The Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) dismantles myths and false beliefs related to obesity in order to promote its correct control and approach based on current scientific evidence and focusing on aspects such as sleep, diet or exercise, among other key factors.
Myth 1. You have to starve to lose weight
Juana Carretero, president of the Semi: “It is false that you have to go hungry to lose weight. To maintain a healthy weight while being well fed and not hungry, it is essential to choose well what we are going to eat. First, remember that you have to eat five times a day, including protein in each of those meals.In case you are hungry between meals, always choose a healthy snack, raw nuts, vegetables, carrots, fruit (apple, pear, banana… or any other fruit He recommends always prioritizing cooking for foods that provide little fat, such as steam, oven, or salad.
Myth 2. Sleeping makes you fat
Francisco Javier Carrasco, internist at the Semi: “It is just the opposite. In fact, people who sleep less than five hours are much more likely to be overweight or obese than those who sleep around seven hours. In addition, the quality of sleep is essential to prevent obesity. People who sleep less than four hours can have a 70% increase in the probability of developing overweight or obesity and this is reduced to 25% when they sleep less than six hours. The body is capable of burning approximately one calorie per kilogram of weight and hour of sleep. Bearing in mind that if a person weighs 80 kilograms (80 calories for 7 hours), they would burn approximately 560 calories during sleep. Sleeping we burn more calories than lying awake doing nothing.” , details.
Myth 3. Consumption of olive oil
Although olive oil is the healthiest fat that exists, and has shown that it can prevent cardiovascular disease, Semi Pablo Pérez Martínez internist recalls that its caloric intake, like other fats, “is not negligible”. . “Within a varied and balanced diet, we must consume virgin olive oil daily, but always substituting other types of fats, such as animal fats or trans fats that are abundant in ultra-processed foods. Therefore, olive oil consumption does , also in people who are overweight or obese”.
Myth 4. Bikini operation
José María Fernández, internist at the Semi: “Bikini operation? No. When you consider going on a diet, do not look for a fast diet, which simply generates a very rapid and punctual weight loss, to later recover it even more from where you started. Instead, look for those structured diets that change our life habits, not only eating, but physical exercise, that allow you to maintain that weight and reduce it progressively over time; to improve health and prevent obesity and all its long-term complications.
Myth 5. Does fruit make you fat?
Lola López, internist at Semi: “When we consider eating a healthy diet, one of the most controversial food groups is usually fruit. There is an unwritten rule that fruit is fattening, especially if it is used as a dessert after the lunch or dinner. All this is not scientifically rigorous. Is fruit fattening? No. Where does its bad reputation come from? Especially its sweet taste”. The doctor explains that the fruit contains fructose, which, like glucose, is a simple sugar and has the same number of calories (4 per gram). The difference from fructose lies in its properties and, as it is mixed with fiber, it does not generate so many insulin spikes and the body is not given the signal to accumulate energy in the form of fat. In addition, she remembers that fruit is a good way to end a meal and allows us to avoid other foods richer in fat or carbohydrates. “In weight loss diets, it is recommended to separate it from food and take it mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Fruit is a good healthy option, better fresh than dried (due to its higher sugar concentration), and if possible it is seasonal and close,” he details.
Myth 6. Can we talk about good obesity?
Pedro Pablo Casado, internist at the Semi: “Accepting that there is good obesity is a mistake. It is true that there is an obesity profile with greater metabolic implications and increased risk of developing certain diseases compared to other people with less obesity risk, what today there is still a struggle to define as ‘metabolically healthy people.’ But this concept can be misleading, since any type of obesity has deleterious implications for the person who suffers from it compared to the person with normal weight or weight normal”.
Myth 7. Miracle diets
Pablo Miramontes, internist at Semi: “When we are overweight or obese, the first temptation or idea may be to lose weight by ourselves and resort to the misnamed and mythologized ‘miracle diets’, which lack the scientific basis and sufficient rigor to make an adequate treatment. In addition, they are diets that base their success on a great dietary restriction that can lead us to deficiency states that are bad for health. Whenever we want to lose weight we must put ourselves in the hands of a professional who will propose an adequate diet for us and that we can carry out with a long-term horizon thinking about our health and not for purposes that in many cases are merely aesthetic. An adequate diet will not put our health at risk and we will avoid other types of problems”.
Myth 8. Obesity has to do with a matter of will
Marta Toral, Internal Medicine resident and member of the Semi: “Obesity is not related to a matter of will. Many other factors influence this disease, such as genetics, predisposing diseases, drugs that patients are taking, the environment culture, the social environment…, therefore, before judging them we must understand the personal situation of each one”.
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