Half of Taiwan's adults are obese, a record high! Is a low-fat diet healthier? Doctors debunk 6 weight loss myths

Losing weight is a lifelong task, as chronic diseases caused by obesity account for 7 of the top 10 causes of death in China. According to the latest statistics from the "Health Promotion Statistics Yearbook" of the National Health Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the overweight and obesity rate among adults over the age of 18 is 50.3%, an eight-year high, indicating that half of adults in Taiwan are facing health crises. But if you want to lose weight, you have to use the right method. Family medicine and weight loss specialist Huang Zhiyuan breaks down 6 weight loss myths at once. For example, does losing weight only require "calorie counting"? Is a low-fat diet healthier? I hope everyone can get rid of the weight loss trap!

Debunking 6 Weight Loss Myths

Myth 1: Losing weight only requires counting calories?

Dr. Huang Zhiyuan, a family medicine specialist and weight loss specialist, said that the most common weight loss myth in the clinic is that "losing weight only requires counting calories." According to a calorie deficit experiment in 2015, 218 subjects reduced their daily calorie intake by 500 calories, reduced their diet, increased physical activity, and reduced the calorie deficit to lose weight. The goal was to lose 0.5 kg per week and 50 kg in 2 years. However, in reality, those who lost weight through a calorie deficit only lost an average of 7 kg in 2 years.

Dr. Huang Zhiyuan pointed out that simple calorie calculation actually ignores the quality and nutritional density of food. For example, 200 calories of nuts are richer in protein, lipids and healthy fats than candies with the same calories, which helps provide a sense of fullness and stabilize blood sugar. High-sugar and high-fat foods have different effects on the body even if they have the same calories. In addition, when calorie intake is excessively restricted, the body will naturally enter "energy-saving mode", causing the metabolic rate to decrease, causing weight loss to enter the "wall period".

Myth 2: Is a low-fat diet healthier? **

In addition, many people often regard fat as the biggest enemy when losing weight, and blindly pursue a low-fat diet thinking it is healthier, which is another common misunderstanding! In particular, low-fat foods often have a bad taste. For example, low-fat biscuits and low-fat ice cream may add more refined carbohydrates to enhance flavor under the name of health, which is actually bad for health.

Dr. Huang Zhiyuan explained that fat is one of the three essential nutrients for the human body. Intake of too little fat may increase cardiovascular and overall mortality. Therefore, it is important to properly consume healthy oils rich in Omega-3, such as flaxseed oil and fish oil, to ensure that the body has sufficient nutrients it needs.

Dr. Huang Zhiyuan recommends trying intermittent fasting. During intermittent fasting, the body will activate the mechanisms of fat burning and energy metabolism, which will help regulate insulin. Lower insulin levels will help improve insulin sensitivity, thereby better controlling blood sugar and promoting fat burning.

Myth 3: Fasting to lose weight can easily harm your body?

The third myth is "Fasting to lose weight can easily harm your body?" In fact, fasting helps lower insulin, stabilize blood sugar, and promote growth hormone secretion, thereby burning fat. Dr. Huang Zhiyuan recommends trying intermittent fasting. During intermittent fasting, the body will activate the mechanisms of fat burning and energy metabolism, which will help regulate insulin. Lower insulin levels will help improve insulin sensitivity, thereby better controlling blood sugar and promoting fat burning.

Myth 4: Will skipping breakfast affect weight loss results?

Dr. Huang Zhiyuan emphasized that fasting does not mean advocating people not to eat, but to extend the time of not eating, for example, gradually adjusting from eating breakfast later to skipping breakfast, and eating after dinner until noon the next day. Some people worry that skipping breakfast will affect weight loss results. Dr. Huang Zhiyuan believes that breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. The key to weight loss is to "maintain nutritional balance at every meal" and consume sufficient protein, healthy fats and a variety of vegetables to provide adequate nutrition and satiety.

Myth 5: Eating small meals frequently will definitely make you lose weight?

Eating small meals frequently makes you more likely to gain weight and store fat in your abdomen, which may be counterproductive to weight loss. Dr. Huang Zhiyuan pointed out that frequent eating will not only keep the digestive system in a working state for a long time, thereby increasing gastrointestinal pressure and affecting digestion and absorption functions, but will also keep insulin at a high level for a long time, prompting the body to store excess energy as fat, causing the belly to grow "like a balloon."

Myth 6: Losing weight just requires more exercise?

The last myth is that "losing weight only depends on more exercise." Dr. Huang Zhiyuan of Xiao Zhou Chu Ri Clinic said that exercise has many benefits, but losing weight cannot rely solely on exercise! Especially for those with obese waist circumference, who often suffer from insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, the effect of exercise or muscle training alone is quite limited. Excessive exercise may increase appetite and psychological stress, and the calories consumed can easily exceed the calories burned. Dr. Jerry Yang emphasized: "70% depends on diet, 30% depends on exercise, and exercise and diet control must complement each other." Only by comprehensively changing your lifestyle can you achieve lasting weight loss results.