This article focuses on the current trend in calorie restrictive diets wherein people think that the weight they lose when dieting is fat when in reality it is mostly muscle and water weight. The type of myth I chose to utilize this article is that dieting (i.e. drastic calorie deficiency) helps in long term weight loss goals.
Introduction
What most people fail to realize is that there is a massive difference between weight loss and fat loss. In the case of fad diets, people seem to think that when they see their weight going down it is an indicator that they are losing fat. A more likely scenario is that they are losing muscle mass and water weight since fat is the last thing the body catabolizes which is the worst outcome that could occur (Rubin, 41).
What happens during a diet?
You see when you go on a calorie restrictive diet; your body automatically shifts into what is known as “famine mode” wherein it tries to store as much fat as possible. This is an evolutionary response during times when food was scarce and the body needed to store as many calories as possible to survive (Fusco and Pani, 3157-3170).
The inherent problem though is that at the present, people continue to be more physically active despite subsisting on fewer calories due to the need to go to work or go to school etc. As a result, your body will catabolize your muscles in order to “make up” the difference in caloric intake so that it can continue to function (Fusco and Pani, 3157-3170).
Catabolism and Anabolism
When you exercise you are making your body enter into a catabolic state wherein it breaks down the muscle
in order to perform particular exercises. After that comes an anabolic state where your body uses the food you eat to build back the muscles stronger than before. Basically:
a.) catabolism = destroying the muscles
b.) anabolism = growth and making the body stronger
In cases where a person goes into a long term calorie restrictive diet, they are making their body enter into a long term catabolic state which can be considered as a form of long term destruction. The reason behind this is that they are simply not eating enough to sustain the muscles. As a result, the muscles get smaller and smaller.
Importance of maintaining Muscle Mass
Our muscles burn calories on a daily basis, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn while the less muscle you have the fewer calories you burn. So, if you enter into a calorie restrictive diet and you keep on losing muscle sure you are losing weight but you are not losing fat, rather, you are losing muscle mass instead and that is a bad thing (Rubin, 41).
The fact is that it is a lot harder to gain muscle than fat. In order to gain muscle a person would need to perform various types of resistance training exercises. However, since they are on a calorie restrictive diet, it is unlikely that they would have the energy to do so. It will come to a point that the fat will come back with a vengeance and they will not be able to lose it as easily since they do not have enough muscle mass (Rubin, 41).
Conclusion
Based on what has been presented so far, it can be seen that in the case of drastic calorie restrictive diets, the weight loss is temporary since when a person bounces back from the diet and there is lesser muscle mass to burn the fat, they will become fatter and it will be harder to lose weight. The end result is that the person dieting will go back to the calorie restriction resulting in them entering a vicious cycle.
Works Cited
Fusco, Salvatore, and Giovambattista Pani. “Brain Response To Calorie Restriction.” Cellular & Molecular Life Sciences 70.17 (2013): 3157-3170.
Eating healthy is a prerequisite to a happy and healthy living since it prevents several disorders and illnesses. The brain has several structures that contribute to healthy eating through initiation and motivation of an individual. Uptake of food involves evolutionary features such as relaxing rejuvenation of endorphins and serotonin mechanism that generates a sense of satisfaction and well-being after taking a meal.
As such, it is important to understand what factors influence brain activity concerning motivation to eat healthily. Various intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence the execution of brain in motivating a person to eat a healthy diet. This paper seeks to examine various factors and brain structures that influence the brain to motivate a person to take a healthy diet.
Brain Structures Influencing Motivation
The motivation for healthy eating arises from a combination of structures found in the brain system. Such structures include the hypothalamus, hippocampus as well as the amygdala, which influence the generation of new memories and control feelings that lead to a positive outlook concerning diet alterations (Wickens, 2005). The limbic structure is directly responsible for reward and motivation, a prerequisite factor for changing of diet from an unhealthy to a healthy one. When amygdala gets excited, it leads to remembering new learning and maintaining fresh habits like taking a healthy meal (Wickens, 2005).
Mesolimbic opioid, as well as the dopamine areas, trigger a high appetite for food as well as taking too much food through an injured or malfunctioning hypothalamus can also lead to an increased appetite for food. Dopamine is a chemical transmitter involved in transporting data within the limbic system and is responsible for reward and satisfying feelings. In addition, prefrontal cortex controls impulsive tendencies and assists an individual in making proper judgments concerning the choice of food (Wickens, 2005).
Intrinsic Factors that Motivate Healthy Eating
Genetics
Genetic factors play a role in influencing the capability to indulge in healthy eating. Genetic factors include biological conditions like allergies, despising of certain foods and attachment to cultural foods (Deckers, 2010). An eating disorder is hereditary capable of influencing an individual concerning eating healthy or not eating healthy. The central nervous system is responsible for tasting perceptions and levels of satisfaction while eating yet these differ from one individual to the other due to the disparity in genetic makeup (Deckers, 2010).
Tasting perceptions and feelings of satisfaction affect the intake of meals. Various brain parts like prefrontal cortex control perceptions in an individual through an individual’s choices and experience influence the uptake of food (Wickens, 2005). Intelligence is hereditary too and contributes a lot when it comes to making choices concerning foods. Lack of stress management skills, sadness and boredom have a basis in genetics and can influence how an individual indulges in food (Deckers, 2010).
Serotonin System
People with high levels of serotonin have a tendency to take less food and are better at making proper choices concerning healthy foods. This arises from the fact that serotonin, found in the neural system, generates a feeling of well-being with or without food. Decreased serotonin leads to depression, which in turn leads to increased weight due to high food intake and lack of desire to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Alterations in the level of serotonin are directly responsible for changes in dieting and can lead to either taking junk food or eating healthy meals (Wickens, 2005).
Extrinsic Factors That Motivate Healthy Eating
Social and Environmental Settings
Every society has expectations on the appearance of individuals especially concerning body size and shape. Such expectations dictate how people handle diets so as to measure up to expectations. For instance, in a society where people despise fat people, individuals will certainly make sure that they cut on their diets to avoid getting big so that society accepts them (Lockyear, 2004). Peers also influence a person’s motivation in eating healthy as the choice of food can possibly isolate an individual from certain social circles.
Psychologists have classified social acceptability as a psychological need and as such, everyone wants to acquire such acceptance. This leads to careful choices of foods to get such acceptance. A physician’s advice greatly influences the type of food an individual takes. For instance, people susceptible to diseases like diabetes are likely to heed advice from a physician to avoid sugary and starchy foods (Lockyear, 2004).
Positive Strengthening
Family and friends are a source of motivation for eating healthy. In most cases, this arises where such family members or friends have a particular pattern of eating arising from culture and traditions. An individual in such circles has no option but to conform to traditions regarding feeding habits and foods accepted in such a society (Hotelling & Liston, 2004). In addition, an individual finds it hard to convince family members and friends already used to taking healthy diets. For instance, in a society that despises junk food, an individual has to stick to traditional foods to avoid backlash from family members and friends.
Conclusion
The brain plays an important role in the motivation of an individual’s choice of eating or not eating healthy through various structures. In addition, various factors contribute to an individual’s behavior concerning the selection of food. Such factors can be either extrinsic or intrinsic.
References
Deckers, L. (2010). Motivation: Biological, Psychological, and Environmental (3rd Edition). Boston: Pearson. Web.
Hotelling, K., & Liston, L. K. (2004). Guidelines for the outpatient management of Individuals with eating disorders in the university setting. Web.
This study targets 500 men aged above 45, who are the respondents that this survey seeks to gather information from. The respondents will be requested to share information willingly and to make the results credible, their identities will not be revealed in the study.
