Obesity - 5 Striking Myths and Facts

“The necessity to deal with obesity”

Obesity is the underlying cause of most chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart and high cholesterol.

Not only these, even depression, anxiety, sleep apnea, PCOS, fertility and osteoarthritis are in one way or another related to obesity.

If obesity is under control, we can get all other health complications under control. There are some common perceptions about dieting and weight loss that we all seem to hear often: don’t eat rice, drink more water, never skip breakfast, the list goes on. 

However, all these assumptions seem to be known but we often feel hesitant to approach the qualified professional regarding the claims and myths about obesity. The fact is everyone has different body requirements, activities and food preferences. Not one size fits all!

In our journey of bashing myths regarding obesity, some prevalent misconceptions are discussed here that is worth putting the spotlight on!

Claim 1:Fancy/Fad diets (keto, detox and fasting) aids in quick weight loss.

Verdict: There’s no quick fix when it comes to health. Fad diets are not sustainable and provides only minor nutrients to the body and eliminates major nutrients which are necessary for other metabolic functions.

The weight loss is due to low calorie intake which is regained when its discontinued and causes lethargy or tiredness.

Fact: Weight loss is not about depriving of nutrients your body needs. It’s about how you plan your calorie requirements based on the activity, food preferences, number of kilos to be reduced and individual medical conditions.

Claim 2:“You need a dietician only if you want to lose weight.”

Verdict: The term ‘diet’ covers a vast range of topics spanning from lifestyle management to diseases like diabetes mellitus, heart disorders, kidney malfunctions, liver complications, etc.

Marketing gimmicks also fuel this myth to sell their weight loss products in the name of diet foods.

Then why you should visit a dietician? 

• To manage lifestyle, irregular appetite and eating disorders.
• To mend the feeling of fatigue and tiredness even after getting ample rest.
• To build up immunity, prevent frequent infections& hormonal problems.
• To seek nutritional advice before stepping into health impacts of obesity.
• To deal with food allergies or intolerances or fads. This includes healthier planning of meals and better choice of foods based on a person’s requirements.
• To manage your weight and just note, this includes both weight loss and gain.

Fact: Preferences like health talks, virtual counselling for employees, Nutrition webinars, Nutri café in corporates helps employees to understand better and queries related to diet, nutrition and fitness to overcome obesity for healthy employees.

Consult Qualified Dietitian!

Claim 3: Ditch carbohydrates if you want to lose weight

Verdict: The balanced diet comprises of 65-70% from carbs. Regarding weight reduction, source should be from complex carbohydrates which inhibits over-eating, provides satiety and prevents constipation.

Fact: Exclusions are simple carbs (refined flour foods, fried, junk, pastries and carbonated beverages) as they accumulate as fats after metabolic mechanisms. Introduce healthy food & snack options for employees in the café or office pantry with Nutritionist guidance.

Say no to simple carbs!

Claim 4:The lower the calorie intake, the healthier you’re!

Verdict: Absolutely not! As far as the health aspect is concerned, reducing calories means reducing the quantity of food intake. One might leave out on important food groups in the attempt and ultimately end up with a pile of deficiencies.

Fact: Calories are not our enemies, but unhealthy sources of calories are! Increasing your calorie intake by consuming those pastries, French fries, burgers and pizzas are the culprits of unhealthy weight gain.

Right calorie count matters!

Claim 5:Skipping breakfast aids in weight loss.

Verdict: Breakfast is the important meal of the day as it provides the major energy requirements for your day. People try to cut calories, by skipping breakfast. But portion size matters a lot in weight loss rather than skipping meals.

Fact: Skipping breakfast can have many effects on your body such as feeling drowsy, headaches, drinking more caffeinated beverages and tend to eat more in the next meal.

Research suggests that people who skip breakfast are more prone to heart disease. Remaining in a fasting stage for longer is more stressful for the body and makes it work harder.

Fasting for a long time and then overeating causes fluctuations in the blood sugar level and increases the risk of diabetes.

Moderation is key!

Bulgy Glimpse!

You may have been on the fence about some of these misconceptions. Hope we have provided you with clear facts regarding what’s necessary for the obese individuals to follow proper and sustainable weight loss.

What do you think? Do you have any other dieting strategies for obesity apart from these? Tell us in the comment section.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Indu Vaishnavi R, Dietician