5:2 Diet Analysis
Dietary aspects of obesity – 5:2 Diet
1500 words
As a therapist it is important to have an understanding of the role diet and what lifestyle factors play in the maintenance of health so that you can advise clients accordingly. Recommending client’s have a balanced healthy diet is the preferred way to keep the body healthy, however for some people, diet’s are an easier way to loose weight.
According to the National Statistics (2013), the portion of adults that are overweight including obese ‘increased from 58% to 65% in men and from 49% to 58% in women’ from 1993 to 2011 (p.6). Obesity is rising in the UK with the number of children considered obese increasing. In 2011, ‘around 3 in 10 boys and girls’ ages 2 to 15 were classified as overweight or obese National Statistics (2013, p.6). Obesity is someone who is overweight with a high portion of ‘excesses body fat’ Satter & Lean (2009, p.1). A BMI between 30 and 40 would be considered obese and over 40 would be morbidly obese. Obesity increases individual’s risks to health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Diets can be conducted in order for obese people to loose weight. Different diet plans and organisation encourage weight lost through calorie control, calorie restriction or a specific dietary intake, provide support and increase regular exercise. A Balanced and healthy diet according to the NHS Choices (2013), Truswell (1999) and Sattar & Lean (2009) should consist of a variety of macronutrients and micronutrient. Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, amino acids, fat, cholesterols, fibre and water. The eatwell plate (Figure1) shows the quantity of each macronutrient is required. It is necessary to have these nutrients in our diet as they are ‘used to build and repair body cell, create hormones, neurotransmitters’ and further functions Cooper (1999, p.70). Needed for…….
‘Overweight people tend to have raised plasma total and LDL-cholesterol, and
triglycerides’ Truswell (1999, p.3). However, cholesterol is essential for production of Vitamin D in the body and repair to damaged cell membranes Garcia (1998, 109).
Figure 1
Micronutrients include all vitamins such as vitamin A, B complex, C, E, K, biotin and folic acid and minerals such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc and fluoride. Need for…… It is recommended that around 1mg of each vitamin is needed in the daily balanced diet Truswell (1999), however around 40-60mg is required of Vitamin C and 10mg for Vitamin E. Vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron from food and manufactures collagen and connective tissue due to the continence of hydroxyproline. Whilst Vitamin E acts as an anti-oxidant, preventing destructive attack of molecular oxygen on fatty acids.
The 5:2 Diet (not in word count)
The plan of the 5:2 Diet is to introduce fasting into a weekly regime. The idea is to eat the recommended daily intake of calories on five days of the week. An average man needs around 2,500 calories a day, whilst an average woman needs around 2,000 calories per day according to NHS (2013) Healthy Eating recommendations. On the remaining two days of the week, the calorie intake should be reduced to a quarter of usual daily intake. Where the two days fall in a week in which fasting commences is up to the individual. The days can fall one after the other, or they can be non-consecutive. Within these two days of fasting, the reduced calorie intake means meals have to be thought out by the individual and calories have to be counted. Although the 5:2 diet does not specify a particular food plan for the fast days, there are many recipe books for inspiration and guideline, informing the reader of the calorific intake from the meal. Some individuals choose to follow a ‘tradition three-meals-a-day routine’ that consists of low-calorie intakes for each meal Ebury press (2013, p.7). However, others prefer one light meal and a higher calorie intake meal.
The 5:2 diet suggests to drink plenty of water due to the insubstantial calorie content and there growing evidence to suggest that drinking coffee prevents ‘mental decline, improve cardiac health and reduce risk of liver cancer and stroke Ebury (2013, p.117). Mann & Truswell (2007, p.302) support Ebury as they claim ‘boiled unfiltered coffee raises totally and LDL-cholesterol due to the cafestol content in coffee beans.
