Low-energy diet: an effective dietary control plan for scientific weight loss

Low-energy diet:

A low-energy diet is a method for preventing and treating obesity by consuming a low-energy diet. This is currently the most widely used method. A low-energy diet is actually designed to maintain or enhance the weight loss effects of drug therapy, acupuncture, exercise therapy, and other dietary therapies for obese patients. It is a low-calorie diet, with a daily food intake of 800-1800 kcal (3350-7540 kJ). Its energy content is determined according to the patient's actual situation, similar to a diabetic diet in clinical practice. A low-energy diet ensures the patient's energy needs without causing energy surplus; it is also sometimes called a nutritionally balanced diet. Like other low-energy diets, it restricts calorie intake to create a negative energy balance, thus leading to weight loss. Mild obesity only requires general control, moderately reducing the intake of carbohydrates and fats, without strict requirements. For moderate obesity, calorie intake should be strictly controlled. Men should aim for 6300-7560 kJ per day, and women 5040-6300 kJ per day. Based on this standard, a negative energy balance of approximately 2700 kJ per day can result in a negative balance of 18900 kJ per week. Theoretically, burning 12600 kJ of calories can lead to a fat loss of 0.373 kg, or 0.560 kg per week. This translates to a weight loss of approximately 2.4 kg per month. For severe obesity, calorie intake must be strictly controlled, to a level that is physiologically tolerable. However, for severely obese individuals unable to work, calorie intake should be limited to 4200-5040 kJ per day for a period. Adjustments should be made after symptoms improve.

For those undergoing dietary control, protein intake should be 1 g per kilogram of body weight per day, and total carbohydrate intake should be 150-200 g per day. The remaining calories should be supplemented by fat, but the intake of animal fats should be controlled. To maintain this diet long-term, it's essential to adjust the types of food consumed, ensuring sufficient vitamins, minerals, and essential trace elements. A low-energy diet provides an average of 120 kJ/kg of body weight per day. Tables 6-2 to 6-4 show several low-calorie recipes with different calorie counts.

Modifying Energy Absorption: Reducing the body's absorption of energy is an effective way to lower body fat. Theoretically, consuming dietary fiber should be effective in this regard. However, many experimental studies have shown that dietary fiber has limited effect on hindering nutrient absorption in the intestines. Table 6-5 shows a low-fat, high-fiber weight-loss diet. A low-fat, high-fiber diet generally controls daily fat intake to 20% of total calories (sometimes even below 10%). This has certain benefits for improving blood lipids and reducing weight. However, this diet has a high protein content and is not suitable for long-term use, otherwise it may cause nutritional imbalance.

To reduce energy absorption, the following ingredients can be used to replace dietary fiber or combined with dietary fiber.

Fat substitutes, such as polysucrose, are not absorbed by the body and can replace fat in the diet without producing calories.

Perfluoroacyl bromide is a class of synthetic inert compounds that can coat the surface of the gastrointestinal tract, preventing the absorption of calorie-rich substances and thus reducing calorie intake.

Enzyme inhibitors, such as glycosidase inhibitors, can inhibit the hydrolysis of carbohydrates, preventing the absorption and utilization of carbohydrates into fat. (See relevant content in the drug therapy section for details.)

In addition, some people have proposed methods such as time-lapse diets, food portioning diets, and fat-free diets, but their scientific validity is still uncertain.

When patients undergo dietary therapy, they will initially experience severe hunger, which will become tolerable after about 7-10 days. While the hunger is not relieved, patients should consume low-calorie foods such as jelly, mushrooms, vegetables, and seaweed.

Weight loss through diet therapy is sometimes not linear, but rather phased. For female patients, menstrual cycle changes may cause temporary water retention, leading to weight gain.

To ensure weight loss effectiveness, in addition to adhering to the diet therapy, other methods should be systematically combined, such as traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, topical medications, exercise therapy, psychotherapy, and behavioral therapy.