The targeted respondents will mainly share their experiences regarding the survey questions to uncover relevant data for the survey. The population of the sample size that the survey intends to cover is 500. The respondents who will be drawn out of this population will be asked to participate in the survey voluntarily.
The researcher will seek the consent of these respondents first before allowing them to participate in the survey after revealing all the information that will be used.
Survey Questions
Have you had any heart related problems?
If yes, what do you think is the reason for this problem?
Do you think a diet high in cholesterol level exposes one to the risk of heart related failures?
According to these factors below, which one of these has the highest contribution to heart failure? Begin with the highest contributor to the lowest contributor.
High cholesterol levels
Smoking
Drinking
Lack of exercise
The questions for the survey seek to find out from the surveyed population the contribution lifestyle activities and choices in diets have on the risk of people getting heart related complications.
These questions seek to obtain qualitative responses from the surveyed population to determine their knowledge on heart related issues. The questions seek to establish the relationship between the potential causes of heart disease and the occurrence of the disease in the surveyed population.
Variables
The study will highlight various factors which contribute to heart attacks in middle aged men. The factors that are to be studied will mainly be medical, social and diet changes and their contribution to the level of heart attacks that are experienced by middle aged men.
These variables will apply to each individual respondent in varying degrees because they will be exclusively suited to each individual’s situation. All these variables will be compared against their influence towards making respondents in the sampled population experiencing incidents of heart attack.
The variables will seek to establish a relationship between the measured aspects of the sampled population’s way of life and their contributions to the heart related issues they face. The variable which remains constant in the survey is the changes that are experienced by the surveyed group relating to their heart conditions.
Survey Tool
The survey tool to be used will be an interview survey where each respondent will get to fill in the response to each set of questions asked in the space that appears immediately after each question. This tool is effective because it does not require the respondents to reveal their true identity while they are being surveyed.
The interview will be carried out through various forms on which the questions will be typed and the respondents will go through them and respond to them accordingly.
The respondents will be given 30 minutes to respond and this will only be done after they have given their full consent to the interviewer who will carry out the survey. The interview target is 500 middle aged men who are aged 45 and above.
This may reduce depending on the number of these men who agree to take part in the survey. The margin of error in the survey is likely to be at an estimated 5% margin. The level of measurement will be nominal to explore the exhaustive influences the variables have on the manifestation of the studied attribute in the sampled population.
At the initial stages, nominal measurements will be used to give each participating respondent an identity through a specific number. The order will range from the first participants to the last participants.
Ordinal measurements will be used in the survey to relate the causes that have been identified by the sampled population as being responsible for high rates of high disease. This ordinal measures will be used to give out the rank order as highlighted by the surveyed population regarding their views on the biggest contributors to heart related illnesses.
These two forms of measurement will be vital in determining the personality profiles of the surveyed population and how their views and knowledge regarding heart related issues.
The survey will focus on those locations in which the potential respondents from the sampled population are likely to be found in large numbers.
The survey will be carried out for a period of two weeks because the researchers will have to go to different locations from which they will interview the respondents. After the survey has been done, the interviews of the participating respondents will be stored safely until all the data collected has been analyzed and presented.
Data Analysis
The data collected will be tallied through SPSS and there will be a parametric test, which will be carried out to look at the impact the variables have on the survey. This will seek to establish the influence the highlighted factors have on making the sampled population experience heart related failures and complications.
The parametric test will seek to establish whether the research question has any relationships with the survey and the information that is gathered from the survey conducted.
This will try to show if there is a confirmation of the stated earlier assumption or a difference in the assumption that was carried out at the beginning. The data analyzed will be compiled and used for the presentation together with other information that will relate to the survey.
Review of Literature
A review of literature will be conducted to find out the wider context in which the topic that was being studied and the implications this had on healthcare infrastructure.
Brannon and Feist (2009) state that frequent medical checkups and a good lifestyle can help one to overcome the problems associated with heart related complications (p. 125). These habits and lifestyle choices contribute to the level of heart related conditions a person is likely to suffer from.
Particular types of foods are known to increase the risk of middle aged men to acquire complications that may later lead to heart failure. The consumption of food with a high level of cholesterol has been found to be one of the major contributors to the high incidents of people who suffer from heart related ailments (Brannon & Feist, 2009, p. 127).
Rippe and Rippe (2011) argue that the high incidents of heart related complications result from poor diets, which increase the risk of consumers of such foods becoming ill from heart related complications (p.163).
Failure to participate in various body exercises by the people who are middle aged increases their general body weakness and their immune system becomes more diminished. Modernity and technology have simplified many complicated processes and operations and, as such, people are not as physically active as they used to be two decades ago (Rippe & Rippe, 2011, p. 167).
There is less activation of the muscles in the body and, as such, the level of heart related problems that are likely to be experienced by this group of people is likely to be high (Rippe & Rippe, 2011, p. 167). Middle aged people avoid physically involving activities such as walking, jogging, doing manual labor and other forms of exercise, and this makes them to be vulnerable to heart related ailments.
Recommendations
People should consume healthy foods and limit their intake of foods, which are high in cholesterol as this will reduce their vulnerability to heart related ailments.
People should undergo regular medical check ups to find out if they have any problems that are related to their health. This will make these people to deal with any heart related condition early enough.
People should have regular exercises, which can see them to become more active so that they can deal with the problems caused by heart ailments at an earlier stage.
More sensitization is needed on the issues related to heart related problems to ensure that everyone in the society becomes aware of how to deal with such problems.
Conclusion
Middle aged men need to be more careful about their diets as this will help them to overcome risks that can cause them heart related complications, which are prevalent among members of this age group. They should engage in exercise to make their bodies more active so as to avoid any complications that could bring about heart illnesses.
References
Brannon, L., & Feist, J. (2009). Health psychology: An introduction to behavior and health. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Rippe, J. M., & Rippe, M. D. (2011). The healthy heart cookbook for dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG Books.
Every year a great number of people make a conscious decision to transit from omnivore to vegetarian lifestyle. Their motivation for making the transition ranges from extreme dissatisfaction with killing and eating animals to beliefs that meat is an unhealthy product that is detrimental to their health. The relationship between the vegetarian diet and person’s health- conscious lifestyle has been established.
For this reason, a transition to a vegetarian lifestyle may be considered an indicator of the individual’s awareness of the general principles of the main behavioral nutrition principles. Appropriate measures need to be imposed for raising the public awareness concerning the benefits of vegetarianism and providing people with an opportunity to make a conscious decision between omnivore and vegetarian lifestyles.
Though the direct relationship between the vegetarian dietary and the vegetarians’ lower prevalence of chronic diseases and lower BMI is questionable, the link between the transition to vegetarianism and other healthy lifestyle behaviors is obvious. Bedford & Barr (2005) noted that “other lifestyle behaviors [besides the vegetarian dietary] commonly observed in health conscious individuals may be responsible for the observed beneficial health effects” (Diets and selected lifestyle practices).
The individual’s long-term vegetarian dietary cannot be an occasional decision, contradicting the rest of the life views and habits. Thus, excluding meat products from one’s dietary is not the only measure a person would impose, taking care of one’s health. These would include physical activity, refuse from harmful habits, such as smoking or alcohol drinking, and analysis of constituents before choosing a product.
Bedford & Barr (2005) concluded that “Vegetarians were more likely than non-vegetarians to consider various health conditions and food/nutrition concerns when choosing foods” (Diets and selected lifestyle practices). A decision to make a transition to the vegetarian diet and following experience of sorting the products is related to the person’s conscious healthy nutrition behavior.
