DIETS
Body’s fear of famine is a weighty issue in beating obesity
Evolution will overrule a low-calorie strategy every time, writes David Benton
As obesity is a risk factor for many disorders that afflict the human race, understanding how to maintain a healthy body weight is one of the most urgent issues facing society. By 2025, it is estimated 18% of men and 21% of women will be obese worldwide. To lose weight and maintain it at a healthy level, public health policy typically advises eating fewer calories — by reducing the calorie content of food items or reducing portion size, for example. However, simply choosing food items with reduced calories is not necessarily the best way to maintain a low weight. Hundreds of diets, for a period, reduce calorie intake and in this way, decrease body weight. But the number of people who are dieting at any one time, demonstrates this is not a long-term solution. Every year in the UK, 65% of women and 44% of men try to lose weight by, for example, decreasing fatty or sugary foods or eating smaller portions. Surveys estimate a quarter of people are always trying to lose weight, or "yo-yo ...
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