Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary to
a very outdated perception, this harm is not limited to those who
suffer from obesity[1]. In reality, according to the Directors of
Health Promotion and Education, the majority of Americans exhibit
unhealthy eating habits, with just over one in four women and
only one in five men claiming to eat the minimum five daily
servings of vegetables and fruits[i].
In response to this growing wave of American malnutrition, a
number of nutrition-based solutions have been proposed. This has
been both a positive, an ironically, a negative, development.
This has been positive in light of the simple fact that it has
helped increase basic “nutrition IQ”. The fact that most urban
centers are home to dozens of diet and weight loss centers, and
that many malls now have at least one health store has advanced
awareness of America’s unhealthy eating problem.
So, too, have the numerous television shows and news reports that
have covered the popular diets that dominate current weight loss
discussions, such as: the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the
Zone Diet, and more. The fact that a vending machine may actually
contain a piece of fruit these days is further positive
expressions of this growing nutritional awareness.
However, there is a downside as well. This increasing information
has created a dizzying health and nutrition marketplace within
which some irresponsible products are being offered. Among these
products – and arguably the worst kind -- are those that
artificially suppress appetite.
There are two equally important reasons why appetite suppressants
are dangerous and irresponsible nutrition ideas.
The first reason is that they delude dieters into thinking that
real weight is being lost. For example, an unfortunately popular
choice for some dieters is to take diet pills. These pills are
often diuretics that promote weight-loss through water loss. As
such, while a dieter will feel less hungry and lose weight while
taking the diet pills, both of these effects will cease when
taking the pills cease. Weight gain will return rapidly, as will
appetite[ii].
This leads to the other reason why these appetite suppressant
products are irresponsible and harmful. The human body is home to
a vastly intelligent network of systems, cells, chemicals, and
neurotransmitters. Regardless of one’s personal view of evolution
of how the human body came to be this way, it is agreed by both
creationists, evolutionists, and everyone else that the human
body is a remarkable example of comprehensive intelligence.
For example, the human body is able to synthetically produce –
without any conscious help from the owner of that body – 12 of
the 20 amino acids that comprise protein[2]. Or consider the
blood, whose plasma carries platelets that enable minor wound
blot clotting. Both of these examples reflect a special kind of
intelligence that the human body humbly and quietly exhibits
throughout life.
When hunger is artificially suppressed it interferes with this
intelligence. The body and its intricate network of problem-
solving mechanisms become confused. Basically, the body is still
hungry, but it does not feel hungry. The body is still craving
the basic nutrition it requires to survive: proteins, essential
fats, nutrients, vitamins, and calories. Yet because the hunger
signal is not being effectively transmitted from these systems to
the brain – due to the appetite suppressant – the individual
dieter is not responding. In the short-term, a dieter may lose
some pounds[3]. In the long-term the dieter will suffer from some
form of malnutrition.
Clearly, appetite suppression “solutions” are not solutions at
all. They are irresponsible and potentially damaging – even fatal
– biological short cuts that undermine the innate intelligence of
the human body. They also often render the dieter weaker and in
worse shape than before, particularly if the inevitable post-pill
weight gain leads to a bout of emotional eating and subsequent
additional weight gain.
What is required is a rather dated staple of healthy weight loss:
a healthy diet[iii][4]. This is, however, easier said than done
particularly since, as noted above, in America only about 25% of
women and 20% eat enough fruit and vegetable servings per day.
Within this rather complex scenario or problems and limitations,
however, there are some pioneering companies that are enjoying
critical acclaim from both the medical and the weight loss
fields.
These companies – and admittedly there are extremely few of them
-- offer dieters a balanced meal supplement that can also be used
as a meal replacement. This is of particular value to dieting
business executives, university students, and other frenetically
busy people who do not have the time to prepare balanced, diet-
conscious meals.
Of greater importance is that these advanced solutions do not
suppress hunger at all, nor recklessly deny the body the
nutrients and vitamins required for healthy survival. Instead,
the body is given the fuel that it needs via vitamin fortified,
low-calorie, fat-free food that is well-balanced and
nutritionally sound.
It will remain unacceptable, offensive, and disturbing to see so-
called “diet solutions” that are little more than appetite
suppressants that can -- and often do -- create much more harm
than superficial, temporary good. It is expected that,
eventually, such products will be exposed for the irresponsible
items that they are, and banned from the marketplace.
However, until that happens, it will be up to the responsible
nutrition companies in America to continue developing solutions
that truly help dieters help themselves in the long term.
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[1] Obesity, which is caused mainly by unhealthy eating, is
responsible for an estimated 300,000 deaths per year and
all of them preventable.
[2] The remaining 8 amino acids are called the “essential amino
acids” and must be obtained through diet.
[3] This kind of diuretic weight loss, however, will come at
the expense of muscle and not fat.
[4] In addition to diet, customized exercise plans are also
proposed to aid and maintain healthy long-term weight loss.
References
[i] Source: “Physical Activity and Unhealthy Eating”. The
Directors of Health Promotion and Education.
http://www.astdhpphe.org/pubs_facts_physicalfactsheet3.asp
[ii] Source: “Potentially Dangerous Diet Strategies”. PDR.Net.
http://health.yahoo.com/centers/weight_loss/30004
[iii] Source: “Weight Loss: What Really Works?”. WebMD.
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/49/40236.htm
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