The faster you lose weight, the better? Can you lose weight by not eating staple foods? Many people fall into these misunderstandings, check yourself quickly

"I was born to gain weight even if I drink cold water!" Many obese people like to complain about themselves like this. China is the country with the largest number of overweight and obese people in the world. According to data, the overweight and obesity rates of residents aged 18 and above in China are 34.3% and 16.4% respectively, and the obesity rate of residents is increasing year by year. Obesity is the result of the combined effects of genetic factors, environmental factors, endocrine regulation, intestinal flora, etc. In recent years, obesity has seriously threatened human health.

Losing weight means not eating staple foods? The faster you lose weight, the better...

Let’s take a look at the truth!

Is being overweight obesity?

Who has the final say on whether you are fat or not?

Whether a person is obese is not determined simply by weight . The most commonly used indicator for evaluating obesity is the body mass index (BMI).

BMI (kg/m²) = weight (kg) / height² (m²).

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an adult body mass index (BMI) between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m² as overweight, and a BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m² as obesity.

Our Obesity Task Force recommends:

Adults (18-64 years old)

Overweight: 24.0kg/m²≤BMI<28.0kg/m²,

Obesity: BMI ≥28.0kg/m². Weight and BMI of elderly people over 65 years old can be slightly higher.

Children and adolescents can use the BMI judgment criteria for different genders and ages provided in the health industry standard "Overweight and Obesity Screening for School-Age Children and Adolescents (WS/T 586-2018)" to make judgments.

The indicators that are more closely related to health include waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR).

Waist circumference: If the waist circumference is ≥90.0cm for men and ≥85.0cm for women, central obesity in adults can be diagnosed. Waist circumference is more closely related to health risks.

Waist-to-hip ratio: When it is >1.0 for men and >0.85 for women, it can be defined as central obesity.

Waist-to-height ratio: under 40 years old: should be ≤0.5, 40-45 years old: 0.5-0.6, >50 years old: should be ≤0.6.

Diagnosing obesity simply by BMI is not reliable enough . For example, the BMI of bodybuilders is over the standard, but they have more muscle content and are not obese. On the contrary, some patients have metabolic obesity with normal weight and normal BMI, but abnormal fat distribution in the body may also cause a series of obesity complications, such as fatty liver, hypertension, diabetes, etc., which belong to the category of obesity.

Therefore, obesity often requires a comprehensive assessment based on waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat content, etc. Studies have found that the obesity characteristic of the Chinese population is abdominal obesity , that is, high visceral fat content, and visceral fat is closely related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The truth : Overweight does not equal obesity. If there is too much fat accumulated in the abdominal wall and abdominal cavity, even if the weight is normal, it is considered central obesity, which is also one of the high-risk factors for many chronic diseases.

Being fat means good nutrition. Is it better to be fat when you are a child?

Chubby babies are cute, but are they really healthy?

41% to 80% of children are obese and can continue to be obese into adulthood, which seriously threatens the health of the nation. The obesity rate among children and adolescents in my country has risen rapidly in recent years and has become an important public health issue. Obesity affects the physical and mental health of children and adolescents. It is not only related to early puberty and psychological problems, which may affect adult height, but also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and tumors in adulthood. The prevention of obesity should start in utero.

Women planning to become pregnant should adjust their pre-pregnancy weight and weight gain during pregnancy to an appropriate level to reduce the occurrence of macrosomia; breastfeeding should be encouraged after birth, and complementary foods should be added appropriately. Children should have a balanced diet, appropriate activities, adequate sleep, regular physical examinations, and assessments for overweight or obesity, so as to intervene early.

The truth : Childhood obesity is very harmful, so be sure not to be a "little fat boy". Childhood obesity is related to a variety of complications that affect physical and mental health. Timely and reasonable diagnosis and evaluation are needed, and early intervention and treatment are required. Exercise scientifically, eat healthily, say goodbye to obesity, and have a healthy body!

Losing weight means not eating staple foods?

