Myths and realities about obesity

The human brain is the most energy-intensive organ in our body, consuming more than 25% of the energy intake (the weight of the brain is about 1300-1500 grams, only 1.8% of the body weight of an average man). To meet these demands, our ancestors had to travel huge distances every day to find food. Today, by contrast, food is just a phone call away. Our way of life has changed dramatically and this has led to the emergence of obesity which is one of the "plagues" of the modern Western world.

There are many myths surrounding obesity, both about the causes of obesity as well as about the causes of obesity. weight loss methods. The world's largest pathology journal, the New England Journal of Medicine, recently published an interesting review on these issues. The authors stressed how important it is to know what has actually been shown to be true around the assumptions about weight gain or loss.

Myth Number 1: Maintaining small changes in food intake or energy consumption over a long period of time leads to large, long-term changes in body weight.

This assumption is based on the rule that 3500 kcal (calories) correspond to 0.5 kg of body weight. Recent studies demonstrate that weight change is much smaller due to individual variability and different responses to changes in energy intake or consumption. For example, a person who increases energy intake by 100 kcal per day for 5 years by walking 1500 meters per day is expected to lose about 23 kg, but the actual loss will be only 4.5 kg because changes in body weight will also change energy needs.

Myth Number 2: It is important to set a realistic goal so that those who start a "diet" and lifestyle change are not disappointed.

On the contrary, studies have shown that there is no negative correlation between ambitious goals and weight loss. In fact, there are studies that have shown that the more ambitious goals we set, the more effective the "diet" is in the medium and long term.

Myth number 3: Fast and large weight loss is associated with worse results in the long term.

In contrast, studies show that rapid and large weight loss is associated with greater weight loss in the medium term (at the end of the first year) without being associated with weight gain in the long term.

Myth number 4: A person's readiness to enter a weight loss program plays an important role.

Readiness does not appear to predict the amount of weight loss or diligent monitoring of the program. It is likely that this is because everyone who agrees to enter such a program has in their heart of hearts decided to lose weight, even on a small scale.

Myth number 5: Promoting physical activity through educational activities plays an important role in preventing or reducing childhood obesity.

Studies show that these programmes play no role regardless of gender and age. Warning, this does not mean that the exercise is not necessary, but that it does not appear that implementing specific programmes in schools could reduce the incidence of childhood obesity.

Myth number 6: Breastfeeding protects against obesity.

Although the World Health Organization proposes the Breastfeeding as a means to prevent obesity later in life, studies that have looked carefully at various confounding factors have not shown that breastfeeding protects against future obesity. The multiple other benefits that breastfeeding has for both mother and child are important reasons why breastfeeding should be encouraged by all.

Myth number 7: Sexual activity is associated with a loss of 200-300 calories for each participant.

In fact during the sexual intercourse, which in most couples lasts about 6 minutes, a 70 kg man aged 25-30 years consumes about 21 calories, which corresponds to an activity such as walking at a moderate speed. If one considers that a third of this amount would be consumed simply by sitting on his couch, it is easy to see that sexual intercourse is not the most ideal method of losing weight.

In addition, there are other widespread opinions (speculations) described as weight loss methods or obesity prevention but for which there is insufficient data to reject or accept them.

• Eating breakfast every day protects against obesity.
• Early childhood is the period when we learn to exercise and acquire the eating habits that influence our future weight.
• Eating vegetables or fruit helps to lose weight or gain less weight regardless of our other eating habits.
• Multiple changes in body weight are associated with increased mortality.
• Junk food is associated with obesity.
• The incidence of obesity is reduced by walking a few blocks (e.g. from where we park the car to the house).

Source: www.nejm.org