At the same time, being a social phenomenon, vegetarianism cannot be limited to the health issues. Making a transition from omnivore to vegetarian lifestyle, besides the impact on the person’s health, people consider the public opinion and the community’s reaction on their decision. Lea, E. & Worsley, A. (2000) “even when meat is believed to be unhealthy, dietary change may not occur unless social and other issues are overcome” (p. 43).
In that regard, according to the cognitive dissonance theory, people might even alter their opinions for the purpose of justifying their meat-eating or vegetarian behavior. While the question concerning the impact of adequate meat intake on the individual’s health remains doubtful, most people have got certain beliefs and biases concerning the issue.
Lea, E. & Worsley, A. (2000) pointed at peace, contentment, animal welfare and environmental benefits of vegetarianism besides its positive impact on health and included these components into their questionnaire aimed at researching the public opinion concerning the impacts of transition to a vegetarian dietary.
It appeared to be that the answers of the participants of the survey varied not only in the relation to their vegetarian or omnivore lifestyle but their gender, age, income and other demographic characteristics as well. Lea, E. & Worsley, A. (2000) concluded that “for non-vegetarians it was social concerns about vegetarianism and health benefits that were most important, while for vegetarians it was red meat appreciation and health benefits of vegetarianism that were important” (p. 44).
It means that the negative beliefs concerning the healthiness of meat products are widely spread among both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. However, this misconception that it I the meat that causes the chronic diseases should be overcome. For the purpose of raising the public awareness of the positive consequences of the vegetarian lifestyle, the broader context of issues related to meet need to be taken into consideration.
Thus, according to the results of the survey conducted by Lea & Worsley (2000), the current focus is on meat as the cause of various chronic diseases. Overcoming this prejudice, the emphasis should be shifted on the perceived benefits of vegetarianism and advantages of the plant-based diets, considering the environmental and animal welfare issues at the same time. The question of origin of the belief about detrimental impact of meat on human health is rather controversial.
It might be generated on the basis of the perceived benefits of vegetarianism or, on the contrary, result in raising popularity of vegetarian dietaries. Identifying the factors that are important for generating people’s beliefs about meat would be helpful for correcting their distorted views.
Considering the broader context of the vegetarian issues and enhancing the people’s nutrition knowledge would provide them with an opportunity to make a conscious transition from omnivore to vegetarian lifestyle, realizing all its benefits for an individual in particular and the society in general.
Providing accurate information concerning the benefits of vegetarianism and the related issues is important for improving the people’s nutrition culture and transiting to healthier lifestyle. Overcoming the misconception about meat as an unhealthy product, people would not need to alter their opinions concerning meat products for justifying their dietaries.
Considering the animal welfare and environmental issue for solving the problem would shift the emphasis from the issue of the harmful impact of meat-eating on human health to the received benefits of vegetarianism.
Reference List
Beford J. & Barr S. (2005). Diets and selected lifestyle practices of self-defined adult vegetarians from a population-based sample suggest they are more ‘health conscious.’ International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2:4. Available from: www.ijbnpa.org/content/2/1/4.
Lea, E. & Worsley, A. (2000). The Cognitive contexts of beliefs about the healthiness of meat. Public Health Nutrition, 5 (1), 37-45.
Both exercise and diet are essential elements of a healthy lifestyle. The main benefits of physical activity and diet regimen are outlined. Research conducted by Luke and Cooper in 2013 is presented. The methods employed by the researchers and the results obtained are characterized and interpreted. Implications of the mentioned research are specified, with supporting evidence from research conducted by Ravussin et al. (2015), showing the long-term influence of calorie restriction.
Introduction
Nowadays, many of us struggle with weight loss. An essential part of the problem is determining whether exercise or diet should be stressed in our efforts to lose extra pounds. Perhaps both are equally important. However, certain aspects of the problem should be taken into account prior to drawing any definitive conclusions. An analysis of one of the recent empirical research articles provides valuable insights into this problem.
Exercise and Diet
On the one hand, an exercise-focused routine is advantageous in many respects. Exercise strengthens our health and prevents the development of many potentially fatal health conditions, such as stroke, arthritis, diabetes, and even depression. Engaging in physical activity regularly is a well-known method of boosting your energy, keeping your mood elevated, and keeping your overall outlook on life optimistic. Exercise does not have to involve straining activities, but rather ways to keep you moving. Taking regular walks, or taking the stairs is an effective way to exercise every day. If the physical activity is aimed at losing weight, it usually requires professional advice from a fitness trainer. A trainer can assess your weight and state of health and adjust the training routine to your individual needs.
However, when it comes to weight control, is exercise enough to reach your goal? It may well be that accounting for our dietary intake is equally important, or perhaps even crucial in our efforts to lose a few pounds. Eating right implies the right amount, as well as the right ingredients. Not only is it important to eat a certain food that is rich in nutrients and microelements but also to avoid obviously harmful food, more commonly known as junk food. Drinking a fair amount of water each day, as well as organizing your meal intakes two to three hours apart is essential for the purpose of weight loss. The main question remains – what is the best way to lose weight? Does engaging in strenuous exercise yield better results than dietary restrictions?
Research Article
Luke and Cooper conducted research aimed at determining the nature of the global obesity epidemic, as well as its principal reasons (Luke & Cooper, 2013). The starting point of their research is formulated in the following hypothesis: insufficient physical activity or lack thereof is not a contributor to the global problem of obesity. Physical activity is neither a cause nor a moderator of the problem.
The methods used by the researchers include observational and statistical data, as well as data obtained from clinical trials (Luke & Cooper, 2013, p. 1831). Luke and Cooper emphasize that increased weight that occurred in the second half of the twentieth century cannot be explained by technological progress, i.e. the mechanization of certain strenuous work activities, as it did not fully take place until the 1970s. The turning point occurred in the mid-1960s, when the increasing food supply caused consistent weight growth, while the average level of exercise remained stable. The authors demonstrate that since the 1960s, the average weight of an American increased by 13 kg.
As further support for the initial hypothesis, Luke and Cooper challenged the common opinion about the correlation between the levels of obesity and industrialized vs. agricultural society. By employing the method of stable isotopes, energy expenditures were evaluated in rural Nigeria and the U.S., as well as in Tanzania and the representatives of western communities. These comparisons revealed no differences as to the level of energy expenditures (Luke & Cooper, 2013, p. 1832). As a result, the authors conclude that the level of physical activity does not correlate with the socio-economic development of the community.
Luke and Cooper present the results of randomized clinical trials. It was shown that with no calorie restrictions, the energy intake in trial subjects correlated with the energy expenditure (Luke & Cooper, 2013, p. 1833). Moreover, evidence obtained from other trials suggests that physical activity coupled with calorie restriction yields similar results as a restriction on calorie intake as a sole method.
Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies revealed that there is no correlation between the level of physical activity and an increase in body mass or obesity. Overall, Luke and Cooper conclude that the evidence obtained from clinical trials and observational research gives reason to believe that increased physical activity guarantees neither weight loss nor prevention of an increase in body mass (Luke & Cooper, 2013, p. 1834). Finally, the authors conclude that the only way to achieve weight loss is to either limit the calorie intake or to combine calorie restrictions with increased physical exercise.
Implications of the Research Article
While the authors of the analyzed article admit that the benefits of physical activity are unquestionable, the evidence they put forth gives reason to believe that exercise is not the ultimate solution to the problem of weight control. Based on their research, it seems likely that calorie restriction is an indispensable element of a weight loss process. The implications of this research are manifold. Primarily, it suggests that an emphasis needs to be made on the significance of calorie restriction for the purposes of weight loss. Secondarily, it pinpoints the problem of continuous physical exercise, which does not yield sufficient results. Research data suggests that the best way to facilitate the process of weight loss lies in either combining exercise and diet or focusing on adopting the calorie restriction regimen.
