It is a myth that your body going into "starvation mode" will stop you from losing weight, according to health and nutrition expert Dr Michael Mosley.
One thing many people hear when they are trying to lose weight is that losing too quickly will put their body into "starvation mode" which will mean that it stops burning as many calories. The theory goes that this can slow weight loss or mean that people start actually putting weight back on.
Writing on his website Dr Mosley addressed this theory. "One of the most popular dieting myths is ‘starvation mode’, the claim that if you stop eating your metabolic rate immediately slows down as your body tries to conserve your fat stores." said the creator of the 5:2 and Fast 800 diets.
Read more: Dr Michael Mosley issues warning to anyone following low fat diet to lose weight
However, he says that there simply isn't the evidence to back this up. Dr Mosley said: "In a recent experiment, researchers took 11 healthy volunteers and asked them to stay in a metabolic chamber (a room where they precisely measure your metabolic rate) living on nothing but water. By day 3 their metabolic rates had risen by 14%. This was probably due to a rise in a hormone called noradrenaline, which is known to burn fat. If they had continued then, I’m sure, the volunteers’ metabolic rates would eventually have fallen, not least because they would have begun to lose significant amounts of weight. But, in the short term, there is no evidence that starvation mode is anything other than a myth."
Dr Mosley, who advocates for a low-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet, has previously said there are some advantages to losing weight quickly compared to more gradually. He said this is because people are more likely to stick to a diet because they can see the results in a shorter space of time and don't lose motivation.
Obesity is a real challenge for society. If current trends continue, overweight and obesity will cost the NHS in Wales £465 million by 2050. Obesity affects the poorest in our society the worst, contributing to stark economic and health inequalities. Obesity among adults in the most deprived groups in Wales is 32%, compared with 20% in the least deprived groups.
Obesity Alliance Cymru (OAC), a group of leading national charities, professional bodies, campaign groups and membership bodies working together to improve public health in Wales, has warned there needs to be serious efforts to curb obesity backed by evidence.
OAC have suggested four things the Welsh Government could do which the evidence suggests could make a real difference in Wales:
- Reducing promotions on the unhealthiest foods which are high in salt, fat and sugar
- Restricting the placement of high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) products in supermarkets- particularly at the end of aisles, checkouts, front-of-store and island/bin displays.
- Calorie Labelling in all out of home settings (restaurants, takeaways etc.)
- Restrict the location of hot food takeaways especially near schools
Read more:
- Health expert Michael Mosley's message to anyone looking to lose weight quickly
- 100 things to do in Wales if you love history
- Mum's warning after being told by doctors not to worry
- Dr Michael Mosley issues warning for everyone doing exercise to lose weight
- The Welsh Tories and the hole at the heart of their rhetoric on the NHS
