News: Office workers burn as many calories as hunter-gatherers

Do you blame your 9 to 5 desk job for making you gain weight?

A new study says you should blame your diet instead.

Researchers studied a tribe of hunter-gatherers in Tanzania and found that they burn the same amount of calories as westerners.

This challenges the notion that inactivity is the main reason people are overweight in the western world’and sheds light on the real reason: Diet.

While the typical western diet consists largely of processed convenience foods, sugar and white flour, the hunter-gatherer diet consists of whole foods found in nature.

The main difference is not just what we eat though, it’s how much.

While hunter-gatherers eat only what they need, having an overabundance of food has led westerners to overeat, and of course, gain weight.

Moderation is key when it comes to staying healthy’but so is exercise.

Inactivity may not be to blame for obesity’but exercise certainly has other benefits, including reduced risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke, increased energy and more.

What do you think is more important: Diet or exercise?

-Katharine Watts, Associate Web Editor

Related:
‘ "I switched to whole foods and lost 20 pounds."
‘ 5 tricks to stop eating when you’re full
‘ 8 ways exercise helps beat disease