Moreover, calorie restriction was shown to prevent age-related health conditions and contribute to extended lifespan (Ravussin et al., 2015, p. 1103). Even though study subjects were at a low-risk level of developing certain conditions, this research provides a solid basis for further study. The authors conclude that additional research should be conducted regarding the comparison of calorie restriction and physical exercise effects.
Overall, personal implications one can make regarding the selection of the most suitable method of achieving weight loss. The above-mentioned studies suggest that calorie restriction should be a top priority. Combining calorie intake restrictions with physical exercise is undoubtedly a promising approach, as physical activity influences health in a profound way. However, one should remember that even strenuous physical activity without any calorie restrictions would not yield satisfactory results.
Conclusion
Both physical activity and diet regimen are essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Based on the research evidence obtained over the recent years, it seems likely that calorie restrictions are more important in achieving weight loss. While the benefits of physical activity are not questioned in any of the studies, calorie restriction regimen is demonstrated to be more important for weight loss purposes.
References
Luke, A., & Cooper, R. S. (2013). Physical activity does not influence obesity risk: time to clarify the public health message. International Journal of Epidemiology, 42(6), 1831-1836.
Ravussin, E., Redman, L. M., Rochon, J., Das, S. K., Fontana, L., Kraus, W. E.,… & Smith, S. R. (2015). A 2-year randomized controlled trial of human caloric restriction: feasibility and effects on predictors of health span and longevity. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 70(9), 1097-1104.
Both good diet and regular exercises are important for individuals to stay healthy. However, there are many controversies that surround exercises and diet. Some people argue that particular foods are better than others. With regard to exercises, some individuals think that they have negative effects while others argue that it is important to exercise regularly.
There have been controversies on the best diets for disease prevention. Vegetarians argue that diets based on plant products prevent cancer and heart diseases. They also hold a view that the diets can even treat the diseases. They base their argument on the fact that people who eat a lot of meat are more likely to get cancer and heart diseases when compared with vegetarians.
Books have been written to support this view but arguments presented in the books have been regarded as unconvincing. In addition, the argument that keeping large mammals for consumption is unhealthy has been supported by many people. Documentary films have been developed and they all reveal dangers of consuming a lot of meat .
The diet controversy is heightened by individuals who promote paleolithic diets. They argue that human beings are supposed to eat plants and meat as vegetables and fruits rather than grains. According to them, large amounts of proteins and low carbohydrates cause chronic diseases.
Elimination of grains and starch from their diet is therefore a successful strategy of staying healthy. There are also nourishing traditions that prefer diets with healthy fats and products from animals .
Generally, it is advisable to eat animal products of organic nature. The animals should be kept in conditions that are healthy. Studies have shown that eating a lot of vegetables and fruits is healthy while reduced consumption of junk food eliminates certain diseases.
There are certain diets that are appropriate for particular groups of people. Individuals who take interest in diet controversies eat well than those who show little concern. For example, the Americans might find it difficult to abandon fried food and humburger, but it has been found out that concentrating on organic foods and healthy eating habits is a trend being embraced by many people.
Apart from the controversies that surround diet, exercises are also surrounded by controversies. About 80 percent of weight lost by individuals is associated with change in eating patterns while 20 percent comes from exercises. Exercises are important for human beings but some researchers have argued that their role in losing weight is minimal. They argue that exercises do not play any role in weight loss.
Although they agree that they burn calories which are responsible for weight loss, they associate them with other negative effects. For instance, they say that exercises stimulate hunger that causes individuals to eat a lot of food. This eventually affects efforts to lose weight. Exercises are therefore not helpful in weight loss since they can make the whole process difficult.
However, not all people agree that exercises are not helpful to individuals. Many people believe that exercises are important for maintaining good mental and physical health. The most important thing to remember is that food intake determines whether individuals lose or gain weight.
For individuals who work out to lose weight, they should be aware that exercises make people feel hungrier. However, this does not mean that they should not eat after working out. They should know how to feed wisely in order to control hunger .
References
Goldstein, M. (2007). Controversies in Food and Nutrition. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Heller, M. (2007). The DASH Diet Action Plan:Based on the National Institutes of Health Research. New York: Amidon Press.
Irritable bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic immune-mediated conditions of unknown etiology, characterized by debilitating acute exacerbations and remissions. Emergency treatment may include surgical interventions and pharmacological agents: cortisone, aminosalicylates, and antibiotics.
There is mounting evidence that diet type can play a significant role in improving outcomes in the management of IBD in adult patients.
This article is a review of literature analyzing the benefits that an anti-inflammatory dietary regimen may have as an adjunct to conventional medicine in the management of IBD.
Studies show that agents derived from natural food sources, including ‘prebiotics’, probiotics, and animal and plant extracts have significant anti-inflammatory properties. This critical review assesses current evidence on the anti-inflammatory effects of nutrition as a complementary therapy in IBD symptom management in adult patients.
Introduction
The normal functioning of the human GI tract depends on factors such as intestinal microflora, genetic predisposition, and the nutritional status of an individual.
Conditions such as IBD (CD and UC), microbial gastroenteritis, NSAIDs-related enteropathy, and colorectal cancers cause severe inflammation of the intestinal tract that result in impaired absorption. The treatment options available for IBD have variable effectiveness, which calls for novel therapeutic interventions.
Treatment options for IBD usually involve pharmacological agents such as cortisone, aminosalicylates, and antibiotics, and surgical intervention. However, the treatment options sometimes produce counteractive effects, which impede sustained remissions in patients.
Moreover, therapy responsiveness varies among patients, which underscores the need for adjunctive interventions to reduce inflammatory effects and induce mucosal restoration.
In recent years, researchers have investigated dietary products derived from natural sources as potential adjunctive anti-inflammatory agents in IBD management. This article reviews literature analyzing the benefits that an anti-inflammatory dietary regimen may have as an adjunct to conventional medicine in the management of adult IBD.
The studies reviewed concur on the use of enteral nutrition (EN) as an effective feeding modality for treatment of IBD, especially CD, in adults (Yamamoto, Nakahigashi & Saniabadi, 2009; Hartman, Eliakim & Shamir, 2009; Rajendran & Kumar, 2010).
A range of dietary interventions, including anti-inflammatory diet or IBD-AID (complex carbohydrates, pre- and probiotics, and unsaturated fatty acids) and conjugated linoleic acid also induce sustained remission (Bassaganya-Reira & Hontecillas, 2010; Olendzki et al., 2014).
The research methods show great variability among the studies reviewed. They include systematic reviews of meta-analyses and randomized control trials (RCTs), prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case series, and experimental designs.
Evidence from the articles reviewed in this paper indicates that nutrition-based interventions can ameliorate IBD management and facilitate sustained remission. The conclusions made in the articles show that EN is an effective dietary therapy for CD treatment due to its low drug-interaction risk.
However, the scientific evidence to support the use of nutrition-based therapies (IBD-AID) as adjuncts in IBD treatment is lacking.
Nevertheless, there is compelling evidence that dietary agents are effective against GI disorders, including IBD. This literature review aims to synthesize the current evidence for the use of nutrition-based therapy as an adjunct in treating IBD and improving outcomes over pharmacological and/or surgical intervention.
The inclusion criteria entailed a Medline search of full text, peer reviewed research articles published between September 2008 and September 2014 using two key words/phrases: IBD and anti-inflammatory diet as an adjunct in symptom management.
