The Top Four Obesity Myths

by Dr. K.J. McLaughlin

According to a new study recently published by researchers from the University of Alabama, some commonly held beliefs regarding obesity are not supported by scientific evidence.

The senior author of this review, Dr. Davis Allison, suggested that the topic of obesity is full of beliefs that although strongly held, do not stand up under scientific scrutiny.

However, the myths regarding this global epidemic need to be exposed, argued, and debated if this trend is to be controlled. They also need to be abandoned if effective management strategies are to be widely implemented.

According to Dr. K. Casazza, the co-author of this report, “It’s vitally important to label these myths for what they are to prevent a misallocation of the resources available to address obesity, which is a serious public health problem.”

I could not agree more with this assertion that commonly held misconceptions regarding the most serious health issue in the U.S. need to be properly dealt with and understood. As a professional healthcare provider myself, I find it difficult to imagine that anyone practicing health care could also think of this disease in such an outdated manner.

Here are some of the nine myths published in this report.

1. The faster you lose your weight, the more weight you will regain later.

This myth is established because of the set-point theory of body fat accumulation and the history of yo-yo dieting. However, there has never been any concrete evidence that this actually happens. I have found that people who lose their weight slower have a tendency to be able to sustain it for longer periods comparatively.

2. Setting realistic goals for weight loss ensures a greater degree of success.

It has been thought for years that the larger the goal, the more likely people are to fail to achieve it. Nothing could be further from the truth. The same can be suggested for weight management strategies. There is no evidence to indicate that aggressive goal setting in weight management leads to failure. Goals should be set in a sequential format and met in a reasonable amount of time, which should be established. Even if the endpoint is lofty, it may be necessary.

3. States of change or degree of readiness are helpful in weight management success.

Although it may be true that a person has to want to change their behavior in order for them to do so, their degree of readiness is not that important. You are either ready to accept the challenges that go with the correct way to manage excessive weight accumulation or you are not. It’s a simple choice based upon health outcomes, self-confidence, and quality of life.

4. Daily self-weighing interferes with weight loss success.

Although I am not a big fan of using the scale as a success indicator in weight management, it’s frequently the only tool most people have to measure their success. I also think that weighing yourself every day can often be misleading, frustrating, and fruitless. However, currently, there is no evidence available that suggests that this practice is clearly destructive in the success of weight management strategies.

Successful weight management is a complicated process with many different factors that need to be considered on an individual basis.

Sources for Today’s Article:

• “UAB Study Says It Is Time to Abandon Obesity Myths,” Newswise web site, June 23, 2014; http://www.newswise.com/articles/uab-study-says-it-is-time-to-abandon-obesity-myths
• Casazza, K., et al., “Weighing the Evidence of Common Beliefs in Obesity Research,” Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. June 20, 2014: 0.

This article “The Top Four Obesity Myths” was originally published on DoctorsHealthPress, visit their site to access their vast database of articles and the latest information in natural health.

Dr. K.J.McLaughlin is a chiropractor with 27 years of clinical experience. In addition, he has degrees in physical education, nutrition and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with an interest in anti-aging medicine. He has also spent time studying health promotion and the effect that health education has upon health outcomes. Dr. McLaughlin has a diverse professional background which has involved clinical management, teaching, health promotion and health coaching and brings a unique passion to his work.