Nutrition

Eating less fat: Easier said than done!

In Quebec, excess weight and obesity are more prevalent among families in rural areas. Nutritionist Isabelle Huot, who has just published the results of a massive study on Quebecers’ eating habits in the Journal of Obesity, argues that public health organizations must target this clientele if they wish to mitigate the devastating effects of heart disease.

“Our study made it very clear. In rural areas, diet is often less varied and healthy foods are lacking. Many shop at their corner store which limits their choice of less fatty foods,” explains Ms Huot. During her doctoral research, conducted at the Université de Montréal, Ms Huot interviewed the parents of young children from various socio-economic backgrounds − 10,014 individuals from three regions of Quebec (Montreal, Fabreville and Rivière-du-Loup). The first part of her study confirmed that non-smokers, and those who are physically active, were less overweight than the general population. The study also revealed that men consume more bad fats than women and that the incidence of obesity increases with age.

Ms Huot wanted to push her study further and measure the impact of the Projet Québécois de démonstration en santé du cœur (a Quebec cardiac awareness program) on changes in eating habits. Ms Huot selected a sample of some 5,000 individuals to complete her questionnaire. Four years later, she returned to this sample to determine if their habits had changed. “People had not changed their habits in any significant way. Nutritionists are able to get their point across to the public, but it seems that people are quick to forget,” states Ms Huot.

So, do nutritionists have an impact? Ms Huot argues that awareness campaigns on healthy eating have a terrific influence. The problem is that competing messages are simply more powerful. “The public has access to a lot of other less-credible sources of information, TV advertising being a case in point,” she states.

This expert, however, has chosen an unconventional vehicle to disseminate nutritional research: the media. She has a regular spot on Salut Bonjour and Tonus (TVA) and writes columns for L’actualité médicale, Capital Santé, Elle Québec, Madame, Marché Express, 7 jours and Les lettres gastronomiques. In addition, she runs a clinical practice one day a week. Ms Huot admits that she works seven days a week and sometimes burns the midnight oil, but she’s not complaining. “Right now, nutrition is fashionable. All the better, if that means people are being more careful about what they eat. Public health will come out the big winner.”

When Ms Huot was invited to comment on the nutritional value of fast-food chains on the TVA network’s newscast last November, she placed in front of her 15 slices of white bread and as many pats of butter. Then, she tossed 13 sugar cubes into a glass, turned to the camera and said, “This is what you consume when your order a trio.” Viewers were riveted. “I don’t hesitate to use these kinds of tactics to show the extent to which the public is being hoodwinked,” she says.