Beware of fad diets

People, who could not prevent weight gain during the period of lockdown due to the pandemic, began to look for ways to get rid of excess weight with the arrival of summer days. Prof. Dr. Tülay Yavan, Vice Dean, IUE Faculty of Health Sciences, warned against diet lists that are shared on the internet and social media under the name of 'fad diet' by people who are not experts, and which claim to make you lose weight in a short time. Prof. Dr. Yavan said, “The diet should be personalized and should be done under the supervision of a specialist. Heavy and uncontrolled diets can disrupt the body's fluid-electrolyte balance and circulatory system. If done for a long time, it can cause heart, kidney, metabolic, thyroid, and mental health problems. Anyone who claims they have lost 6-7 kilos in 10 days must be concerned as the body balance may also be disrupted.”

Stating that during the pandemic period, the physical activity of most people decreased, and their diets changed, Prof. Dr. Yavan pointed out that weight gain accelerated accordingly. Prof. Dr. Yavan said, “It is necessary to lose the excess weight in a healthy way. For this, it is important for everyone to increase the physical activity that is suitable for them in open air and non-crowded environments and create a healthy diet. If you cannot lose weight despite with these practices, you should seek help from a specialist.”

MELTING FAT IS IMPORTANT

Expressing that dieters usually focus on losing weight in a short time which is not the right thing to do, Prof. Dr. Yavan said, “People, who lose weight quickly and unplanned usually gain it back quickly. The important thing is not to lose weight quickly, but to lose weight in a healthy and controlled way. Diets that require a long period of fasting and are very low in calories per day usually cause loss of water and muscle, not fat. However, the main thing to melt is the fat mass in the body. Diets do more harm than good in this sense, as the body's fat burning power decreases with the loss of muscle and water in the body.” 

‘I LOST WEIGHT, YOU CAN DO IT, TOO’ APPROACH IS WRONG

Prof. Dr. Yavan continued as follows: “The body has a specific amount of energy to take in. This varies from person to person due to factors such as age, gender, metabolic rate, health status and job. When the body is hungry for a long time and does not receive the necessary energy, problems such as weakness, fatigue and headaches will increase, as well as immunity will decrease. When we think about the importance of immunity in the fight against COVID-19, we put ourselves at risk. Those, who have weight problems should not rely on the words like "I lost weight quickly, you should try this diet". The solution is not in coercive, mono diets. We should make it a habit to eat healthy and get enough physical activity.”

IT CAN DISTRUPT THE BODY BALANCE

Stating that the diet must be done under supervision of a specialist, Prof. Dr. Yavan said, “If you are losing weight too quickly and uncontrollably, this should be a concern as this can cause many health problems by disrupting the balance of the body. Those, who have weight problems, should focus on losing and maintaining a longer-term but healthy weight. Breakfast is a part of healthy lifestyle and should not be neglected. Consideration should be given to adequate water consumption in summertime. Everyone should create their own self-control system to protect their health and avoid diets to save the day.”