Slimming diet: take stock

Yoyo effect, adverse health consequences, schemes are on the spot. Never have so many women began to want to lose weight and yet we won about three pounds on average  Find the error!

The reported slimming diets

Each year, candidates for slimming embark more numerous in the quest for ideal weight even if they do not need to start. This is particularly the case for nearly 30% of women with a body mass index (BMI) "normal" and 15% of women "thin" (BMI <22).

Now, multiply the schemes would be full of risks and pitfalls for your health! This is certainly what emerges from a recent expert report on the assessment of risks related to dietary weight-loss practices, released on November 25 by the National Health Safety Food Agency, environmental and Labour (Anses). Commissioned by the Ministry of Health, he denounced alone slimming diets often practiced alone, in the absence of overweight without indication or medical monitoring, using a book or the Internet. It particularly targets their more or less serious effects on the functioning of the long-term organization.

Slimming diet: nutritional imbalances and deficiencies

"This is the first time such a cry of alarm about the deleterious effects of diet methods is launched worldwide," said Dr. Jean-Michel Lecerf, nutritionist endocrinologist at the Pasteur Institute in Lille and coordinator the study. In preparing this report, scientists and nutrition experts have identified and analyzed the 15 most popular diets of the moment: Cohen to Dukan, the most fashionable, Atkins in Montignac, through the system of Soup cabbage ...

First observation: all these slimming methods are unbalanced and inadequate in terms of nutrient intake and cause deficiencies. "Almost 80% of these plans are too high in protein, 58% too much filled in sodium, more than 50% too high in fat, 74% too low in fiber, 61% do not meet your iron needs, 50% do not cover your magnesium requirements, 23% do not meet your calcium needs ... "

Slimming regimes associated with risks to physical and psychological health

Impossible for many to arrive at the top 15 most dangerous regimes to health, although this analysis allowed us to classify the different phases of the plans based on their nutritional intake. Going on a diet is not at all trivial. This is what then reveals the analysis of the scientific literature on the subject.

"Any restrictive and harsh regime has detrimental impacts on the overall functioning of your body, including your bones, your heart and kidneys, but also psychological disturbances, including eating disorders," said Dr. Jean Michel Lecerf. The health risks are many: Cast muscle mass regardless of the level of protein intake (enough to deter snags protein diets), decreased bone mineral density (around January-February % for a 10% weight loss) which greatly increases the risk of osteoporosis, passenger digestive disorders (constipation) associated with inadequate fiber intake or risk of long-term colorectal cancer ...

The dangers of food restriction

Dieting can also radically change the energy metabolism of your body: ie the proper regulation of your contributions and expenses. The fault of too many deprivations and exclusions foods "forbidden" you deal with your body length slimming programs of all kinds. "On the behavioral level, you enter restriction mode (the famous mind control you impose your body) and disrupt your eating behavior: your body becomes a super saver and stops its slimming process," says endocrinologist.

The result? By dint of repeating the same mistakes restrictions, sources of frustration and guilt, or switch from one plan to another, you led here (e) in the inevitable downward spiral with the famous yo-yo effect, the key, a resumption of kilos - usually as fat - possibly even more severe irreversible or long term than your initial weight. The figures speak for themselves: nearly 80% of candidates for slimming and gaining weight a year or two after the end of their regime!

To lose weight, physical activity is very important

"In case of repeated failures of the plans, there is also a loss of self-esteem and depression risk," warns Dr. Jean-Michel Lecerf. Handles and added: "Other risks were identified for specific populations, including malnutrition (elderly), hormonal disorders (teenage athlete) and disruption of growth (fetus, child and adolescent). »

More you chain, accumulate or alternate plans, the more you put your health at risk and take further weight, especially if you do not practice physical activity. "But it just helps stabilize and maintain it over time," says the specialist in charge of this report. Does this mean stop dieting? Yes, according to the handles. "Only a weight problem or obesity requires appropriate care by a health professional through a multidisciplinary approach (nutritionist, endocrinologist, dietician, psychologist ...) and can justify the application of a diet under control medical "said Dr. Fretwell which states that obesity is a disease that can not be cured even if it can be improved.

Prioritize a varied and balanced diet

But then what to do in case of extra pounds? "It is already important to ask yourself if you really need to lose weight and to consult a specialist to take stock and better support you based on your situation (tastes, lifestyle, diet relations, treatments ...)" notes the endocrinologist. This is primarily to make a slow food rehabilitation, prudent and well framed to first stop to grow and maintain your ideal weight. "For this, it is essential to favor a balanced and varied diet while making sure that your energy intake does not exceed your daily needs. Not to engage in regular physical activity to boost energy metabolism of your body, "recommends the expert. What do carburer your body at full speed!

Collective expertise

This report risk assessment to the practice referred slimming diets was conducted by ANSES at the request of the Directorate General of Health. Its objective is to provide reference points to better identify the consequences of dieting to enable public authorities to propose a policy of prevention as part of the future National Health and Nutrition Programme (PNNS) 3.

This report is the result of collective expertise; it was made by a group of scientists and nutrition experts. This work, approved by the committee of experts specialized "human nutrition" ANSES, is based on a review of national and international scientific literature and hearings. To enrich the consultation began, the report has been submitted by the handles to members of the scientific and medical community, the community representatives and leaders of professional organizations to establish recommendations in a notice to be published in early .