Diet & Weight Loss Archive

Staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging for everyone, and the increased anxiety (and boredom) can cause people to abandon their healthy eating intentions and snack on whatever is around. But with a little thought and planning, you can continue to make good food choices and maybe even boost your mood and immunity.

Losing 5% of one's total body weight can result in clinically significant physiologic changes. For example, losing a little weight can reduce heartburn, knee pain, blood pressure, and diabetes risk. Losing 5% of one's body weight may also lead to better sexual function, more restorative sleep, extra energy, and more self-esteem. To reach a 5% reduction in total body weight, it helps to exercise; eat a healthy diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds; and get enough sleep.

A study comparing the outcomes of three eating plans (Mediterranean diet, paleo diet, or intermittent fasting) that were followed for a year found that all participants lost weight, and also had added benefits such as lower blood pressure.

The amount of protein you need depends on your age, health, and the intensity of your fitness routine. For most people it’s relatively easy to get the recommended amount from food, but there are situations when someone might want to consider a protein powder supplement.

Work with your body, not against it, for long-term weight maintenance.

For many people, their New Year's resolutions include some sort of weight-loss goal. However, while extra pounds often come off, evidence shows they rarely stay off. Among overweight or obese people who are able to lose 10% of their body weight, just one in six is able to maintain the weight loss for at least a year.

Experts say it's not surprising that weight loss rarely sticks, considering what they now know about how the body works. "Most people believe that obesity is caused by overeating, while we now recognize that the main driver of obesity is one or more disruptions in the body's normal regulation of the amount of fat we maintain," says Dr. Lee Kaplan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Obesity, Metabolism, and Nutrition Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital.

News briefs

Nuts are rich in healthy fat and calories, so you may not think of them as tools for weight control. But nuts may actually help in the battle of the bulge, suggests a Harvard study published online Sept. 23, 2019, by BMJ Nutrition, Prevention, and Health. Researchers analyzed questionnaire responses on dietary habits, physical activity, and weight changes from about 145,000 middle-aged and older men and women. People who went from never eating nuts to eating a daily average of at least half a serving (about half a handful) were 16% less likely to become obese over a four-year period compared with people who didn't eat nuts at all. Substituting a half serving of nuts per day for red meat, processed meat, French fries, desserts, or potato chips was also associated with less weight gain. "Nuts have protein and fiber which help us feel full longer and offset cravings for junk food. Although nuts are high in calories, up to 20% of calories from nut consumption will be excreted from our body," says Dr. Xiaoran Liu, one of the study authors and a research associate with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

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The holiday season presents a challenge to even to those most dedicated to health-conscious eating. Generally, people tend to gain a little weight during the holidays, but a study found that it is possible to avoid extra pounds.

In the journals

Even if obesity runs in your family, certain activities may help you lose the weight and keep it off, according to a study published online Aug. 1, 2019, by PLOS Genetics.

Researchers recruited more than 18,000 adults ages 30 to 70 and examined their individual genes and exercise routines. Genetic profiles were created from blood samples that looked for certain gene variants related to obesity. Exercise was defined as at least 30 minutes of activity performed three times a week.

Ask the doctors

Q. My doctor recently told me I have prediabetes. Is this condition reversible?

A. Yes, it is possible to reverse prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition that affects millions of Americans. The CDC estimates that as many as one in every three American adults has the condition, which is defined as having blood sugar that is elevated, but not high enough to meet the threshold for diabetes. Left untreated, prediabetes can progress to diabetes, a condition in which your body is not able to absorb glucose for energy properly, causing blood sugar to rise. If it's not managed properly, diabetes can lead to a number of health problems, from heart attack and stroke to blindness, kidney problems, and infections, among others. But making some lifestyle changes can reduce the risk that your prediabetes will develop into diabetes.

For years, the conventional wisdom about dairy is that we should be eating less of it, and when we do have any it should be low-fat or fat-free. But more recent research suggests that some full-fat dairy in our diets could in fact be beneficial, though the type of dairy still matters.