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Slimming Diets

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Slimming Diets.

The benefits of moderate weight loss Weight loss can be maintained after dieting

Over 50% of people in Britain are overweight and this figure is increasing. Being very overweight (obese) increases the risk of developing diseases such as diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease. It is strongly recommended that people avoid becoming very overweight by eating sensibly and exercising regularly. Prevention of obesity is important as dieting is difficult and often fails.

There are some cultural pressures for people to be inappropriately slim, eg fashion. Many people try to lose weight even though they may be within the normal weight range for their height or only slightly plump (which is not a risk to health). Unnecessary slimming is not advised as frequent dieting and over concern about body weight take the enjoyment out of eating and may increase the prevalence of eating disorders and even obesity. Some methods of slimming, repeated slimming (‘yo-yo’ dieting) and becoming underweight can all be damaging to health. Pregnant women and children should seek medical advice before starting to diet.

Body weight is determined by the amount of energy obtained from food compared to the amount of energy that the body uses. The surplus energy from food and drink is mostly stored as fat. To lose weight, the energy intake from food must be less than the energy output, i.e. eat less and exercise more.

There are no ‘wonder’ diets or foods which can cause weight loss. Neither can certain slimming diets cause weight loss from a particular part of the body. Weight loss occurs in the areas where fat has been stored - usually on the hips and thighs in women, and around the stomach in men. Being fat around the waist (‘apple-shaped’) may be more harmful to health than being fat on the hips and thighs (‘pear-shaped’).

A sensible weight loss is about 1-2 lbs (approximately 0.5-1.0 kg) a week. For many people this will mean reducing their energy intake by about 1000 kcals a day, but this will depend on how much weight they need to lose, how active they are and whether they are male or female.

The benefits of moderate weight loss are:

• It is not damaging to health. A very low calorie diet (consuming less than 600 kcals a day) can be dangerous as the body loses too much lean tissue (as well as body fat). This type of diet can also be low in certain nutrients.

• It is easier to stick to the diet.

• Such a diet provides the opportunity to improve eating habits in general which can have long term benefits to health and help to maintain weight loss.

Of the three main constituents in food, fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Decreasing consumption of foods which are high in fat can help to reduce energy intake. Some products now have a ‘reduced fat’ version and it may be helpful to use these. Alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, cakes, biscuits and some savoury snacks can also contain quite a lot of energy, so consumption of these should also be moderated.

Reading the nutrition information on food labels can help when choosing foods which are lower in fat and energy.

To prevent feeling hungry, it is a good idea to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Eating more starchy foods e.g. bread, rice, pasta, especially those high in dietary fibre can also help an individual to feel ‘full’.

Sometimes people feel that there are certain foods which they should never eat, such as chocolate or crisps, and they have ‘broken’ their diet if they do. This can make the diet more difficult to maintain and more likely to fail. Consumption of certain foods should perhaps be restricted but not ‘banned’. It is not recommended to skip meals as this can lead to tiredness and headaches. In addition, by having more chaotic eating habits, an individual may actually eat more.

Weight loss can be maintained after dieting by:

- continuing to exercise regularly

- not eating too many foods high in fat

- eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and starchy foods

- not skipping meals

- following current nutritional guidelines for the population as a whole

Taken from the British Nutrition Guide.