Cornell Researcher Says a Thinner You Means a Fatter Wallet

90-calorie LightFull Satiety Smoothies are protein and fiber-packed making them healthy, delicious replacements for snacks you tend to choose (Photo: Business Wire)

SAN FRANCISCO-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- For the average woman, reducing calorie intake by just 70 calories a day could prove a boon to her wallet and her health, according to a new summary of peer-reviewed research conducted by John Cawley, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Cornell University.

Dr. Cawley’s new summary of research shows the impact of a BMI (body mass index) unit reduction in weight on a person’s health and pocketbook. “Weighing less – even just a single unit of BMI less – is associated with considerable benefits including decreased risks of specific conditions like heart disease and cancer, decreased risk of mortality, decreased medical care costs and, among women, higher wages,” says Dr. Cawley.

For the average woman, a one BMI reduction is the equivalent of losing seven pounds, which can be achieved by cutting just 70 calories a day.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you’re considered normal weight if you have a body mass index of 18.5-24.9, overweight if your BMI is 25-29.9, and obese if your BMI is 30 or greater. (Body mass index is equal to your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared.) According to the CDC, two-thirds of Americans now fall into the categories of overweight and obese.

Health Benefits

The health benefits documented in Dr. Cawley’s research summary are indisputable. A reduction of just one BMI unit can reduce a man’s risk of colon cancer by 39 percent, and a woman’s risk by 17 percent. A reduction of just one BMI unit can reduce the probability of diabetes by 11.6 percent and heart disease by 5.2 percent for both men and women.

The numbers are equally significant for sleep apnea, rectal cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Cost Benefits

Also noteworthy is how losing one BMI unit is associated with big savings in health care costs. For example, decreasing weight by a single unit of BMI can reduce medical and pharmaceutical costs by $4,040 over a 20-year period of time.

“The data also show a significant inverse relationship between weight and wages for certain women,” Dr. Cawley said.

Simple substitutions for losing 1 BMI

“The average woman can lose one BMI unit in a year by simply reducing her caloric intake by just 70 calories a day,” says Lara Jackle, CEO for LightFull Foods, creator of supremely satisfying LightFull Satiety Smoothies and champion of health and balance. “One easy and delicious way to do it is with all-natural, 90-calorie LightFull Satiety Smoothies, “ she adds. “They’re packed with fiber and protein, making them surprisingly filling. And because they make you feel fuller longer, chances are that you’ll most likely eat less, and save even more calories,” says Jackle.

“For example, if you’re someone who stops by Starbuck’s every morning for a Grande Low Fat Latte, replace it with a delicious LightFull Cafe Latte Satiety Smoothie. You’ll save 100 calories a day, which translates to about 10 pounds a year for the average woman, and a reduction in your BMI of 1.79,” Jackle says

LightFull Satiety Smoothies make great substitutions for a variety of other everyday snacks that we may tend to choose, such as:

• A Yoplait 99% Fat Free Harvest Peach Yogurt -- replace with a LightFull Peachy Cream Satiety Smoothie and save 80 calories, about 8 pounds a year, and reduce your BMI by 1.43.
• A bowl of Yogurt Burst Cheerios/Strawberry with reduced fat milk – replace with LightFull Strawberry Bliss Satiety Smoothie and save 70 calories, about 7 pounds a year, and reduce your BMI by 1.25.
• An Odwalla Mango Tango – replace with a LightFull Mango Oasis Satiety Smoothie and save 210 calories, about 22 pounds a year, and reduce your BMI by 3.76.
• A Snickers Bar – replace with a LightFull Chocolate Satisfaction Satiety Smoothie and save 183 calories, about 19 pounds a year, and reduce your BMI by 3.28.

LightFull Satiety Smoothies are available in five deliciously creamy flavors including Chocolate Satisfaction, Peachy Cream, Café Latte, Strawberry Bliss and Mango Oasis. Each is packed with five grams of fiber and protein, making the all-natural, 90-calorie snack surprisingly filling. Dairy-based LightFull Satiety Smoothies are made with a unique and proprietary blend of natural, GRAS-approved¹ sweeteners and contain less sugar than a glass of plain milk. Each is also gluten free, low glycemic, an excellent source of fiber and calcium, and contains no saturated fats, trans fats or cholesterol. As early as Spring 2008, all LightFull smoothies will be certified as kosher dairy and rBST-free.

LightFull Satiety Smoothies can be found at fine grocery stores and natural foods stores throughout the United States in the “grab and go” refrigerated beverages sections or on-shelf near aseptic dairy products and soy milk, and online. They can be purchased separately or in four-smoothie multipacks. To locate the store nearest you or to purchase online (free shipping), visit www.lightfullfoods.com/buy. Suggested retail prices range from $2.19 to $2.79.

About LightFull Foods, Inc.

In the wake of the growing worldwide obesity epidemic, LightFull Foods is the first company to develop products based on The Science of Satiety?. Satiety (pronounced Sa-TIE-eh-TEE) is a dietitian-recommended strategy for eating foods that create a sensation of fullness. The company strives to help people lead healthy, balanced lives by creating delicious, satisfying, all-natural nutritious snacks that fit into people’s on-the-go lifestyle. The pioneering thinking that fueled the launch of the LightFull Satiety Smoothie?, an all-natural, 90-calorie snack that is packed with five grams of fiber and five grams of protein, is also evident in the company’s holistic approach to work and community. Through grassroots, cause-marketing initiatives, LightFull supports local community-based organizations that empower adolescent girls to become leaders and promote women’s health. For more information about LightFull, please visit www.lightfullfoods.com.

Editor’s Note: Complete tables of Professor Cawley’s new summary of peer-reviewed research can be obtained by contacting Susan Schneider at press@LightFullFoods.com.

¹ GRAS is an FDA acronym meaning Generally Recognized As Safe. If a substance is deemed “GRAS-approved,” it means that generally available data and information about the use of the substance are known and accepted widely by qualified experts, and there is a basis to conclude that there is consensus among qualified experts that those data and information establish that the substance is safe under the conditions of its intended use.

LightFull Foods, Inc.

Susan Schneider

(847) 438-4465

press@LightFullFoods.com