Diet and Obesity (Macronutrients, Micronutrients, Nutritional Biochemistry)

Abstract

The global prevalence of overweight and obesity as a public health concern is well established and reflects the overall worldwide lack of success in achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. The major concern is that overweight and obesity is associated with numerous comorbidities and is a risk factor for several of the leading causes of death, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and many types of cancer. These are for the large part preventable diseases. The cornerstone of therapy has been diet, exercise, and behavioral modification. Considering the plethora of existing diet programs and the global expansion of the obesity crisis, a conclusion can be drawn that no one diet has been universally successful at inducing and maintaining weight loss and improving metabolic parameters. This enigma provides some evidence as to the complexity of obesity and weight management. The achievement of a healthy body weight is far more complex than a simple reduction of caloric intake relative to energy expenditure. The factors affecting obesity are complicated, dynamic, and interrelated and involve numerous host factors as well as the environment. This chapter will review the physiological basis of scientifically validated weight loss diets, their effects on energy expenditure, body weight, body composition, and metabolic parameters.

Obesity: Treatments, Conceptualizations, and Future Directions for a Growing Problem

“…Dietary interventions have also been suggested as anti-obesity plans. Laura E. Matarese published a very informative paper in 2016 that provided information about dietary interventions, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and nutritional biochemistry, as a foundation for designing interventions [ 2 ]. The paper discussed how a metabolic rationale, including low-carbohydrate, ketogenic, or low-fat diets, can be applied to control obesity, as they can be implemented efficiently and result in weight loss [ 3 , 4 ].…”