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April 4 - April 11, 2004 |
Turning Back the Clock on Obesity
Italian-Canadian UofT Professor Victor Fornasier offers solutions to increasing problem
Originally Published: 2004-03-21
Why were our parents and grandparents lean? Why are many younger people fat, or outright obese, nowadays?
Obesity has become an international problem, plaguing industrialized countries. Obesity also triggers other conditions, such as cardiovascular problems and diabetes, and several governments have been reacting and researching possible solutions. However, a simple prescription for slimming down is proposed by Professor Victor Fornasier, biologist and laboratory physician at the University of Toronto and virologist at St. Michael's Hospital.
His prescription begins with an assessment of our parents' lifestyle in the 50s or 60s.
"The human body accumulates fats from food. They are fuel that gets burned for moving, working, and doing any one of our thousand activities. If our body stops moving around, we don't burn those fats; but if we keep eating the same things in the same quantities, they will continue to accumulate, making us obese."
Professor Fornasier clearly refers to healthy bodies with no other obesity-inducing problem, e.g. a hormonal disorder or intolerance for some foods.
"Today, human beings enjoy so many comforts," continued Fornasier. "With machines working for us, we do not do a lot of little things that once were part of everyday life."
Fornasier underscores how three or four decades ago people exercised much more; not in gyms, but walking, biking, climbing stairs, working in the fields, or strolling in the mountains.
"Some old habits should be refreshed," he maintains. "For instance, walking more, taking the stairs, doing more sports. It would be a good thing if we left our cars home, or went to the countryside for long walks. That would burn fats."
Less comfort but more health, says the researcher. But Dr. Fornasier's prescription continues with indications on a balanced diet, with healthier foods and less sugar.
"Industry is not often helping us, and we need to defend ourselves. When I arrived to Toronto, there was very white bread. That bread, however, was poor in calcium, because a specific flour was being used. After some studies were undertaken, calcium was added back to the bread, otherwise it would not be nourishing enough."
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