Health
Exercise Can’t Save Us: Our Sugar Intake Is The Real Culprit, Experts Reveal | By Alice G. Walton
In a fascinating and scorching editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, three authors argue that the myth that exercise is the key to weight loss – and to health – is erroneous and pervasive, and that it must end.
The evidence that diet matters more than exercise is now overwhelming, they write, and has got to be heeded: We can exercise to the moon and back but still be fat for all the sugar and carbs we consume. And perhaps even more jarring is that we can be a normal weight and exercise, and still be unhealthy if we’re eating poorly. So, they say, we need a basic reboot of our understanding of health, which has to involve the food industry’s powerful PR “machinery,” since that was part of the problem to begin with.
The major point the team makes – which they say the public doesn’t really understand – is that exercise in and of itself doesn’t really lead to weight loss. It may lead to a number of excellent health effects, but weight loss – if you’re not also restricting calories – isn’t one of them. “Regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and some cancers by at least 30%,” they write. “However, physical activity does not promote weight loss.”
Plus, in the last 30 years, exercise has stayed about the same, while overweight and obesity have skyrocketed. So something else must be at play – like the type of food we’re eating. That part has gotten steadily worse over the years, as highly-processed sugary foods and sodas have taken over as our go-to choices. “According to the Lancet global burden of disease reports,” they write, “poor diet now generates more disease than physical inactivity, alcohol and smoking combined.” This is a disturbing statistic. But it gets worse.
The related and larger issue is that even normal weight people who exercise will, if they eat poorly, have metabolic markers that put them at very high risk of chronic illness and early mortality. “Up to 40% of those with a normal body mass index will harbour metabolic abnormalities typically associated with obesity, which include hypertension, dyslipidaemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease.”
And the crux of the issue is this: We’re continually “fed” the idea that all that’s behind the rise in obesity is lack of exercise, or sedentariness.
There have certainly been a lot of studies and popular articles suggesting that sitting is our downfall. Instead of effective messages about diet and health that science actually knows to be true, “members of the public are drowned by an unhelpful message about maintaining a ‘healthy weight’ through calorie counting,” the team writes, “and many still wrongly believe that obesity is entirely due to lack of exercise. This false perception is rooted in the Food Industry’s Public Relations machinery, which uses tactics chillingly similar to those of big tobacco.”
What we know to be true is much simpler: “Sugar calories promote fat storage and hunger,” the write. “Fat calories induce fullness or satiation.” For every additional 150 calories in sugar (i.e., a can of soda) a person consumes per day, the risk for diabetes rises 11-fold, regardless of how much or little we exercise. The single most effective thing people can do for their weight, they write, is to restrict calories – and even more, restrict carbohydrates.
So if this is all true, and research seems to suggest it is, how will it change? It might take quite a lot of work to shift our psychology around food, especially since advertising is so saturated with the message that carbohydrates are good for us. The celebrity endorsements might need to be tweaked, the authors say, and certainly the way foods are advertised and, perhaps, created, need to be shifted. The public should be repeatedly hit with the message that whole, natural foods, where possible and affordable is the best way to go. If you’re trying to lose weight, reduce your calories (especially sugars) – don’t think exercise alone will cut it. And even if you’re normal weight, you can’t subside solely on junk and stay healthy.
The authors end with this powerful finale: “It is time to wind back the harms caused by the junk food industry’s Public Relations machinery. Let us bust the myth of physical inactivity and obesity. You cannot outrun a bad diet.”
Source: Forbes
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.
Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.
Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.
The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.
Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.
“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.
He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.
Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.
In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”
The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.
Chairman of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Akhagboso Ayebae, and Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings, Dr. Victor ’Gbenga Afolabi, are set to lead discussions at the second edition of the D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Summit.
The event is scheduled to hold on September 24 and 25 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
This year’s summit has the theme: “Self-Care as a Driver of Optimal Health and Wellness.”
Ayebae will serve as chairman of the event, while Afolabi, who is also the co-founder of Wellness HMO, will deliver the keynote address.
Ayebae, founder of Fidson Healthcare, is regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical entrepreneurs. He is a fellow of the Institute of Directors Nigeria and the Institute of Corporate Affairs Management, and has held significant roles in the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
Afolabi has more than 20 years’ experience spanning healthcare, finance, technology and marketing. He is also the founder of the Eko Innovation Centre, a Lagos-based technology hub that supports start-ups and young entrepreneurs.
Convener of the summit, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, said the event would focus on practical steps to improve health outcomes through self-care.
She said, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Ayebae and Dr. Afolabi as pivotal figures in our quest to enhance health literacy and empower individuals to prioritise self-care. This summit is not just about discussions; it is about actionable insights that can inspire and transform lives.”
The organisers said the two-day summit is open to the public and will feature panel sessions with health and wellness experts, attracting healthcare professionals, advocates and business leaders.
The Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Apata, Ibadan, has joined the campaign to eradicate malaria in Nigeria.
The initiative followed the unveiling of the Geneith Health Competition on the institution’s campus on Tuesday.
The competition, organised by CEOAfrica in partnership with Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited and powered by Coatal Forte Softgel, targets students of tertiary and secondary schools nationwide to spread knowledge on malaria prevention.
Convener of the project, Mr. Cletus Ilobanafo, said the programme was designed to raise awareness through a structured health contest at the state, regional and national levels.
He said Geneith Pharmaceuticals has committed N1 billion to the project, with N400 million earmarked for scholarships and N600 million for gift items to motivate participants. “By promoting education and prevention strategies, this competition underscores the dedication of all stakeholders in combating malaria and improving public health in Nigeria,” Ilobanafo added.
The Provost of the College, Dr. Chidi Okpeze, praised the organisers for selecting the institution as a launch platform for the campaign. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, for their commitment to repositioning the livestock sector to boost national growth.
“Our students are ready to key into this initiative. They are articulate, active, and have represented us well in international competitions. We are confident they will excel in this campaign too,” he said.
The Provost urged the students to brace up for the task ahead and uphold the institution’s tradition of excellence.
Some students, who spoke on behalf of their colleagues, pledged to support the anti-malaria campaign by intensifying environmental sanitation on campus. They also commended the organisers and sponsors for giving them the opportunity to contribute to the fight against malaria.
They promised to sustain clean surroundings and spread the message beyond the school to ensure malaria is eradicated from the system.
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