The Calorific Intake: The 5:2 Diet allows an individual to have the recommended daily calorific intake, whilst having a healthy diet on five days of the week. However, there is no food ‘off-limits’ during these days as the Illinois study group of Varady found in Chicago, having a high calorific intake on the five days a week (higher than the recommended daily intake) will still result in weight loss from the diet Mosley (2013). As well as weight loss, blood glucose, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol decreased the same amount on the high and low calorific intake on feast days. However, this is not to say it is encouraged on the diet to actively compensate for fasting by ‘grossly overeating the next day’ Mosley (2013, p.114). However, on the two days of the week where “fasting” should take place, the individual should have no more than 500 calories as a woman or 600 calories for a man per fasting day Ebury Press (2013). Medically trained Michael Mosley demonstrated how this 5:2 diet works in the BBC Horizon documentary, Eat, fast and live longer. It is considered that having a restricted calorie intake and aiming to have a diet high in nutritional value will promote longevity. New science and research by Professor Fontana shows that having an optical nutritional diet consisting of mainly fruit (peel as this consists for around 95% of the nutritional value) and vegetables will increase the life expectancy, decrease the body fat content and create immunity to heart failure, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Professor Longo genetically engineered mice that have been tested on to produce results that prove longevity can be created through restricted calories intake. The mice produce extremely low levels of a growth hormone called IGF1 (Insulin like growth factor 1) which is a ‘key factor linking calories restriction and longevity’ Horizon BBC Two (2012). Low IGF1 created in the liver causes the any damaged cells to be repaired rather than the cells continuing to divide by high amounts of IGF1.
Protein ultimately encourages the cells to divide rather than repair and therefore, cutting the amount of protein and calorific intake will increase longevity and reduce the risk of forming some cancers and diabetes due to allowing the damage of cells to repair. Fasting appears to lower levels of IGF1 too and increase the number of repaired cells as the process switches from “growth” to “repair” mode ‘when the body runs out of food’ www.telegraph.co.uk (2013). Therefore by restricting the calories intake on two days of the week, these benefits from complete calorie restriction could be worked towards. Within 24 hours the glucose level and IGF1 by fasting dropped (consuming only around Horizon BBC Two (2012), however prolonged fasting is an extremely tough and dangerous way of restricting calorific intake. This evidence supports the 5:2 Diet and explains how the fasting on two days of the week can create weight loss and improved health. ‘Studies and experience show that intermittent fasting will regulate the appetite’ rather than making it more extreme Ebury (2013, p.114). Michael Mosley tried the 5:2 Diet for 5 weeks, eating most of the 600 calories in the morning on the fast days. He lost over a stone in weight and his body fat decreased from 27% to below 20%. Additionally the impact on his metabolic health was improved and IGF1 decreased 50%. He experienced a decrease in blood glucose, reduction in total cholesterol and increase in HDL-cholesterol, decreasing the risk of developing diseases. However controversy does surround this type of low calorie diet. Although they generally produce rapid results of weight loss for obesity, this can initially be fluid loss and then weight loss from lean body mass McArdle….(2010). Also, controversial to the idea of reducing protein intake to lower IGF1, protein deficiency can cause the possibility of gallstones Robinson (1997, p.154). As Nix (2005, p.273) states, there is a possibility of causing ‘acidosis, low blood pressure, electrolyte loss, tissue protein loss and decreased metabolic weight’ during fasting. However, it could be debated that the 5:2 only promotes two days of fasting with a realistic intake of 500 or 600 calories on those days to allow nutrients to be gained still.
It is up to the individual what the calories intake consists of nutritionally on the fasting days, however most of the recipes in the 5:2 Cook Book provide nutritionally balanced meals. Therefore over the week, the diet should provide the recommended nutrition for a balanced and healthy diet. Long term, it is uncertain to obtain or determine if the diet is successful for weight loss for obesity. Trails are currently undergoing by Varady to establish the long term health benefits and results from the alternate day fasting.
Bibliography
http://the5-2dietbook.com/ http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=205916 Gracia, O. (2000) The balance, the revolutionary super metabolism plan for maximum health and weight loss. Shaftsbury: Element Books
The Body Code – Jay Cooper (1999) http://thefastdiet.co.uk/ Hoirzon BBC Two (2012) Eat, Fast and Live Longer. Monday 6th August
McArdle. W, D., Katch. F, I., Katch. V. L. (2010) Exercise physiology, nutrition, energy and human performance. 7th ed. London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Webster-Gandy, J., Madden, A., Holdsworth, M (2006) Handbook of nutrition and dietetics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ebury Press (2013) The fasting day, cook book, UK: Ebury Press.
Mosley, M., Spencer, M. (2013) The fast diet, The secret of intermittent fasting. London:Kindle Edition
Mann, J., Truswell, A, S. (2007) Essentials of human nutrition, 3rd ed. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press
Truswell, A,S. (1999) ABC of nutrition, 3rd ed. London: BMJ
Weigley, E,S., Mueller, D,H., Robinson, C.H. (1997) Robinson’s basic nutrition and diet therapy, 8th ed, New Jersey: Merrill
Nix, S. (2005) Williams’ basis nutrition and diet therapy, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html/
1500 words
As a therapist it is important to have an understanding of the role diet and what lifestyle factors play in the maintenance of health so that you can advise clients accordingly. Recommending client’s have a balanced healthy diet is the preferred way to keep the body healthy, however for some people, diet’s are an easier way to loose weight.
