A new study indicates that one major factor causing today's obesity epidemic is the garbage fat diet of Americans for the past century. The Western diet is almost void of omega 3 essential fatty acids. Instead, high levels of omega 6 oils, such as corn oil and soy oil, have found their way into the food supply. Scientists show that four generations of this high omega 6 oil/low omega 3 oil is adequate to change gene signaling in a way that creates offspring that are prone to obesity.
During evolution the ratio of omega 6 oils to omega 3 oils was 4 to 1. Animals that eat grass, which contains omega 3, have higher omega 3 fat content. Fatty fish like salomn are also high in omega 3. Many animals no longer free range on grass and are instead fed corn, which is high in omega 6. The majority of oils added to processed and packaged foods, including potato chips and corn chips are omega 6 oils.
This has caused the typical Western diet to have an omega 6/omega 3 ratio of at least 15 to 1 and in some cases up to 40 to 1. These oils, in addition to acting as components of cell membranes involved with cell signaling, also activate various genes associated with metabolism and the health and function of your white adipose tissue. In the new study scientists fed this Western diet ratio of fats to animals for four generations - while measuring the details of their metabolic function with advanced scientific tools. The results showed that in each generation metabolic function became worse with a progressively expanding waistline from generation to generation - even though each generation was fed the exact same diet.
The processed and junk food industry has been altering the American food supply in this way for the past century. In recent decades the prevalence of omega 6 oils has really shot up while the availability of omega 3 oils has gone down.
There is now an overwhelming body of science that omega 3 oils, especially DHA, are vital to cardiovascular and metabolic health. Americans need to make a conscious effort to minimize omega 6 oil intake (chips, processed foods, and various salad dressings and cooking oils) while at the same time boosting omega 3 oil intake, especially DHA.
We love to say that we are a free country and we have free choice. Makers of junk food have turned this back on Americans, saying that people have a choice in what they eat. Sure we do, but it is not easy when an entire industry is intentionally trying to induce brand addiction through the use of high fat, high sugar, high salt, and brain-activating chemical flavors.
Americans need to realize that people struggling with weight are often addicted to food and have been through adverse generational programming due to the improper ratio of fatty acids in the typical Western diet. If you wish to exercise your inherent right to be free, try getting away from high fat, high sugar, high salt, and branded flavors. Once you are free of such addictions you will no longer be a sick industry's Pavlovian dog. You may be able to help chart a healthier course for future generations.
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