Sati on a Diet – No Vaccine Against the Obesity Pandemic

Is one of the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic the increase in the number of obese people, and then possibly an increase in their already excessive weight? Moreover, are we talking about some kind of obesity pandemic that has been ongoing for decades? Although there is not much research, the least we can do is reasonably assume that working from home and reduced movement due to the coronavirus have contributed to the increase in obesity and made weight loss more difficult. Based on contact with people, this is also mentioned by nutritionist and owner of the Nutrissimi business, Kristina Beljan, who says that more and more people are reaching out to her as the pandemic progresses, citing the lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic as an important factor that influenced their increased food intake.

– Stress and emotions that arise due to uncertainty during such times can trigger overeating, which in turn can increase body weight and cause obesity – says Beljan.

(Non)Healthy Nation

In addition to the fact that obesity has become the most widespread nutritional disease in developed countries, her colleague, owner of the consulting business Nu3vex, Vedrana Dučkić, adds that ‘we can really talk about an obesity pandemic’. This is not the end: the number of obese individuals is increasingly rising, which carries many risks such as a higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, digestive system diseases, and hormonal disorders.

– Almost two-thirds of the adult population in Croatia is overweight, of which 42 percent are overweight and 23 percent are obese. Comparing both genders, there are slightly more obese men than women. It is alarming that almost 35 percent of children in Croatia are overweight, with 14 percent being obese. With all the parameters and statistics we have, it is clear in which direction we are heading, so we definitely need to focus more on how we can help people in the fight against obesity if we want to remain a healthy nation – says Dučkić.

Beljan states that many claim that anyone can lose weight if they want to. However, losing weight without a nutritionist is not a long-term solution, even if it were easy. Beljan explains why this is the case. Namely, she says, after every diet, the lost kilograms eventually return, and an additional ten percent is gained. The reason for this, interestingly, lies in human heritage, we would say genetics, because, as Beljan explains, we have not always lived in civilization nor have we always had an abundance of food as we do today. Evolutionarily, we have developed mechanisms that help us survive because they allow our bodies to cautiously expend energy and recognize (even potential) food shortages. Therefore, every time there is a lack of food, which includes dieting, metabolism and mechanisms slow down to conserve energy.

– When the crisis passes, the body will try to store as much energy as possible in fat tissue to compensate for what was lost and create slightly larger reserves for any future crisis. Additionally, after a food shortage or after dieting, appetite will be greater. This ensures that a person finds enough food needed to replenish lost energy, which is why it can be expected that a person may overeat during this phase. In this very complex survival mechanism, we can see that losing weight or maintaining body weight after dieting has nothing to do with willpower – says Beljan.

Recommendations for Limitation

Dučkić warns that we must not do what we often do when we want to eat healthily and that we should primarily adhere to the basic tenets of healthy eating: eat moderately and diversely. This means more fresh foods, seasonal fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, and nuts. It is also necessary to ‘limit the intake of red fatty meat and full-fat dairy products, as well as sugar, alcohol, carbonated drinks, juices, and salt-rich foods, while giving preference to fish, lean poultry meat, low-fat dairy products, eggs, and vegetable oils such as olive oil’. And alongside all this, one should eat regularly, not skipping meals.

– By limiting highly refined ready-made products, we are halfway to health and a healthy body weight. A nutritionist can provide you with recommendations on the intake of specific vitamins and minerals if their ratio is unbalanced or if they are lacking, along with a quality meal plan based on well-balanced, nutritionally rich meals. It is well known that some vitamins and minerals significantly affect metabolism regulation and the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats – says Dučkić.

Protocol for Desired Weight Loss

For this reason, an interesting scientific and innovative research project by Belupo, Podravka, and the Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak has been ongoing for ten months, developing a unique plan to combat obesity. It primarily involves, as they tell us at Belupo, hiring new specialists/researchers in the company and developing ‘new categories of products that allow patients to replace meals with innovative product forms’. They have also initiated the development of a protocol for losing excess body weight. All of this is a prerequisite for starting the production of new products, conducting the planned clinical study, and developing personalized support for users – a multidisciplinary medical, nutritional, and psychological counseling service. The project is valued at nine million kuna, including a non-refundable 6.8 million kuna from EU funds.

– During the three years of the project with the Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak, a clinically proven and health-safe concept for reducing excess weight and maintaining a healthy body weight in children and adults will be developed, based on modern medical and nutritional principles, including lifestyle changes, a balanced low-energy diet, and regular physical activity with personalized professional support. Our goals are primarily to offer consumers a comprehensive, effective, and health-acceptable solution for combating obesity, which the World Health Organization characterizes as a chronic disease – they say at Belupo.

For this reason, Belupo will launch new product categories in three forms that will serve as meal replacements: powdered and liquid shakes and slim bars. They also plan new sales channels, such as an online store, and in the part of the project related to acquiring healthy lifestyle habits and long-term maintenance of desired body weight based on the menu, the goal is to achieve synergistic demand with Podravka’s food products. Belupo, by the way, established the Nutraceutical organizational unit five years ago to synergistically connect the food and pharmaceutical sectors of the Podravka Group and to step into new product categories in the food and health segment.

– We see benefits for the healthcare system in introducing new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures related to obesity and ultimately in reducing the treatment costs of a range of chronic diseases directly associated with it. These primarily include individuals suffering from asthma, as in our clinical study, but also other chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases – they say at Belupo.

Skipping Slows Down

It is best to conclude with advice from Vlahe Šapra, owner and director of Sapro Slimming Clinic, who advises us to enjoy food because otherwise, we will seek unhealthy solutions. In any case, we must not be hungry!

– Fill up on healthy, whole foods that will keep you full for a long time without making you gain weight. Every meal must include all nutrients, namely fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Alongside every meal, eat some salad as it slows down the rapid entry of sugar into the blood and consequently weight gain. Never skip meals as this will slow down your metabolism, and in the next meal, you will likely overeat. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner should be your daily routine, and be sure to avoid snacks and treats as well as any juices, even those made from fresh fruit. Instead, eat whole fruits as this way you get everything your body needs from the fruit – concludes Šapra.