More ‘Research Gone Wild’ – where wacky researchers who apparently never talk to one another come out with more pronouncements to bewilder the public.
First: we’re exercising more, but fatter that ever. Huh?
34.7 percent claimed in 2009 they engage in regular leisure physical activity, up from 31.9 percent in 2008.
The prevalence of obesity among adults aged 20 and over has increased from 19.4 percent in 1997 to 28 percent in 2009.
In 2009, 9 percent of adults 18 and over had diabetes, up from 8.2 percent in 2008 and 5 percent in 1997.
Second: they’ve announced new dietary guidelines that…sound pretty much like the old dietary guidelines:
The committee has identified four major findings that may be taken to help Americans implementing better health and promoting dietary, nutrition and physical activity guidelines. First suggest that there is a reduction of overall calorie intake and increasing physical activity. They also suggest that people change foods by eating a more plant-based diet that with an emphasis on vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Furthermore the committee wants to increase foods such as seafood and fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products and consume only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry, and eggs. The experts also want to significantly reduce intake of foods containing added sugars and solid fats as these foods contribute excess calories and few, if any, nutrients. Finally they want Americans to reduce sodium intake to 1,500mg per day rather than the 2,300 mg currently.
The above reminds me of the kid who has a term paper due and submits a paper from last semester hoping the professor doesn’t find out.
Of course, that old bugaboo fat is demonized – and sodium, which doesn’t make you fat, is also poo-pooed.
And…more exercise! Even though the jokers in the first research found we exercise more than we did previously.
Now I’m not saying that I disagree with everything they say here. I disagree with the equal certainty of every statement. Why not say ‘cookies are bad. Veggies are good. Fat is OK. Don’t eat like a pig, and get some exercise – we really don’t know everything, so find what works for you.’
I guess that’s too complicated for we, the people.
Low Carb Confidential 
Here’s a thought – let’s us the people ignore those who would try to baffle us with science, and just try to rely on our own commonsense for a change.
I pretty much agree with you, but the definition of ‘commonsense’ has gotten murky. A lot of people would claim that their wacky way of thinking is ‘commonsense’ – ‘wacky’ being defined as: thinking differently than *I* do. I believe (at least at the moment I’m writing this) that commonsense is: eat minimally processed foods, as a start. But what do I base this on? In a nutshell, I think that we know very little about nutrition, and that as a species, we’re safest eating things that our ancestors, who succeeded in creating us, probably ate.
But the truth is: my direct ancestors ate McDonalds, Tang, and Jello.
Might I be wrong that we should eat minimally processed foods?
I just skimmed through the sections on fat and carbohydrate and, in my estimation, the 2010 DGAC accomplished nothing.
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-DGACReport.htm
Section 3: Fatty Acids and Cholesterol PDF (1.6MB)
Section 5: Carbohydrates PDF
Can I add that it is like a kid handing in an old term paper that FAILED and still hopes a) the professor wont find out and b) it will pass this time.