The search yielded 16 articles, which were organized in order of increasing strength of evidence for analysis.
Methods
The methodology used to collect and analyze date in each study falls into either qualitative or quantitative category. Olendziki et al.’s (2014) study involved a retrospective review (case series) of the medical records of patients under IBD-AID to assess their progress and symptom remission.
Quantitative data were collected from a sample size of 40 patients and included concentration levels of “albumin, hematocrit, C-reactive protein (CRP), and drugs” (Olendziki et al., 2009, p. 8). Two statistical tools, “Harvey Bradshaw Index (HBI) and Modified Truelove and Witts Severity Index (MTLWSI)”, were used to analyze the data.
On their part, Oikonomou et al. (2012) used a randomized controlled trial to investigate the role of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in IBD pathophysiology.
The researchers used quantitative approaches to collect and analyze data (NGAL levels) collected from 181 IBD patients and 82 healthy individuals (controls) between 2008 and 2010. The assessment of disease activity (serum NGAL levels) involved Cockroft–Gault and CKD-EPI statistical tools.
Sandhu et al. (2010) conducted a systematic review of a variety of pediatric IBD interventions in studies published in major medical databases. The study involved a review of 161 qualitative and quantitative studies to support treatment guidelines for the management of pediatric IBD in the UK.
The thematic analysis method was used to synthesize the evidence in the studies reviewed. A descriptive study by Todorovic (2010) examined holistic adjunctive interventions (alternative medicine) that can complement conventional therapies in IBD management.
The study relied on qualitative data to develop a framework for assessing the quality of care offered to IBD patients. The sample size for this study was 27 sources.
In contrast, Grunbaum et al. (2013) used a randomized controlled trial to test the correlation between serum vitamin D levels and IBD development. In this quantitative study, the researchers measured serum levels of vitamin D in patients exhibiting mild or inactive IBD, healthy controls, and their families.
The sample size for this study was 103 subjects (patients and controls). Dietary assessment (vitamin D) involved the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Watanabe et al. (2010) study was quantitative one, as it involved retrospective data collection from 268 CD patients under an elemental diet.
The researchers used Cox regression analysis to define intergroup correlations, Kaplan-Meier approach to determine non-hospitalization rates, and log-rank test to delimit confidence intervals.
A comparable quantitative study by Yamamoto et al. (2013) investigated the “long-term efficacy of EN” offered post-operatively to IBD patients after surgery. The study involved a sample size of 40 post-operative CD patients (15-75 years) that was given EN for five years.
Recurrence rates were measured using the Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test methods while cross-comparisons involved chi-square and Student’s t test methods.
Rajendran and Kumar’s (2010) study is a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative evidence on the role of dietary therapy on IBD treatment. The search criteria involved specific terms (UC, CD, and IBD as well as dietary therapy) and studies published in English in three medical databases (Medline, Pubmed, and Cochrane).
Ten studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. A more comprehensive systematic review by Yamamoto, Nakahigashi and Saniabadi (2009) included 143 studies (meta-analyses and RCTs) examining the correlation of diet and IBD and published in the Cochrane and Medline databases.
The quantitative data support the use of EN in the treatment of IBD symptoms.
On their part, Bassaganya-Riera and Hontecillas (2010) reviewed current quantitative evidence on the use of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and n-3 PUFA as effective anti-inflammatory dietary interventions against IBD. This review analyzed 64 empirical studies that met the inclusion criteria.
Another review article by Hartman, Eliakim, and Shamir (2009) examined 100 studies to compare nutritional therapy modalities (EN and parenteral nutrition) in IBD management in adults and children. The authors used thematic analysis to categorize and synthesize the empirical evidence.
On their part, Mosli et al. (2014) reviewed recent medical advancements used in the management of UC and CD in patients. The authors extracted qualitative data from relevant articles published between 1990 and 2013 from two databases Pubmed and EMBASE.
Descriptive analysis of the data revealed the current IBD assessment tools and therapeutic advances. In contrast, Stulic et al.’s (2013) quantitative study employed a cross-sectional design and a sample size of 134 subjects (UC and CD patients).
The subjects were divided into two categories based on histopathological activity grading. The CD and UC activity evaluation involved the “CD activity index (CDAI) and Truelove and Witt’s scale” respectively (p. 949). Data analysis tools included the Mann-Whitney test and the Z2 test.
Sanchez-Fidalgo, Sanchez de Ibarguen, Cardeno, and Alarcon de la Lastra (2012) randomized 25 mice into two groups: treatment (17 subjects fed with DSS to induce UC) and control (eight healthy ones). The mice were then killed and clinical colitis determined using a disease activity index.
The quantitative data was analyzed using the one way ANOVA method to test for significance and Tukey-Kramer test for cross-comparisons. A nutritional review by Wall, Ross, Fitzgerald, and Stanton (2010) evaluated evidence on the use of dietary omega-3 fatty acids as anti-inflammatory agents.
The review included 117 quantitative studies on the anti-inflammatory potential of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The article uses descriptive statistics to analyze and present the data. In contrast, Sephton’s (2009) study involved a double-blind review approach to evaluate nursing interventions that can prevent flares in IBD.
The review draws qualitative data from a sample of 45 relevant studies, which are analyzed through thematic analysis to provide valuable evidence for innovative nursing interventions that can be applied in IBD management.
Results
The results from the studies reviewed indicate that anti-inflammatory diet can ameliorate IBD management in adults.
The studies report that anti-inflammatory diet has therapeutic benefits, though further testing is required. Wall et al. (2010) found that food supplements containing n-3 fatty acids cause “immunomodulation of the inflammatory profiles” by reducing the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines in cells (p. 284).
In contrast, supplements rich in 6-n fatty acids exacerbate IBD symptoms. Thus, a diet rich in n-3 relative to n-6 fatty acids can be a good adjunct in IBD management.
Comparable findings made by Sanchez-Fidalgo et al. (2012) reveal that diets containing extra virgin olive oil fortified with hydroxytyrosol significantly reduce colonic ulcerations in mice exposed to DSS (an inflammation-inducing agent) indicating that the supplement has anti-inflammatory benefits.
In Stulic et al.’s (2013) study, 29% and 64% of patients with a histopathological activity value of below and above five respectively developed CD (p = 0.005). The results of a systematic review give evidence for the use of EN as an adjunct to IBD drug-based treatments (Rajendran & Kumar, 2010).
On the other hand, Hartman, Eliakim, and Shamir (2009) review of relevant literature linked supplementary EN to maintain CD remission while Bassaganya-Riera and Hontecillas (2010) found that an n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio of more than 0.6 facilitates sustained IBD remission.
Such biomolecules are abundant in conjugated linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Another review by Yamamoto, Nakahigashi, and Saniabadi (2009) found complete EN to be an effective strategy in active and inactive CD management.
In contrast, Yamamoto et al. (2012) found that CD recurred in 10% and 45% of EN and control group patients respectively (p = 0.03).
Moreover, the “cumulative recurrence rate was lower in the EN group compared to the control (p = 0.02)” indicating that the difference between two groups is significant (p. 338). Wanatabe et al. (2010) found that of the 237 patients, 135 (under elemental diet) had a relatively high “cumulative non-hospitalization rate” (p. 135).
Comparable results by Grunbaum et al. (2013) indicate a correlation between patient and family vitamin D levels (82.3 nmol/l) in summer (p = 0.032). By comparison, there was no significant correlation between the control patients and their families.
Two reviews find patient education along with pharmacological methods (Infliximab and Ciclosporin), surgery, and nursing interventions to be effective in self-management of UC (Sephton, 2009; Todorovic, 2012).
