Weight Management

Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern, but a chronic, complex disease characterized by excessive fat deposits that can impair health. Excessive body weight increases the risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, fatty liver disease, certain types of cancers and impairs immunity. About 25% Indians are overweight or obese. (BMI >23 kg/m2) highlighting the need for sustainable weight management strategies. 

Nutrition is the cornerstone of weight management. One of the most powerful strategies for sustainable weight management and to break the weight regain loop is consuming foods rich in protein and fiber. Let’s dive deep how this duo can help you to knock off the excess weight (fat) and keep it away forever.

PROTEIN: Beyond muscle building – 

Since the dawn of the century, humans have been researching and coming up with solutions to manage weight. We have gone to both extremes of low carb and low fat, but the solution has never been concrete. There has been one significant criterion which remains unchanged, which is evidence-based research about how protein helps in weight loss.

Proteins help with weight management primarily by lowering body weight through satiety, increasing energy expenditure, improving body composition by increasing the percentage of fat-free mass. Protein also supports weight management through secondary mechanisms such as increasing hunger-inhibiting hormone levels, promoting diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), and advanced ketone body levels.

1. Protein and satiety  

 A high protein diet leads to satiety by various pathways which results in keeping the individual full for longer and a lower the chances of overeating. Hormones that play a crucial role in satiety management are ghrelin & leptin. Ghrelin helps in increase the hunger sensation & leptin helps decrease them. (1,2) 

2. Regulates Hormones 

Hormones are game changers when it comes to determining when or how to eat, and what time to stop eating. Making meals rich in Protein up to 20-25% can lead to an increase in the hormones that in turn regulate satiety. This induces an automatic decrease in the hunger hormone, resulting in greater satiety. (3,4) 

3. Sustainable weight management  

Eating a high-protein diet can cause weight loss, even without calorie counting, portion control or carb restriction.  Even a humble increase in protein intake can help prevent weight regain. