FAT NATION

Interview with
Janette Marshall

Janette Marshall - you are the author of Fat Nation: The Big Challenge. Tell us about your experiences writing the book…

I have been enormously impressed by the level of commitment, breadth of research, consultation and attention to detail that has gone into the BBC 1 Fat Nation TV series. There have been numerous meetings and much liaison between programme makers, educational and web site teams-who all contributed to the book in their own way. Similarly, ideas from the book have found their way into the programmes and the Big Challenges. Deciding on the Big Challenges was hard work, but good fun. The result is Challenges that involve a good balance of diet-related and exercise-related activities that are both amusing and achievable.

The book is a practical and inspirational 'at home' guide to taking small steps to a healthier life. What do you hope that readers will gain from the book that they might not gain from watching the television series?

You can learn a lot from watching the experts help people change their lives. It's a great starting point. However, every viewer's personal circumstances are different and what applies to the characters in the street may not be directly applicable to you. Which is why the book is so valuable. The book contains the information you need to improve your diet, be physically active enough to help control your weight, and think differently to sort out weight problems.

It also gives practical tips about fitting these vital changes into your lifestyle in the way that best suits your personal circumstances. You can use the book as a reference and for constant source of ideas about what to do next as you become fitter and lose weight.

It seems that our perceptions of what is healthy often change - a decade ago, we embraced high carbohydrate, low fat diets, whereas now we're aware of the importance of good fats and are being told to cut down on refined carbs. Similarly, it was once thought that half an hour of aerobic activity three times a week was enough to maintain optimum fitness - now we are told we need more. What do you believe is the best diet and exercise regime to stay fit and healthy?

I don't believe that fundamentals of a healthy diet have changed much in the last 20 years. In my view the cause of most confusion are misleading reports and claims centred on new 'findings' that may or may not be replicated or turn out to be relevant. Often unwarranted generalisations about health and fitness are drawn from inappropriate minor studies. In addition commercial interests can result in exaggerated claims, then we have fad diets, fashionable diets, and a myriad of myths and misinformation from unqualified 'experts'. It is all these things that add up to the confusion, not sweeping changes in recommendations.

There is no contraction between encouraging a high carbohydrate and low fat diet and pointing out the awareness of good fats. As the book explains, we should limit the amount of fat we eat - no change there - and in addition our health will benefit if the fat we eat is unsaturated - no change there, either. Certainly more evidence has been published highlighting the benefits of omega 3 fats (fish oil and their plant source equivalents) and the health risks associated with saturated fats, and trans fats in particular, during the last decade, but the underlying message is the same. In my view the same pertains to carbohydrates. Since the F-Plan diet was published 20 years ago the importance of unrefined (high fibre) carbohydrates has been recognised both for general health and weight control. It is not a recent phenomenon and in this book (as in my previous books published during the last 20 years) I have followed the medical consensus in recommending whole grain (wholemeal, brown) bread, pasta, rice - and so on. No change there, either, but perhaps more people - hopefully - are now aware of the benefits of whole grains and are eating more of them.

As for exercise, the emphasis has changed from recommending three aerobic sessions a week to daily brisk walking. In essence, there is again no change here. Too few people achieved three aerobic sessions a week and so fitness, and weight problems, did not improve. At the same time research became available showing that people who walked briskly on a daily basis were able to control their weight effectively. Since more people are more likely to do 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day (or for at least 5 days a week) this message has superseded the previous aerobics mantra. Which is not to say the earlier message was wrong - you would still benefit from that regime. It's just that more people have larger weight problems and new ways to encourage them to become active have to be found - urgently. It's not a question of being told to do more, it's just a different way of achieving roughly the same ends.

In my view, the best diet and exercise regime to control weight and stay fit and healthy is the one that works for you. There are plans in the book for readers to try, and there is information on how much of what type of exercise would best suit individuals.

The book explores the importance of the Glycemic Index - foods that have a low GI rating tend to be unrefined and release sugar more slowly into our bloodstreams, which can help control our weight. This will be a relatively new concept for some readers - how important to you believe the GI to be?

The Glycemic Index is no doubt an important discovery and is a particularly valuable tool for some people with Type 2 diabetes. It is interesting to see which foods have a low glycemic index and to eat them more frequently, but for most people the priority is to control weight and become fitter.

Finally - as the author of Fat Nation: The Big Challenge and other diet and fitness books, how do you stay healthy? Are you very strict about your own diet and exercise routines, or do you allow yourself the odd treat?!

Like everyone else the amount of exercise I take varies depending on demands from work and family. I aim to do three exercise sessions a week: one working out with weights, which I enjoy; another favourite is a short 5km jog once a week, and I also like to attend a stretch and flexibility class - the current one I go to is called Body Balance. I find many of the physical contortions impossible, which is why I keep returning, to try to improve. I also enjoy the occasional swim, but prefer snorkelling in a warm sea to doing lengths in a swimming in a pool, although I do swim from time to time. I like Fell walking and try to walk, or cycle, whenever I can instead of taking the car, but I don't do this as much as I should. I also try to have active holidays: this year my summer holiday was walking in the Alps and in the winter I plan a skiing trip to the same resort in France I have visited for the last four years. As for food, I love it and eat lots! I can't function without breakfast. I like home baking, but I also eat a lot of salad-based meals with olive oil dressings. I enjoy cooking and I cook daily. I think healthy cooking is the key to weight control (as far as food is concerned). I enjoy fish, shellfish, vegetables, red meat, game, rice, pasta, lentils, bulghur wheat, beans, potatoes, breads. I eat fruit and low fat yogurt daily. I limit high fat pastries, pies, fatty meat and so on and I don't like cream or foods cooked in creamy/buttery sauces. In fact, I don't like many fatty foods - apart from wonderful cheeses.

You can contact Janette directly at www.janettemarshall.co.uk