods such as chicken wings or drumsticks are a visual reminder of how much you have eaten. There is a reason that restaurants clear plates and food away quickly – it makes you eat more!

4)      Try to keep your meals balanced – a third of your plate should be vegetables, a third starchy foods and the final third, a combination of  protein like meat or fish, high energy foods and dairy foods such as milk and cheese

5)      Avoid buffets at all costs – we simply cannot cope with the temptations and variety on offer and even ‘a little bit of everything’ will add up to a large amount

Organised by the Gut Week partners – digestive health charities Core and the IBS Network (formerly The Gut Trust) and in association with Yakult – www.loveyourgut.com offers practical advice and information on how to maintain gut health and seek help and support.

Notes to Editors

Research sample provided by One Poll in June 2011, with 2,000 respondents, aged 18+ years old

Tags: acid reflux, excess weight, Gut Week, Love Your Gut, portion size; digestion
Posted in News | No Comments »

Middle Britain Gets Bigger

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Research reveals the nation is 23 million stone overweight after a lazy summer

Brits estimate they’re carrying a staggering 23 million stone in excess weight¹ – that’s over 16lbs per person – and the bulk of this is carried around our middles, research by Loveyourgut.com reveals today.  The study coincides with Gut Week (23^rd-29^th August), which aims to raise awareness of the importance of good gut health, and shows that a summer of indulgence has not helped. 

Despite a hot summer bursting with major sporting events, many Britons claim this hasn’t had a positive impact on their exercise efforts. In fact, the heat is blamed by almost a quarter (22%), who say their fitness regimes go out the window when it’s too hot. And, rather than being inspired to get out and play football during the World Cup, 14% think the month of matches actually had a detrimental effect on their health as they ate and drank more than normal. 

It seems that after a number of dismal summers, we’ve embraced the sunshine and this has led to a summer of socialising, with visits to the pub and barbeques high on the agenda – the average Brit clocked up 73 pub visits and approximately 40 barbeque sessions². What’s more, almost two thirds (61%) admitted to eating more on these occasions than they would at a ‘normal’ meal.

Over the course of the summer season, the average Brit consumed:

• 81 cans of beer & 57 glasses of wine
• 73 bags of crisps
• 59 bar snacks such as pork pies or scotch eggs
• 56 sausages & 54 burgers
• 36 ice creams

 Not helped by a summer socialising indulgence, the average British adult is carrying around an excess of approximately 16.5lbs (over 1 stone), and nearly one fifth (17%) of us admit we usually put on weight during the summer. For almost all (89%), the effects are most noticeable on our tummies – which may not only be unsightly, but means we’re also potentially putting our health at risk.

Dr Christian Jessen, medic and supporter of Gut Week 2010 says, “It seems that the hot weather has led to a more relaxed view towards exercising and our diet. We all like to indulge from time to time but it can sometimes get out of control. Carrying excess weight around the middle – especially inside the abdomen and around the vital organs – significantly increases your risks of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, acid reflux and other digestive problems.  Exercise and a healthy, balanced diet are the most important ways of helping to shift that central fat and improving your overall health.”

Dr Christian Jessen surveys the food and drink we've consumed this summer

As the summer draws to an end, 7% admit they are struggling to shift the extra weight they put on. For the one in ten (13%) who are looking at the autumn as an opportunity to change their eating habits for the better, Dr Jessen has put together the following tips:

• 1) Walk more - It doesn’t have to mean pounding away on treadmills in the gym. Simple things like using stairs instead of lifts, and walking up escalators instead of standing on them will help to burn excess calories. It also means you can still work up a bit of a sweat if the weather outside is cold and grey.
• 2) Reduce weight – overweight thighs and bums are not as risky medically as carrying too much fat around and inside your tummy. Exercise will help to shift this fat first, and so make a big difference to your long-term health.
• 3) My top diet tip - Reduce, but don’t eliminate altogether certain foods, especially your favourites. We’re not strong enough to go without the foods we crave, and will usually cave in to temptation in the end. If these happen to be high in fat, salt or sugar, then carefully control how much of them you eat and choose skimmed or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat to help reduce fat intake significantly.
• 4) Eat more fibre – It can protect against cancer and helps prevent a variety of unpleasant bowel conditions. Autumnal foods like stews and casseroles often have a high fibre content so look up some recipes that contain wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice, oats and wholegrain cereals and vegetables such as onions, peas, broccoli and green beans, pulses, chickpeas and haricot beans.
• 5) Try to cut down on salt – Instead of adding salt to your meals, add garlic or chilli to recipes and experiment with autumnal herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley or chives.

Dr Nick Read, Acting Chair of the Gut Trust, says, “Those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) will know how important diet and exercise are to help manage the condition and keep their digestive systems as healthy as possible. But if the average Brit is carrying over a stone in excess weight – a shocking stat – I’d advise the general population to make a real effort with these areas too. Your guts are a great barometer for how you feel physically, so if you look after them, they’ll look after you.”

Organised by the Gut Week partners – digestive health charities Core and The Gut Trust in association with Yakult – www.loveyourgut.com  offers practical advice and information on how to maintain gut health and seek help and support . 

• 1. Research was conducted by One Poll in June 2010, with 3,000 respondents, aged 18-65 years old. National figure calculated by multiplying the average individual weight gain (in lbs) by 50% of the UK adult (ages 18-65) population (amount of sample who consider themselves overweight) = 16.5 x 19,750,900/14 to give figure in stones. Population figures taken from Office of National Statistics (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/populationestimates/flash_pyramid/UK-pyramid/pyramid6_30.html)

• 2. Amount calculated by multiplying average number of barbeques/pub visits anticipated (2.5 per week/4.57 per week, respectively) by the duration of the summer season (measured as May- August = 16 weeks)

Tags: digestion, digestive problems, Gut Week, Love Your Gut
Posted in News | No Comments »