On their part, Olendziki et al. (2014) found that in all patients who were under IBD-AID regimen IBD symptoms declined by a mean of 11 HBI and 7 MTLSI values respectively.
Another empirical study by Oikonomou et al. (2012) found “elevated NGAL levels in IBD patients (88.19 ng/ml)” compared to healthy controls (60.06 ng/Mol) (p. 523) implying that the serum NGAL concentrations can predict UC and CD remissions in adults.
In contrast, a review by Sandhu et al. (2010) found evidence to inform guidelines for diagnosis and management of IBD in children.
Discussion
Recent studies suggest a strong association between diet and the modulation of intestinal inflammatory response in IBD. Anti-inflammatory diet (IBD-AID) plays a critical role in symptom remission, which results in reduced pharmaceutical use (Olendziki et al., 2014).
Active factors such as n-3 fatty acids confer IBD-AID with anti-inflammatory characteristics, and thus, the intake of such a diet helps ameliorate IBD symptoms (Wall et al. 2010). Increased intake of n-3 PUFAs increases the levels of two anti-inflammatory eicosanoids: eicosapentaenoic acid and decosahexaenoic acid in inflammatory cells.
The mechanism of action involves an inhibition of n-6 PUFAs (arachidonic acid), which stimulate an inflammatory response in cells (Wall et al., 2010). N-3 PUFAs also act directly by down-regulating eicosanoid processes that produce inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes.
Therefore, a diet high in n-3 fatty acids relative to 6-n PUFAs can reduce inflammatory processes that cause IBD.
Although the etiology of IBD is unclear, the disease tends to have a genetic basis. Grunbaum et al.’s (2013) cross-sectional study found serum levels vitamin D in patients and their families to be higher than in healthy people after a dietary regimen.
However, the concentration of vitamin D in the serum of CD patients (without the regimen) relative to that of healthy individuals is low. They concluded that metabolites of vitamin D play a role in symptom remission for active CD (Grunbaum et al., 2013). Another biomarker of IBD is NGAL, which is released by neutrophils in the blood.
Serum NGAL is higher in patients with IBD than in those with inflammatory bowel syndrome implying that it is can predict the development of the disease (Oikonomou et al., 2012). Thus, serum vitamin D and NGAL levels can be used as biomarkers to monitor IBD progression or symptom remission.
Extraintestinal manifestations, such as pancolitis, are also common indicators of IBD histopathology. Stulic et al. (2013) found that 35.3% of patients diagnosed with pancolitis developed UC symptoms. This indicates that extraintestinal inflammatory conditions can lead to IBD.
With regard to nursing care, the nutritional status of a patient with IBD determines his or her improvement or deterioration. Sephton (2009) recommends that patients with regular ulcerative colitis flare-ups be put under nutritional therapy.
Moreover, a ‘low residue/high protein’ regimen reduces the frequency of bowel movements, which promotes healing in post-surgery patients (Sephton, 2009; Todorovic, 2012). Such a diet complements pharmacological therapy involving inflixmab or ciclosporin.
However, for patients with severe symptoms, immediate corticosteroid therapy or surgery is recommended (Sandhu et al., 2010). Dietary administration of virgin olive oil fortified with a polyphenol called hydroxytyrosol has also been found to stop the progression of experimental colitis in vivo in mice (Sanchez-Fidalgo et al., 2012).
Olive oil diets also prevent cancerous growth associated with inflammation in cells. Sanchez-Fidalgo et al. (2012) attribute the anti-inflammatory effects to the “anti-oxidant properties of the phenolic compounds” in olive oil (p. 502).
The phenolic compounds play a role in antioxidant detoxification of inflammatory agents (reactive oxygen species) that cause cell damage. Hydroxytyrosol prevents oxidation-related damage to cellular macromolecules, including proteins and lipids and thus, inhibit cell inflammation.
The dietary therapy modalities show significant differences in efficacy as adjuncts to pharmacological treatment of CD patients. Evidence from many studies underscores the importance of enteral nutrition (EN) as an effective adjunctive strategy in adult IBD management.
EN promotes the “nutritional status of the patient, reduces inflammatory cytokines in cells, and promotes mucosal healing”, which induce active IBD remission (Hartman, Eliakim & Shamir, 2009, p. 575). The efficacy of EN is attributed to its lack of long-term side effects compared to corticosteroid therapy.
EN is recommended when the adult patients is under prolonged corticosteroid therapy, the risk of developing inflammation-related conditions is high, or the patient needs a change in therapy.
The efficacy of EN versus corticosteroid therapy in IBD treatment is variable among different studies. Yamamoto, Nakahigashi, and Saniabadi’s (2009) review of recent meta-analyses and trials found steroid therapy to be more effective than EN in inducing remission.
However, they note that the studies lack sufficient data to analyze subgroup variables. In addition, the efficacy of EN depends on other extraneous factors such as the ingredients of the enteral formulae, physical assessment criteria, patients’ demographic characteristics, and mode of administration (Yamamoto, Nakahigashi & Saniabadi, 2009).
Nevertheless, in the long-term, EN is more effective than steroid therapy because it has less side effects.
Elemental formulae in EN therapy determine the efficacy of nutritional therapy in IBD management. A comparison of various elemental formulae containing variable levels of proteins established that amino acids do not affect the efficacy of enteral nutrition (Hartman, Eliakim & Shamir, 2009).
On the other hand, diets low in fat have a positive effect on IBD remission due to modulated amounts of linoleic acid.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an octadecadienoic acid isomer, prevents inflammatory responses through the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), and thus, reduces the release of “inflammatory lipid mediators” that cause CD (Bassaganya-Riera & Hontecillas, 2010, p. 3).
The effect of food formulae on the efficacy of EN diets has been documented in literature. Long chain triglycerides have less effect on the management of CD compared to fat/protein supplements.
However, the inclusion of bioactive molecules, including glutamine and omega-3 fatty acids, in an EN diet improves its efficacy due to the anti-inflammatory properties of these elements (Hartman, Eliakim & Shamir, 2009). The central aim of IBD-AID diet is to reduce exacerbations and promote symptom remission.
IBD is linked to the alteration of the intestinal microflora, which stimulates an inflammatory response in gut lumen cells (Olendziki et al., 2014). In this regard, EN diets are usually enriched with food components that facilitate the proliferation of normal gut lumen flora.
Olendziki et al. (2014) outline five major ingredients of an effective anti-inflammatory diet. The first component is modified carbohydrates, especially lactose while the second consists of probiotics such as fermented dairy products (yoghurt) and onions. Carbohydrates and probiotics help regenerate flora in the intestines to normal levels.
The third component is fats/lipids such as PUFAs (omega-3) and saturated fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
The fourth component involves an appropriate dietary pattern that eliminates food types to which a patient may be intolerant while the fifth entails texture modification through grinding to facilitate absorption. In addition, patients should take vitamins and digestive enzyme supplements to boost their nutritional status.
Besides restoring intestinal flora, IBD-AID also facilitate mucosal regeneration in IBD patients. This dietary regimen provides all the required nutrients in the correct proportions and reduces irritants to obtain remission.
It excludes whole grains contained in the specific carbohydrate diets (SCD) and increases the amount of probiotics to yield a balanced intestinal flora (Hartman, Eliakim & Shamir, 2009).
The IBD-AID regimen reduces saturated fatty acid intake and increases the consumption of PUFAs like omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to possess anti-inflammatory properties (Sanchez-Fidalgo et al., 2012). It also contains fermentable oats, which are a good source of probiotics.
Oats also help regulate the frequency and consistency of the stool. Patients under an IBD-AID that gives 900 kcal per day have a lower rate of hospitalization than those receiving a diet with less caloric content (Watanabe et al., 2010).
