Obesity and overweight are dramatically on the rise in our country. According to the 8th National Nutrition Survey (NNS) conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), 3 out of 10 Filipino adults are obese. The increasing trend of obese and overweight in the Philippines is quite alarming. Abnormal fat deposits can lead to various health problems including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke and some type of cancer.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that a healthy diet helps to protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). It emphasizes to consume regularly fruits, vegetables, legumes, nut, whole grains, root crops, fat-free or low-fat milk, lean meats, poultry, fish and egg. A healthy diet is the foundation of good health.
Every year, different weight loss approaches has been introduced. People are eager to meet the world’s standard of being fit and go for fad diets by its promises of fast weight loss and/or great physical health.
Different types of popular fad diets include the Cabbage Soup Diet, which is cheap and easy to prepare. Ketogenic Diet or very low carbohydrate and high fat diet which is very alike to Atkins Diet. Paleo Diet includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds which is similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic Era. Another is the Zone Diet which emphasized a low carbohydrate consumption. There is also an Intermittent Fasting, an eating pattern which cycle between periods of eating and fasting over a defined period of time. All of these promised short term weight loss quickly.
Some of the claimed benefits of fad diets is that, meal plans consist plenty of fruits and vegetables that supply enough vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which is very beneficial. Fad diets is also effective in weight loss and can help in eliminating associated risks of being overweight.
However, fad diets constrict food intake in unnatural ways for the sake of rapid weight loss. Despite the fact that fad diets may appeal as a simple way to lose weight, studies have shown that such diets in the long term are unsustainable and can bring adverse effect to one’s health. When you lose weight quickly, you only not lose fats and water in your body, you also lose muscle that will slow down your metabolism. Eventually, your body will need more food to compensate for the loss and consequently you will gain back more weight.
Our government is putting a lot of effort to inform the general public of the truth behind the current trend, the fad diets. Last June 21, 2018, the National Nutrition Council Governing Board approved the Resolution No. 4, Series of 2018, Adopting the NNC Policy Statement on Fad Diets. The policy aims to address the issue of the rapid increase of the different fad diets. The National Nutrition Council as policy-making body on nutrition wants to inform the general public on the health risk and danger to people adhering to fad diets. Furthermore, the key to long term weight loss and healthy lifestyle should be safe, healthy, and holistic dietary, exercise and behavioural plan that nutritionist-dietitians and other medical and allied professions should advocate.
Further, the 10 Kumainments and Pinggang Pinoy are some of the helpful tools that has been developed to inform everybody of the benefits of eating right, balanced and in moderation.
Towards achieving a lifestyle plan of being healthy, one must eat a healthy and a well-balanced diet. It means eating a wide variety of foods in recommended amounts and proportions every day and not depriving one’s self from eating. Healthy eating is an important part of maintaining a healthy body weight. (RALaurito/AMFlores)
