Diets, Health, and Weight Control: What Do We Know?

Adolescents Omitting Insulin for Weight Control

Clinical Endocrinology News ◽

10.1016/s1558-0164(07)70548-5 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 2 (10) ◽

pp. 15

Author(s):

MIRIAM E. TUCKER

Keyword(s):

Weight Control

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How to Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831.76.4.208 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 76 (4) ◽

pp. 208-215 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Astrup

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Body Weight ◽

Glycemic Index ◽

Dairy Products ◽

Weight Control ◽

Healthy Body Weight ◽

Healthy Body

The epidemic of both obesity and type 2 diabetes is due to environmental factors, but the individuals developing the conditions possess a strong genetic predisposition. Observational surveys and intervention studies have shown that excess body fatness is the major environmental cause of type 2 diabetes, and that even a minor weight loss can prevent its development in high-risk subjects. Maintenance of a healthy body weight in susceptible individuals requires 45–60 minutes physical activity daily, a fat-reduced diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grain, and lean meat and dairy products, and moderate consumption of calorie containing beverages. The use of table values to predict the glycemic index of meals is of little – if any – value, and the role of a low-glycemic index diet for body weight control is controversial. The replacement of starchy carbohydrates with protein from lean meat and lean dairy products enhances satiety, and facilitate weight control. It is possible that dairy calcium also promotes weight loss, although the mechanism of action remains unclear. A weight loss of 5–10% can be induced in almost all obese patients providing treatment is offered by a professional team consisting of a physician and dieticians or nurses trained to focus on weight loss and maintenance. Whereas increasing daily physical activity and regular exercise does not significantly effect the rate of weight loss in the induction phase, it plays an important role in the weight maintenance phase due to an impact on daily energy expenditure and also to a direct enhancement of insulin sensitivity.

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Responses to Two Weight-loss Programs Based on Approximating the Diet to the Ideal: Differences Associated with Increased Cereal or Vegetable Consumption

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831.76.6.367 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 76 (6) ◽

pp. 367-376 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Ortega ◽

Rodríguez-Rodríguez ◽

Aparicio ◽

Marín-Arias ◽

López-Sobaler

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Weight Control ◽

Dietary Intervention ◽

Vegetable Consumption ◽

Healthy Eating Index ◽

Anthropometric Data ◽

Control Programs ◽

Weight Loss Programs ◽

Spanish Women ◽

The Ideal

The fight against excess weight and obesity is a health priority. The aim of this study was to analyze the anthropometric changes induced by two weight control programs based on approximating the diet to the theoretical ideal (increasing the consumption of foods with the largest differences between the recommended and observed intakes: cereals and vegetables – for which a minimum of 6 and 3 servings/day are recommended, respectively). The study subjects were 57 Spanish women with a body-mass index (BMI) of 24–35 kg/m², all of whom were randomly assigned to one of two slightly hypocaloric diets for a six-week period: diet V, in which the consumption of greens and vegetables was increased, or diet C, in which the consumption of cereals was increased. Dietetic and anthropometric data were collected at the start of the study and again at two and six weeks. The dietary intervention approximated the subjects’ energy provision from proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to those recommended. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) improved with both diets. Reductions in body weight, BMI, and the amount of body fat (kg) were also achieved with both diets. Weight loss was 1.56 ± 0.93 kg and 1.02 ± 0.55 kg at two weeks with diet C and V respectively, and 2.8 ± 1.4 kg and 2.0 ± 1.3 kg at six weeks (p < 0.05). Approximating the diet to the theoretical ideal by increasing the consumption of vegetables or cereals may therefore be of use in weight control. In terms of weight loss and the improvement of the diet quality (energy profile and HEI), diet C was significantly more effective than diet V.

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