Obesity cause: junk food not the real problem?

A current study from Cornell University revealed that junk food and sodas have nothing to do with the obesity epidemic in the United States.

According to HealthDay News, the study showed that the amount of junk food, fast food and sugary drinks consumed by obese and average weight people are not significantly different.

"These are foods that are clearly bad for you and, if you eat too much of them, they will make you fat. But it does not appear to be the main driver that is making people overweight and obese," said Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics Co-director David Just.

Americans eat too much

The report noted that the main problem in the obesity epidemic in the U.S. is that many Americans are consuming too much foods and drinks.

"We are eating too much generally. We need to cut back on our total consumption," Just added.

He clarified, however, that the results of the study do not imply that it is good to eat junk food. He said that junk foods are still not healthy for the body.

Diet and exercise

Just emphasized that diet and exercise are the main drivers for successful weight loss, according to Health.

"There is nothing flashy about that advice. It is not magic, there is no silver bullet here," Just averred.

The study disclosed that eradicating junk foods and sodas in people's diet is not the main solution to the obesity problem in America, DailyMail reported.

The study suggested that sedentary lifestyle and not eating foods rich in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, can likely lead to unhealthy weight problems.

Verify results of the study

Not all experts in the medical field are amenable to the results of the study.

New York University Medical Center Clinical Nutritionist Samantha Heller said that the data must be interpreted carefully.

"One must be careful not to misinterpret the findings of this study to mean that eating fast food, candy and soft drinks does not affect the health of children and adults," Heller stated.

Kevin McConway of the Open University also questioned the data interpretation of the study.

"'The paper does raise some intriguing questions, particularly the observation that people who are underweight, as well as those who are extremely obese, eat more fast food meals per week than do the great majority of people in between," he said in the Daily Mail report.