This indicates that a diet that gives 900 kcal per day can facilitate healing for patients with ileal lesions. The evidence reviewed in this paper indicates that dietary therapy can serve as an adjunct to pharmacological interventions to promote healing.
Conclusion
As the regular treatments (drugs and surgery) for IBD show variable effectiveness, nutritional therapy provides a novel strategy for the management of the disease.
This literature review has underscored the role of nutrition-based diets, including IBD-AID and supplements such as 3-n PUFAs and NGAL, as adjuncts in the management of gastrointestinal diseases.
Diet composition, mode of administration, and disease assessment criteria are some of the factors that influence the efficacy of nutrition-based therapy.
In general, in compliant patients, an enteral nutrition that balances 3-n/6-n PUFAs intake and gives over 900 kcal per day can reduce exacerbations and promote remission. 3-n PUFAs have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, hence useful in IBD management.
Thus, EN presents a safe adjunct to pharmaceutical options, though its clinical efficacy is not clear in the articles reviewed. In this regard, further studies (RCTs) should examine nutrient bioavalability across the intestinal barrier on a particular inflammation site.
The findings would help evaluate and validate the clinical efficacy of various EN formulae. To sum up, in compliant patients, a nutritional management approach involving the patient a primary care provider can extend remission and improve quality of life, reducing acute exacerbations requiring GI or surgical intervention.
References
Bassaganya-Riera J. & Hontecillas, R. (2010). Dietary CLA and n-3 PUFA in inflammatory bowel disease. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutritional Care, 13(5), 569–573.
Grunbaum, A., Holcroft, C., Heilpern, D., Gladman, S., Burstein, B., Menard, M.,… Szilagyi A. (2013). Dynamics of vitamin D in patients with mild or inactive inflammatory bowel disease and their families. Nutrition Journal, 12, 145-154.
Hartman, C., Eliakim, R. & Shamir, R. (2009). Nutritional status and nutritional therapy in inflammatory bowel diseases. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 15(21), 570-578.
Mosli, M., Al Beshir, M., Al-Judabi, B., Al-Ameel, T., Saleem, A., Bessissow, T., … Almadi, M. (2014). Advances in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease: Challenges and uncertainties. Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology, 20(2), 81-101.
Oikonomou, K. A., Kapsoritakis, A. N., Theordoridou, C., Karangelis, D., Germenis, A., Stefanidis, I., & Potamianos, P. (2012). Neutrophil gelatinous-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in inflammatory bowel disease: Association with pathophysiology of inflammation, established markers, and disease activity. Journal of Gastroenterology, 47, 519-530.
Olendzki, B. C., Silverstein, D., Persuitte, G., Ma, Y., Baldwin, K. & Cave, D. (2014). An anti-inflammatory treatment for inflammatory bowel disease: A case series report. Nutritional Journal, 13(5), 1-13.
Rajendran, N. & Kumar, D. (2010). Role of diet in the management of inflammatory bowel disease. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 16(12), 1442-1448
Sanchez-Fidalgo, S., Sanchez de Ibarguen, L., Cardeno, A., & Alarcon de la Lastra, C. (2012). Influence of extra virgin olive oil diet enriched with hydroxytyrosol in a chronic DSS colitis model. European Journal of Nutrition, 51, 497-506.
Sandhu, B., Fell, J., Beattie, R., Mitton, S., Wilson, D. & Jenkins, W. (2010). Guidelines for the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children in the United Kingdom. Journal of Pediatric Gastroentological Nutrition, 50, 1–13.
Sephton, M. (2009). Nursing management of patients with severe ulcerative colitis. Nursing Standard, 24, 15-17.
Stulic, M., Culafic, D., Mijac, D., Jankovic, G., Jovicic, I., Krstic, M. & Milosavljević, T. (2013). Correlation between extraintestinal manifestations and clinical parameters with the histologic activity index in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Vojnosanit Pregl: Military Medical & Pharmaceutical Journal of Serbia & Montenegro, 70(10), 947-952.
Todovoric, V. (2012). Providing holistic support for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. British Journal of Community Nursing, 17(10), 466-472.
Wall, R., Ross, R., Fitzgerald, G. & Stanton, C. (2010). Fatty acids from fish: The anti-inflammatory potential of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Nutritional Review, 68(5), 280-289.
Watanabe, O., Ando, T., Ishiguro, K., Takahashi, H., Ishikawa, D., Miyake, N.,… Goto H. (2010). Enteral nutrition decreases hospitalization rate in patients with Crohn’s disease. Journal of Gastroentological Hepatology, 1(5), 134-137.
Yamamoto, T., Nakahigashi, M. & Saniabadi, A. (2009). Review article: Diet and inflammatory bowel disease – epidemiology and treatment. Aliment Pharmacological Therapy, 30, 99-112.
Yamamoto, T., Shiraki, M., Nakahigashi, M., Umegae, S. & Matsumoto, K. (2013). Enteral nutrition to suppress postoperative Crohn’s disease recurrence: A five-year prospective cohort study. International Journal Colorectal Diseases, 28, 335-340.
Diet control, is one of the primary problem facing the world citizenry; more so women. This is because; majority of individuals always want to maintain body shapes or physiques they consider perfect. Hence due to this reason, majority of individuals will always use any means at their disposal to ensure they attain their ultimate weights, with little consideration of the nature of side effects, which may result due to adoption of some weight reduction strategies.
The primary methods used by majority of individuals in their endeavors to reduce weight include reducing eating portions, use of dietary pills, and in extreme cases some individual may opt to starve themselves, with little contemplation of what such a practice may result in. The fact is even worse with the enticing adverts in most diet control pills, due to the fact that, most individuals consider them more effective and fast in achieving end results.
Although such is the case, it is important to note that, majority of diet control pills have adverse effects on individual health, if such individuals never take precaution in their usage. This is because; due to the impatient nature of most individuals, most assume that, by consuming excess of them, they will achieve faster and better results.
Therefore, this makes it necessary for governments to increase regulations on the sale and use of such dietary medicines primarily because; in most uncontrolled scenarios, likelihoods of misuse and abuse are high. Such regulations should target the sellers and buyers, and it is very important for governments to implement specific measures to ensure, users and sellers adhere strictly to the set laws and regulations.
Why Increase Regulations on Diet Pills
As Watson (p.1) argues, majority of diet control pills have “extraordinary” promises, as concerns loosing weight, something, which most individual take without investigating the truth behind such advertisements. Such investigations are crucial before buying any dietary pills primarily because; historically medical researchers have associated most of them with many health complications, more so heart ailments.
In addition, although content-wise, majority of manufactures assure consumers that their products do not contain even trace amounts of products considered harmful for human consumption; caffeine and ephedra, in most cases, such assurances are mere lies meant to act as baits on consumers. This therefore makes it important, for governments to increase regulations as concerns there sale and use as an important remedy of avoiding instances of overuse and misuse by majority of individuals.
Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) governs the sale and use of some diet medication for example, Xenical and Meridia, majority of other drugs that are easily obtainable from chemists have no regulatory mechanisms. The fact is even worse, when it comes to the sale and use of herbal medications aimed at achieving the same end results.
In addition to heart problems for example, stroke, majority of these drugs can lead to other health complications, which include electrolyte disorders, bloating, dehydration, and in extreme overuse cases, death. This is because; majority of these drugs disturb many bodily functions for example, the water retention process, which in turn affects the mineral balance system (Dahl p. 1 and Ziporyn, Eisenstat, and Carlson p. 334).
