In the year 2010, the marketdata for the US Weight Loss and Diet Control Market that year was up 1% to $60.9 Billion Dollars.
In the last completed year of reported data, that number includes the 'frugal dieter' segment of the market (diet websites, OTC pills, meal replacements, diet books), Commercial weight loss chains, Diet drugs by Rx, and the ever-present medical weight loss programs. The biggest segment to grow during that year was the 'do-it-yourself' weight loss crowd from the 'frugal' heading.
Probably not much of a surprise to you on multiple levels, but the fact this industry exists at all, and continues to grow, is multifactorial as well. But at its most fundamental level, it is essentially predicated on the fact, the belief, that we have some degree of control over our weight. All but the most despondent of those looking to lose a few pounds would likely agree.
But how much control do we really have? And what, exactly, is it that we have control over?
In some ways it's more than you might expect.
As far as the microenvironmental influences that have been studied and shown to have a direct impact on our metabolism, weight, and energy balance, these 6 do bear watching:
*Sleep Health
*Types of Nutrients
*Eating Schedules
*Physical activity
*Drugs and Medications
*Local Stressors
Let's start with sleep health. From a 2008 study in the Journal of Sleep, it has been suggested that short sleep may lead to obesity through the activation of hormonal responses leading to an increase in appetite and caloric intake. Short sleep is associated to reciprocal changes in leptin and ghrelin. This in turn would likely increase appetite and contribute to the development of obesity.
Also, as discussed in a previous blog post on OSA, disrupted sleep quality from OSA (which commonly accompanies obesity) can set up a 'chicken and egg' scenario. Disrupted quality of sleep can lead to increased weight, which can lead to further poor REM sleep, and worsen obesity..and round and round it goes, in a downward spiral.
Bottom Line: Pay attention to sleep quality and quantity. Get a sleep study if in doubt, and review and appropriately reinforce healthy sleeping habits as a way to help regulate metabolism and weight.
Nutrient Type, and not just nutrient amount (calories) also deserves a closer look. In the previous post having to do with nutrient signaling, this is an exciting area that's currently under close investigation. It's not enough just to rely on the old "calories in, energy (calories) burned" equation as the only hard and fast rule as the basis for weight gain, loss, or maintenance. For better or for worse, it really is much more complicated than that.
It is being revealed that the nutrients themselves are to be looked at in a different way than just a summation of calories. Different foods, and the individual building blocks of those special foods, have amazing effects. The recent Mediterranean diet news from the NEJM study regarding vastly improved primary prevention of cardiovascular events for those on that diet was very telling.
Not only did that study show significant cardiovascular benefit in the test group with that diet, but those patients did so without showing any real weight loss on the diet. It also showed that certain fats have a real benefit for cardiovascular health, vs. the American attempts at weight loss, as often attempted via a very low fat diet.
Bottom Line: A fat is not a fat is not a fat. For example, Sat fat vs Monosat fat vs Trans fat are not all metabolically equal. And therefore avoidance of all fats makes caloric sense as one tries to control weight, but at what health expense? I am sure there are more of these stories to come from the nutrient world in the near future that will definitely require further dissection.
More to come on the "control list" next post....
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