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Could the Famine Reaction be Hindering Weight Loss Efforts?
With up to 7 million Australians being classified in the obese weight category it is no wonder that the National Health and Medical Research Council is funding research into more sustainable weight loss strategies. Recent statistics show that as little as 5% of obese Australians are able to achieve and maintain a weight loss that will have any significant effect on their health status. This number is alarming, and begs the question as to how can we encourage long term weight loss in this population.
Professors at the University of Queensland are looking into a weight loss hindrance known as the Famine Reaction. The human body is a very adaptive specimen. It is not designed to go for long periods of time on a reduced amount of food. When one begins a diet, particularly one that involves eating a much smaller portion of food than what the body is accustomed too, the body adapts as if it is entering a phase of famine and works very hard to conserve energy. Metabolic rate slows, fats stores are conserved and hunger increases. Lethargy kicks in as a way of the body telling you it needs to start conserving its energy stores. Both the slowing of metabolic rate and the body’s desire to hang onto its fat deposits will automatically slow down any further weight loss attempts. Adding to this, the increased hunger will ultimately lead to the reinstating regular food intake, and more often than not an even greater food intake than the original level. This leads to quite a rapid weight re-gain.
So how can we achieve weight loss long term without having any negative effects on metabolic rate and without increasing hunger to unbearable levels?
These researchers are looking into what they call intermittent weight loss. It involves the overall decrease in food intake, however having periods where you eat more and periods where you eat less. The idea is to prevent the famine reaction kicking in. In essence, there will be a period of food reduction and the accompanying weight loss, followed by a period of greater food intake and weight maintenance. They believe that by doing this one is able to prevent the decrease in metabolic rate and the sharp increase in hunger that occurs when the famine reaction kicks in. They also believe that it will be psychologically easier on the individual long term, increasing the likelihood they continue the diet and decreasing the likelihood of binge eating.
This all makes a lot of sense, but it is not as easy as just putting yourself on reduced diet for two weeks and then making it all you can eat for the next two weeks. The key to intermittent weight loss is to consume a kilojoule reduced diet for a specific time, followed by a slightly higher kilojoule diet consisting of a variety of foods low in saturated fat for a specific time then alternating the two. The kilojoule content and time period will depend entirely on the individual and will depend on current weight and signals that the famine reaction is starting to kick in, most notably hunger. As with any weight loss diet, exercise will also play a crucial role and will help to regulate metabolism throughout each intermittent time period, as well as helping to regulate hunger.
Dietitians will play a very important role in helping an individual to set up a kilojoule reduced weight loss diet and a moderate kilojoule weight maintenance intake diet. They will also be able to help determine and guide you in how long each time period should be undertaken by assessing weight loss and hunger signals over time. If losing weight has become an issue for you and you are feeling physically and mentally overwhelmed by the whole process, talk to a dietitian about trialling an intermittent weight loss regimen.
Added to site on : Monday, 21 April 2014