On the other hand, some medication considered effective in weight loss contain a cancer associated causative agent namely epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Although many medical researchers associate this substance with activation and boosting of the body’s metabolic processes, it is important to note that, likelihoods of cancer occurrence are high in case consumers of these medication abuse drugs they are using, as a remedy to their weigh problems (Barnes, p.1).
Another main reason why there should be increased regulation of these drugs is that, just like any other stimulating drug, these pills are very addictive; hence, majority of users will develop an over-using habit that is uncontrollable. Enactment of control laws will ensure there is greater control of their use more so to individual who suffer from many eating disorders for example, anorexia.
Although primarily obesity results from excessive accumulation of fats in body tissues, it is important to note that, such fats are important when it comes to other metabolic process. This does not mean that, individuals should not control their body weights, but rather it means there is need for one to control the rate of using such pills.
This is because in extreme abuse cases, the pills may hinder the fat absorption process and may cause many other digestive problems. This case is very prominent with individuals who use laxatives as a remedy to their weight problems whereby, majority of them do not know that, most laxatives do not treat what they claim to.
For example, medical researches have proved that the most preferred weight control drug Ipecac has little significance, when it comes to weigh loss. The same is the case in other laxatives for example, Correctol and Ex-lax. Therefore, to ensure there is maximum protection of consumers of these drugs, in terms of control of their sale, it is important for the government to improve laws, which manage the distribution of such drugs (Eating Disorders Shared Awareness p.1).
Conclusion
In conclusion, considering the nature of many dangers associated with many dietary drugs; due to the fact that most of them have substances prohibited by FDA, it is important for the federal government to enact more laws on the sale of such drugs. On the other hand, because majority of individuals have a notion that, overdose will give them better results; and due to the addictive nature of most of the medication, there is need for review of laws, which will act as regulatory measures to tame their misuse.
Works Cited
Barnes, Karen. Disadvantages of weight loss supplements, 2007. Web.
Dahl, Melissa. Diet pill’s icky side effects, keep users honest: threat of embarrassment Forces all users to eat healthy-or else. MSNBC. 2010. Web.
Obesity is one of the common health complications in most school going children, a fact attributed to the poor eating habits adopted by most children and the fact that most school programs have failed to provide students with adequate knowledge on correct eating habits. Most obese children have other health complications, which include high blood pressure, diabetes, and other cardiovascular problems, resulting from the accumulation of fats in the body.
Currently in the U.S., the overweight problem among schoolchildren is even becoming a national security threat, because the federal government cannot find suitable army recruits (in terms of size and weight) to replace retiring, old and dead soldiers (Spillius, 2010 p.1). Considering this and the fact that students spend most of their teenage life in school, there is need for schools to put into practice all they preach to students on the importance of healthy diets.
Most of the foods in most American schools’ cafeterias and vending machines are junk, and the fact that most cafeteria menus do not encourage consumption of healthy diets has made the scenario worse; hence, the current obesity status of most school-going children.
In addition, because school administrations run such eateries, or the same school administrations have some form of control over what such eateries sale, most school’s efforts to eliminate the consumption of junk foods have failed. Considering this, sometimes it is very questionable whether school administrations are very serious in their war on the sale of junk foods and the need of a healthy society.
Although in most cases people associate obesity with parent’s inability to guide their children on healthy diets, it is important to note that schools have the greatest role of educating children as far as their health is concerned. This is the case primarily because, as compared with times spent with parents or guardians, children spend more of their time in school; hence, the school environment plays a crucial role in shaping children’s attitude on maintenance of a healthy body.
Sometimes it is very illogical why some schools can sign contracts with junk or unhealthy food supplying companies. On the other hand, the scenario even becomes very ironical, because of the fact that, the same schools that encourage the need for students to be healthy are the same schools that are main beneficiaries of such deals.
This case is common in many American schools in states for example, Ontario where some school’s boards signed deals worth million dollars with food supplying companies to provide soft drinks and junk foods (Wolf Clinic, 2010, Para. 8-10). These like dealings are obstacles to any communal and governmental effort to minimize the consumption of unhealthy foods, because societal institutions that should support such efforts are the major obstacles.
Therefore considering school influences as far as the children’s diet is concerned; there is need for schools to integrate in their programs measures, which will ensure students reduce the consumption of junk food and other high caloric foods.
It is important to note that, such efforts to encourage consumption of good and healthy foods will be fruitless, with the same schools doing the opposite. That is to discourage the consumption of junk foods, schools administrations should aim first to eliminate the many vending machines and cafeterias, which sell junk foods from schools.
In addition to elimination of such vending machines, schools should integrate in their curriculums appropriate healthy eating lessons, for it is the primary way of showing concern and dedication in eliminating the vice from schools. On the other hand, there is need for schools to include in their menus healthy diets, because it will be of no significance for schools to eliminate eateries that sale junk foods while maintaining their junk diets (Sharma, 2010, p.1).
Nowadays, much attention is paid to the role of food in human life. Food literacy turns out to be a serious topic for discussion in many countries as it helps to manage and prevent a number of food-related health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and the development of metabolic syndrome (Cullen, Hatch, Martin, Higgins, & Sheppard, 2015; Drewnowski & Kawachi, 2015). Regarding recent medical achievements, the current technological progress, and never stopping globalization, people should always deal with new things and meet expectations despite the level of their readiness (Christopherson, Garretsen, & Martin, 2008). These requirements also determine the quality of food people eat and the knowledge people have about healthy eating. The relationship between health (mental and physical) and diet has been thoroughly discussed by many authors to prove that appropriate food intake, malnutrition control, and personal attitudes to the diet may influence human behavior, mood, productivity, and decision making (Fontana & Partridge, 2015; O’Neil et al., 2014). Still, despite the evident connection between the changes caused by globalization and health, not much information about American food literacy through globalization is actually available.
Analysis
Such global topic as a health-diet connection can be developed through answering the following research questions: “Does globalization have a positive impact on Americans and their intentions to improve health through diet?” or “Is it enough for the US population to create programs and interventions at local levels to observe certain improvements in public health?” The goal of this new project is to understand the nature of the relationship between globalization and healthy eating promoted in the United States and clarify the steps the population takes to improve its health. To address these gaps, it is possible to develop a descriptive study and investigate current interventions and programs that are available to Americans in their intentions to use diet, change their lifestyles, and avoid health-related complications.
The evaluation of national achievements, the identification of public knowledge about healthy eating and globalization, and the consideration of people’s attitudes to the diet through the analysis of peer-reviewed and newspaper articles (published during the last five years) should help to answer the main research question and contribute an understanding of the impact of American diet on health. Content analysis and the description of American food literacy may create a solid basis for future research in terms of which it is possible to develop new interventions for the population and helpful healthy eating guides.
References
Christopherson, S., Garretsen, H., & Martin, R. (2008). The world is not flat: Putting globalization in its place. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 1(3), 343-349.
Cullen, T., Hatch, J., Martin, W., Higgins, J. W., & Sheppard, R. (2015). Food literacy: Definition and framework for action. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Perspectives in Practice, 76(3), 140-145.
Drewnowski, A., & Kawachi, I. (2015). Diets and health: How food decisions are shaped by biology, economics, geography, and social interactions. Big Data, 3(3), 193-197.
Fontana, L., & Partridge, L. (2015). Promoting health and longevity through diet: From model organisms to humans. Cell, 161(1), 106-118.
O’Neil, A., Quirk, S. E., Housden, S., Brennan, S. L., Williams, L. J., Pasco, J. A.,… Jacka, F. N. (2014). Relationship between diet and mental health in children and adolescents: A systematic review. American Journal of Public Health, 104(10), 31-42.