The yearly dietary cycle.

Fact checked – 10 minute read

Obesity

The World Health Organisation reports that obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 and that approximately 1.9 billion adults worldwide over 18 years are overweight, with 650 million of these classified as obese (1).  Additionally, a recent adult health survey conducted by the Gibraltar Health Authority concluded that 60% of respondents were overweight or obese (2). Another report (3) by the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS) estimated that approximately 63% of UK adults were living above a healthy weight and that half of these were obese. Obesity has been linked to a plethora of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular, diabetes, fatty liver and others (figure 1).  Public health England (PHE) recently launched a national campaign highlighting the importance of weight loss to cut the risk of contracting coronavirus (COVID19) by helping to reduce body mass index (BMI) (4).  Evidence suggests (5) that even small reductions in BMI, has the potential to make a significant impact on the burden of obesity-related chronic diseases, while studies also show a J-shaped association between BMI and mortality (6).

Weight loss

Every day, millions of individuals dissatisfied with their weight, begin some form of weight loss regime only to encounter poor results leading to attrition.  As a result of the typical ‘diet and feast response’ most will regain the weight lost and gain more as the body makes compensatory metabolic adjustments.  This is what I call the yearly (vicious) dietary cycle of dieting.  Evidence suggests that a small percentage of those who engage in self-directed weight loss plans are successful at keeping the weight off long term (7) and most others could benefit from my professional nutrition and health coaching support.  Even those following commercial weight loss regimes often experience a very higher failure rate during the first year (7).  The reason for this is partly because they do not have an exit strategy.  It is not innately intuitive to restrict calories or deprive yourself of certain foods, particularly those you have enjoyed for many years.  At some point you are going to want to eat comfort foods or foods you have been brought up eating.  Often, those foods you choose to avoid when commencing certain dietary patterns, may not have true evidence of harm.  These foods often get unfairly vilified as a result of low-quality observational evidence which sometimes get amplified by the media as a result of failing to report the differences between absolute and relative risks.  

The reasons for failure are varied, but often when trying to lose weight, people invariably cut down on everything and exercise insanely in the rush to lose bodyfat fast.  Despite the benefits of exercising particularly for cardiovascular health, over-training is considered a stressor because it results in an increased energy demand creating an imbalance in energy homeostasis, detrimental to the body’s stress response, increasing cortisol output, tissue damage and inflammation (8), especially if nutrient deficiencies are present (9). This strategy often results in substantial fat-free muscle mass loss (figure 2) which can become a problem over time if nutrient deficiencies are not addressed, contributing to age-associated body composition changes, particularly fat-free muscle loss predisposing sarcopenia (10).  You cannot expect to undo months or years of bad dietary habits in a few weeks or months. Weight loss is not a true marker of general health because health is more than just weight loss, you could loose weight by eating nothing or eating a calorie-deficient junk food diet, although the metabolic consequences of these strategies could be very dangerous long term or even lead to early death.  Starvation mode can result in important long-term metabolic priming (11) further slowing down the basal metabolic rate and exacerbate bone mass density losses (12).  This may be particularly problematic for women nearing their peri-menopausal age, as it could increase the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis (13) (figure 2).  Individuals who have been on the yearly (vicious) diet cycle begin to feel their chances for leading a healthier more active lifestyle diminish when the various diet and exercise programs fail to translate in to lasting and successful weight loss.  

If you are trying to lose weight, do not give up.  Invariably, nutrient shortfalls can occur if you are not careful and long-term health is an important factor which is often overlooked. A well formulated weight loss strategy like mine, that considers the nutrient profile of the foods you are consuming without having to supplement, is key for long-term weight loss and optimum health (9). Sustainable weight loss and health is extremely difficult to achieve if engaging in the yearly cycle of dieting (see below).  With a well formulated weight management regime, sustainable weight loss can occur in a far healthier way. Weight loss is not a just about dieting, it’s a transformation, a life changing process that encompasses physical, nutritional and psychological factors for long-term success, and that is where I can help support you.