According to the National Statistics (2013), the portion of adults that are overweight including obese ‘increased from 58% to 65% in men and from 49% to 58% in women’ from 1993 to 2011 (p.6). Obesity is rising in the UK with the number of children considered obese increasing. In 2011, ‘around 3 in 10 boys and girls’ ages 2 to 15 were classified as overweight or obese National Statistics (2013, p.6). Obesity is someone who is overweight with a high portion of ‘excesses body fat’ Satter & Lean (2009, p.1). A BMI between 30 and 40 would be considered obese and over 40 would be morbidly obese. Obesity increases individual’s risks to health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Diets can be conducted in order for obese people to loose weight. Different diet plans and organisation encourage weight lost through calorie control, calorie restriction or a specific dietary intake, provide support and increase regular exercise. A Balanced and healthy diet according to the NHS Choices (2013), Truswell (1999) and Sattar & Lean (2009) should consist of a variety of macronutrients and micronutrient. Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, amino acids, fat, cholesterols, fibre and water. The eatwell plate (Figure1) shows the quantity of each macronutrient is required. It is necessary to have these nutrients in our diet as they are ‘used to build and repair body cell, create hormones, neurotransmitters’ and further functions Cooper (1999, p.70). Needed for…….
‘Overweight people tend to have raised plasma total and LDL-cholesterol, and
triglycerides’ Truswell (1999, p.3). However, cholesterol is essential for production of Vitamin D in the body and repair to damaged cell membranes Garcia (1998, 109).
Figure 1
Micronutrients include all vitamins such as vitamin A, B complex, C, E, K, biotin and folic acid and minerals such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc and fluoride. Need for…… It is recommended that around 1mg of each vitamin is needed in the daily balanced diet Truswell (1999), however around 40-60mg is required of Vitamin C and 10mg for Vitamin E. Vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron from food and manufactures collagen and connective tissue due to the continence of hydroxyproline. Whilst Vitamin E acts as an anti-oxidant, preventing destructive attack of molecular oxygen on fatty acids.
The 5:2 Diet (not in word count)
The plan of the 5:2 Diet is to introduce fasting into a weekly regime. The idea is to eat the recommended daily intake of calories on five days of the week. An average man needs around 2,500 calories a day, whilst an average woman needs around 2,000 calories per day according to NHS (2013) Healthy Eating recommendations. On the remaining two days of the week, the calorie intake should be reduced to a quarter of usual daily intake. Where the two days fall in a week in which fasting commences is up to the individual. The days can fall one after the other, or they can be non-consecutive. Within these two days of fasting, the reduced calorie intake means meals have to be thought out by the individual and calories have to be counted. Although the 5:2 diet does not specify a particular food plan for the fast days, there are many recipe books for inspiration and guideline, informing the reader of the calorific intake from the meal. Some individuals choose to follow a ‘tradition three-meals-a-day routine’ that consists of low-calorie intakes for each meal Ebury press (2013, p.7). However, others prefer one light meal and a higher calorie intake meal.
The 5:2 diet suggests to drink plenty of water due to the insubstantial calorie content and there growing evidence to suggest that drinking coffee prevents ‘mental decline, improve cardiac health and reduce risk of liver cancer and stroke Ebury (2013, p.117). Mann & Truswell (2007, p.302) support Ebury as they claim ‘boiled unfiltered coffee raises totally and LDL-cholesterol due to the cafestol content in coffee beans.
