Book Mirrors Government's Dietary Guidelines; Debunks Dieting Fads

Newswise — No matter how you slice it, the calories are what counts, explains Glenn Gaesser, a U.Va. professor of exercise physiology, in his new book, "It's the Calories, Not the Carbs." And a government panel that is releasing new dietary guidelines today, Jan. 12, agrees.

Truth be told, as the number of fad diet books on store shelves has increased, so have Americans' waistlines. No matter what the latest claim, calories do count, and the more than 60 percent of overweight or obese Americans have found this out the hard way.

Gaesser and co-author Karin Kratina, a nutritionist, show readers that eating well - and living well - is about giving themselves the best possible intake of nutrients to allow their bodies to be as healthy as possible and to work as well as they can. In other words, it is about getting the body the nutrients it needs for optimal mental and physical performance and emotional balance.

"Too many consumers continue to buy in to the fad diet rhetoric, the latest of which has been the low-carb craze," said Gaesser, a professor of exercise physiology and director of the Kinesiology Program in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. "Unfortunately, when consumers cut carbohydrates, they're eliminating an entire food group that not only can assist with weight loss, but also provides many important health benefits."

"It's the Calories, Not the Carbs" provides an in-depth analysis of the key fad diet books currently on the market, as well as the lowdown on the glycemic index and trans fats. Using scientific research, Gaesser and Kratina explain the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of these diets. They also go the next step, providing readers with a more livable, workable solution to their weight-loss goals.

This book is not a set of rules. As Gaesser and Kratina explain, a person's needs and health goals are unique and depend on a complete host of factors, from the strengths and weaknesses they were born with to the environmental conditions they may be facing. This book gives readers general guidelines they can adapt to their individual needs and realities.

"Whether your personal health goal is to lose weight, maintain your current weight, become more active, have more energy or just improve your overall health and fitness, we show you how to listen to your body and make healthful lifestyle changes for long-term health and wellness," said Kratina, who is in private practice in Gainesville, Fla., and serves as an eating disorders specialist at the University of Florida.

In his research at U.Va., Gaesser studies the impact of exercise and diet on health and fitness. A fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, he co-wrote the organization's 1998 position statement, "The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults."

The Wheat Foods Council, a nonprofit organization, commissioned Gaesser and Kratina to write "It's the Calories, Not the Carbs," a new edition of a book that had originally come out in 2000 under a different title. Gaesser's books for general audiences include "Big Fat Lies: The Truth About Your Weight and Your Health," published in 1996 and updated in 2001, and "The Spark: The Revolutionary New Plan to Get Fit and Lose Weight 10 Minutes at a Time," co-authored with Karla Dougherty and published in 2001. A popular speaker, Gaesser has lectured on the subject of fitness, body weight and health at numerous national and international meetings and on dozens of radio and TV shows in North America.

"It's the Calories, Not the Carbs" is available from Trafford Publishing at http://amazon.com or through Baker & Taylor Book Distributors. It is also available from the Wheat Foods Council Web site (http://www.wheatfoods.org).