Goal setting

Another reason people fail to achieve meaningful and sustainable long-term weight loss is due to not setting realistic and achievable goals from the onset, creating a foundation for failure. Long-term planning and an exit weight-maintenance strategy are crucial factors to maintain your weight goals (15).  Additionally, the chronic yo-yo yearly dieting cycle most people engage in is quite apparent (figure 2), focusing on extreme weight loss for specific periods and overindulging in nutrient-poor foods high in fat, sugar and salt for the rest of the year.  These behaviours often lead to a fallout period, particularly during the summer, and overcompensating during the autumn and festive periods during triggering events (7) such as xmas. This strategy can result in hormonal imbalances, particularly thyroid hormones (14), leading to metabolic adaptation and increased adipogenesis (fat gain) in later life. These diet-cycling behaviours could be explained by what I call, the ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO) (figure 4).  FOMO could be defined as a pervasive apprehension from an individual, that others might have rewarding experiences from which one is absent (16). This I feel appears to be an extremely common trait during the Christmas period, with the usual excuse often being, well, it’s Christmas, a little bit of this and a little bit of that won’t hurt.  This only exacerbates the problem and makes the challenge even bigger.  You can still enjoy Christmas without having to feel the FOMO and this where I can provide a lot of support to my clients. In my opinion, FOMO is a huge driver of these dietary behaviors which could condition future metabolic ill-health via epigenetic reprogramming (17). FOMO could also lead to increased bouts of depressive symptoms (18) due feelings of guilt upon the realisation of past unhealthy dietary habits, increased feeling of anxiety as a result of present inaction and the need for a necessary future action.  These feelings and behaviours can affects one’s emotional state contributing to emotional and compulsive eating behaviours (19).

The internet

Another reason is that people often resort to internet search engines and self-directed dietary regimes, landing on websites run by glorified influencers, often with little or no nutritional training promising unrealistic and dangerous weight loss strategies (20).  These fad dietary regimes also embed affiliate links, making money at your expense from the purchases you make by clicking on their links.  These affiliate links often involve companies selling commercial meal replacements loaded with needless additives, stabilisers, thickeners and preservatives, which have been evidenced to negatively condition gut microbiome health and gastrointestinal gut wall integrity (21).  You can still loose weight and negatively condition your microbiome. which is a bad idea long-term given the vast supporting research. Remember that 70% of the body’s immune system resides in the gut and these insults have been evidenced to increase tissue damage and inflammation as a result of an overactive immune response (21). 

Supplements & diets

The overreliance on dietary supplements to offset nutrient deficiencies is also common.  Remember that if you feel the need to supplement, then it is very likely that your dietary intake may likely be deficient and needs re-evaluating and this is an area where I can be of great help.  People are often unaware of how supplements may interfere with medication and other nutrients which could lead to serious health consequences in some cases.  Methylation is a key process regulating a number of important functions, such as the replication of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and gene expression, cell maintenance, the creation of neurotransmitters and immune cells and more (22). But a key process of methylation involves the neutralisation and elimination of endogenous and exogenous toxins, commonly referred to as ‘detoxification’ (22). Nutrient shortfalls, particularly B vitamins, can result in hypomethylation and long-term (epigenetic) changes in gene expression (22).  Hypomethylation (too little) has been evidenced to lead to cancer (23).  Conversely, providing nutrients such as B vitamins at supraphysiologic levels, could result to hypermethylation (too much) of cytosine-phosphate-guanine regions of DNA. Interestingly, hypermethylation has also been evidenced to lead to cancer (23).  However, there are no studies that I know of that show that supplementation over a considerable period of time could lead to negative health outcomes, but it is certainly plausible given the evidence regarding methylation, so caution is warranted when supplementing high doses for long periods. Dietary supplements should never be used as a short-cut to a healthy varied diet without the support of a qualified trained professional.  Dietary plans are often incorrectly implemented with considerable short-cuts taken with ready-made processed foods, excessive frying or extended periods of fasting.  Weight and fat loss will invariably occur, but nutrient deficiencies will often result in fat-free mass loss, reduced bone density and reduced basal metabolic rate as metabolic compensatory mechanisms kick in.

Becoming a client

If you decide to become a client, I could help you avoid these mistakes and improve long-term health outcomes.  With my holistic, evidence-based nutrition and health coaching approach to weight loss, clients following my plan can expect to achieve safe and meaningful weight loss and know how to maintain it.  What’s the point in going through all this trouble to put the weight back on again?  Invest in success, do not waste time in fad dieting or following advice off the internet and consider the long-term health consequences. The health benefits of weight loss are achieved through a well-executed program of exercise, dietary adjustments, behavioral treatments that motivate therapeutic lifestyle changes via qualified nutrition and health coaching education.  I can help support you develop personalised nutrition goals and meal plans using real whole foods and recipes that you will enjoy.  So if you are interested in a long-term, safe and efficacious weight loss strategy and learning how to maintain your goals, get in touch with me and make sure you start 2021 on a positive note and invest in real health.