A low-carbohydrate diet usually refers to a diet in which the carbohydrate energy supply ratio in the diet is ≤40%, the fat energy supply ratio is ≥30%, the protein intake is relatively increased, and the total energy intake is restricted or not restricted.

There are too many people who don't eat staple food in order to lose weight. They don't touch rice, bread, noodles, potatoes, steamed buns and other foods during the weight loss period. Some even don't eat staple food for a long time to maintain their figure. In fact, not eating staple food will lead to unbalanced nutrition in the body and is the cause of many diseases . If you don't eat staple food, the human body will not have enough carbohydrates to supplement energy, and protein and fat will be involved in energy supply. Then our body's tissue cell repair, immune antibody synthesis, hormone enzyme synthesis will not be able to operate normally.

A decrease in protein means you have no muscles, and you become too thin and unattractive. It may also lead to problems such as hair loss, poor skin condition, decreased immunity, decreased memory, constipation, depression, hypoglycemia, etc.

The truth : A healthy diet for weight loss only requires reducing fat, sweets and refined white rice , rather than rejecting all carbohydrate foods. You must eat staple foods, both in sufficient quantities and in the right way.

The faster you lose weight, the better?

Many rapid weight loss methods are to reduce weight by extremely restricting energy intake or increasing energy consumption, causing the body to quickly achieve negative energy balance, or directly achieve the purpose of weight loss through dehydration. Therefore, in a short period of rapid weight loss, most of the weight lost is water and protein in the human body. Most people want to lose weight, but they actually want to lose excess fat in their bodies. But fat consumption is a slow process, and rapid fat loss is not realistic .

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Rapid weight loss is very harmful to your health, accelerating muscle loss, causing your skin to sag, and especially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you lose weight too quickly, not only will the plateau come earlier, but the risk of rebound will also increase.

The truth : Losing weight too quickly can cause serious harm to the body, so be careful. The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommends that, under normal circumstances, it is appropriate to lose 0.5-1kg per week and 2-4kg per month. Diet, physical activity, and lifestyle changes are the cornerstones of obesity treatment, and medication and weight loss surgery are important means of obesity management.

Are there “healthy fat people”?

Can people become “extremely fat”?

Obesity can cause a series of health problems, such as increasing the risk of various chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and some tumors.

Research in China shows that about 90% of obese people have at least one complication (the study covers eight complications, including diabetes, hypertension, and hyperuricemia), and more than 60% of obese patients have more than two complications. Long-term obesity causes sleep apnea syndrome (OSAHS), which causes people to hold their breath when they fall asleep, have low blood oxygen saturation, and even stop breathing.

The truth : In the eyes of doctors, there is no such thing as a “healthy fat person”. Obesity itself is unhealthy, and “being too fat may actually be fatal”!

What is the safest way to lose weight?

The "Dietary Guidelines for Adult Obesity (2024 Edition)" recommends eating regularly at regular times and in regular amounts, not eating dinner too late, eating fewer snacks and drinking fewer beverages, chewing meals slowly, and eating in the order of "vegetables, meat, and staple foods."

You should get about 7 hours of sleep a day, sit less and move more. When you sit for a long time, you should get up and move for 3 to 5 minutes every hour. Perform 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, mainly low-intensity aerobic exercise, supplemented by resistance exercise.

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For adults with BMI ≥ 28.0 kg/m² or BMI ≥ 24.0 kg/m² and combined with risk factors such as hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, after comprehensive evaluation, they can choose medication combined with lifestyle intervention under the guidance of a doctor.

In short, on the basis of a balanced diet, appropriately reduce calorie intake, achieve a balance between eating and exercise, and ensure comprehensive nutrition, so that you can enjoy "thin" health, enjoy a "thin" life, and start from "lightness"!

Author | Hu Zhongdong, deputy chief physician, registered dietitian, health manager, and speaker of the Healthy China Action

Review | Zhang Yu, researcher/PhD, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, national health science expert