People have exchanged the traditional high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate diet with a low fat, low protein, high carbohydrate diet. That is, they have replaced bacon & eggs with cereal, and meat & two vegetables with pizza. And this has been accompanied by a general increase in obesity and a plague of Type 2 Diabetes.
The Lesson Of William Banting
Fat people are considered ugly, unfit and unhealthy, yet we are becoming a nation of fat citizens. Our concern over this trend is revealed by the appearance (circa 2000) of more and more foods labelled as "Lite" or ""Fat Reduced" on the supermarket shelves, which is a reflection of the common delusion about the cause of corpulence. The truth has been known since 1864 when William Banting published his "Letter On Corpulence". This document contradicted the notion that obesity is generally the result of over eating, but ascribed it to eating the wrong kind of food. It was inspired by the experiences of an over-weight man who suffered for some time, not just from his obesity, but also from the torment inflicted by the doctors he consulted. These charlatans took his money in exchange for prescriptions of violent exercise, hot baths, starvation and purging, which all ultimately failed to reduce his weight. Whereas by following the full and tasty diet dictated by a Dr William Harvey, he finally lost his excess weight and regained his health. To help others avoid his unpleasant and costly experiences he composed his essay stating:
"I can now confidently say that QUANTITY of diet may be safely left to the natural appetite; and that it is QUALITY only which is essential to abate and cure corpulence."
And went on to reveal that it was carbohydrate which fattens fat people. This simple truth was then met with general disbelief and public odium. Dr William Harvey was forced to recant to save his practice and Mr Banting was subjected to ridicule. Nevertheless it is true (see Eat Fat And Grow Slim by Richard Mackarness, M.B. B.S. published in 1958, or Slim Forever by Dr Robert Harris, published in 1993). And anyone can prove this by opting:
Despite the widespread desire to become or remain slim, and our repeated discoveries about the effects of carbohydrates, we are unable to stop indulging a taste for sweet, starchy foods. The truth is ignored, its proponents persecuted, our diet deteriorates and we run to fat.