Calorie Confusion
It seems to be an easy concept; lower your calories to lose weight. This of course suggests one knows how many calories they consume each day. It doesn’t seem overly difficult, but the fact of the matter is, it does not translate well to the American population. In a recent report presented by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, only 9% of people in the United States can accurately estimate the number of calories they should eat in a day, and not surprisingly the same number (9%) actually attempts to keep track of their calories during the week.
According to the report, the main reason people do not pay attention to their caloric intake is it's extremely difficult, and they lack the interest, knowledge and focus; and according to the online survey of 1,000 people, respondents are not convinced that it matters all that much. Wendy Kapsak, one of the foundation’s dietitians suggests, "Calories are a valuable tool for weight management," and "We want consumers to move from calorie confusion to calorie confidence."
According to research presented by the foundation, people who keep track of calories lose twice as much weight as those who don't. To most fitness professionals this is an obvious outcome, but due to the fact that calorie requirements vary based on gender, age, height and physical activity level, it is not so black and white in implementation. Variations in caloric requirement may range widely, but population specific calorie requirements have some consistency. For instance, Robyn Flipse, a registered dietitian quoted in the article suggests general values include “1,400 to 1,600 a day for a small, sedentary woman, 2,000 to 2,200 for a sedentary man, about 3,000 for a teenage boy going through a growth spurt and 4,000 or more calories a day for a highly trained endurance athlete.” These values obviously come with the asterisk “individual requirements may differ, but are too far off for many fitting the grouping.”
The reality is for premeditated weight loss results, individual difference demands knowing specific numbers. Variables that include genetics (25-40% influence) depict hormonal and metabolic variations whereas exercise and all physical activity (voluntary metabolism) are a more easily quantified factor. If general efforts are more realistic, simply eat smaller portions and utilize a pedometer each day. If weight loss is occurring – keep it up; if not, reduce the food portion and/or make sure the pedometer reads a higher number to promote further weight loss benefits. Of course competent personal trainers will recommend quantifying calories and adding resistance training to ensure lean mass is maintained, but eating less and moving is a good start.
Investigators suggest that large meals and big portions create problems. When eating out it is easy to consume more than half of the daily need in one meal. For instance, a perceived healthy lunch is often over a 1,000 kcal, such as a Subway foot long chicken breast sub, bag of fat-free chips, and bottle of juice. Eat at Five Guys and order a #1 burger and fries and now you’re over 2,000 kcal in one sitting. Knowing your ideal daily need provides perspective when it comes to food selection. In places where restaurants label calories there is a difference in food selection by sales compared to the same restaurants in other cities without the calorie mandates.
In addition to the general absence of calorie knowledge, the research indicates health concerns are not a top priority. Findings from the foundation's survey suggest people rank their priorities in food and drink selection by 1) taste, 2) price, and 3) healthfulness. When it came to eating out respondents suggested when ordering at a restaurant taste and price are the top priority in decision making. Interestingly, about half of respondents suggest they are very or somewhat concerned about their sodium intake, but knowledge of actual intakes are presumed low to non-existent. For Americans to actually impact the effect weight has on the country’s economy and health, more personal accountability is required.
