106 Chapter 11 – Carbohydrate: the ultimate hunter We once hunted food, now food hunts us! G Ken Goodrick As the research evolves we are finding that the food we once hunted is the best for us – we got that absolutely right. We should all eat more protein, i. e., the flesh of animals and fish along with their produce eggs( yes, the eggs of fish too!) and dairy products – especially the low fat versions. As well as hunting protein, we hunted for fruit and vegetables. But in the world in which we now live the tables have been turned on us. There is one food group that hunts and kills us with silent ferocity – carbohydrates. Let us take a moment to look at the relationship between population obesity and the four food groups: carbohydrate, fat, protein and alcohol. Since 1980 rates of overweight and obesity have almost tripled in the USA, UK and Australia. Our children are not far behind. The rates of overweight in our children have doubled and for obesity, they have tripled! Since Australia’ s health and eating patterns are essentially representative of the rest of the world, we will use it as a case study. Good data on these factors has been collected over recent decades. 17 Over this time, amazingly enough, we, the general population, have been doing what we were told! Cholesterol consumption is way down( a massive 18 %) while fat intake has also decreased. We are eating more 17 Data published by the Government’ s Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, Canberra, 2004.