The Calorific Intake: The 5:2 Diet allows an individual to have the recommended daily calorific intake, whilst having a healthy diet on five days of the week. However, there is no food ‘off-limits’ during these days as the Illinois study group of Varady found in Chicago, having a high calorific intake on the five days a week (higher than the recommended daily intake) will still result in weight loss from the diet Mosley (2013). As well as weight loss, blood glucose, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol decreased the same amount on the high and low calorific intake on feast days. However, this is not to say it is encouraged on the diet to actively compensate for fasting by ‘grossly overeating the next day’ Mosley (2013, p.114). However, on the two days of the week where “fasting” should take place, the individual should have no more than 500 calories as a woman or 600 calories for a man per fasting day Ebury Press (2013). Medically trained Michael Mosley demonstrated how this 5:2 diet works in the BBC Horizon documentary, Eat, fast and live longer. It is considered that having a restricted calorie intake and aiming to have a diet high in nutritional value will promote longevity. New science and research by Professor Fontana shows that having an optical nutritional diet consisting of mainly fruit (peel as this consists for around 95% of the nutritional value) and vegetables will increase the life expectancy, decrease the body fat content and create immunity to heart failure, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Professor Longo genetically engineered mice that have been tested on to produce results that prove longevity can be created through restricted calories intake. The mice produce extremely low levels of a growth hormone called IGF1 (Insulin like growth factor 1) which is a ‘key factor linking calories restriction and longevity’ Horizon BBC Two (2012). Low IGF1 created in the liver causes the any damaged cells to be repaired rather than the cells continuing to divide by high amounts of IGF1.
Protein ultimately encourages the cells to divide rather than repair and therefore, cutting the amount of protein and calorific intake will increase longevity and reduce the risk of forming some cancers and diabetes due to allowing the damage of cells to repair. Fasting appears to lower levels of IGF1 too and increase the number of repaired cells as the process switches from “growth” to “repair” mode ‘when the body runs out of food’ www.telegraph.co.uk (2013). Therefore by restricting the calories intake on two days of the week, these benefits from complete calorie restriction could be worked towards. Within 24 hours the glucose level and IGF1 by fasting dropped (consuming only around Horizon BBC Two (2012), however prolonged fasting is an extremely tough and dangerous way of restricting calorific intake. This evidence supports the 5:2 Diet and explains how the fasting on two days of the week can create weight loss and improved health. ‘Studies and experience show that intermittent fasting will regulate the appetite’ rather than making it more extreme Ebury (2013, p.114). Michael Mosley tried the 5:2 Diet for 5 weeks, eating most of the 600 calories in the morning on the fast days. He lost over a stone in weight and his body fat decreased from 27% to below 20%. Additionally the impact on his metabolic health was improved and IGF1 decreased 50%. He experienced a decrease in blood glucose, reduction in total cholesterol and increase in HDL-cholesterol, decreasing the risk of developing diseases. However controversy does surround this type of low calorie diet. Although they generally produce rapid results of weight loss for obesity, this can initially be fluid loss and then weight loss from lean body mass McArdle….(2010). Also, controversial to the idea of reducing protein intake to lower IGF1, protein deficiency can cause the possibility of gallstones Robinson (1997, p.154). As Nix (2005, p.273) states, there is a possibility of causing ‘acidosis, low blood pressure, electrolyte loss, tissue protein loss and decreased metabolic weight’ during fasting. However, it could be debated that the 5:2 only promotes two days of fasting with a realistic intake of 500 or 600 calories on those days to allow nutrients to be gained still.
It is up to the individual what the calories intake consists of nutritionally on the fasting days, however most of the recipes in the 5:2 Cook Book provide nutritionally balanced meals. Therefore over the week, the diet should provide the recommended nutrition for a balanced and healthy diet. Long term, it is uncertain to obtain or determine if the diet is successful for weight loss for obesity. Trails are currently undergoing by Varady to establish the long term health benefits and results from the alternate day fasting.
Bibliography
http://the5-2dietbook.com/ http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=205916 Gracia, O. (2000) The balance, the revolutionary super metabolism plan for maximum health and weight loss. Shaftsbury: Element Books
The Body Code – Jay Cooper (1999) http://thefastdiet.co.uk/ Hoirzon BBC Two (2012) Eat, Fast and Live Longer. Monday 6th August
McArdle. W, D., Katch. F, I., Katch. V. L. (2010) Exercise physiology, nutrition, energy and human performance. 7th ed. London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Webster-Gandy, J., Madden, A., Holdsworth, M (2006) Handbook of nutrition and dietetics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ebury Press (2013) The fasting day, cook book, UK: Ebury Press.
Mosley, M., Spencer, M. (2013) The fast diet, The secret of intermittent fasting. London:Kindle Edition
Mann, J., Truswell, A, S. (2007) Essentials of human nutrition, 3rd ed. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press
Truswell, A,S. (1999) ABC of nutrition, 3rd ed. London: BMJ
Weigley, E,S., Mueller, D,H., Robinson, C.H. (1997) Robinson’s basic nutrition and diet therapy, 8th ed, New Jersey: Merrill
Nix, S. (2005) Williams’ basis nutrition and diet therapy, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html/