Keeping a healthy weight may have more to do with 2 simple key factors, according to a study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers examined diet, physical activity and sedentary behavior in adolescents and concluded that fiber intake, not fat calories, was most closely related to an individual's weight. Although fat calories consumed between the normal/high risk for obesity/overweight teenagers was the same, normal weight children consistently consumed more fibrous foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, as compared to the other groups.

They also found that time spent watching television, rather than exercising, was the second key factor in maintaining a normal weight profile. "Time spent on sedentary behavior, like computer games and watching TV may equal, or exceed, diet quality as important contributors to overweight in adolescence," stated Dr. Patrick, principal investigator.

This raises concerns for adults who follow low carb diets, many of which eliminate or severely reduce the amount of fibrous foods. Let's not even mention the paucity of exercise in today's American lifestyle. The goal of any diet plan should be to balance several factors: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress, but too often we go for the quick fix of an induction or "rapid start" plan, which continues for more than the recommended two week period.

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