To the Editor:
While trying to limit excess snacking during the school day, the emphasis on sugar and fat misses the important issue and unintentionally serves to perpetuate a misconception about food and body weight.
The major challenge to avoiding excess weight gain at any age is overconsumption of calories, whether the calories come from fat, carbohydrate (sugar or starch) or protein.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is a balance between calories in and calories out. Hence, whether the excess calories come from apple juice (219 calories, one cup), a protein bar (183 to 228 calories, 1.5 or 2 ounces) or potato chips (154 to 308 calories, 1- or 2-ounce bag), if the total daily caloric intake is over and above what is needed for growth and maintenance, excess weight gain will result.
The bottom line is that there are no free calories in this world.
Alice H. Lichtenstein
Boston, Oct. 3, 2009
The writer is a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 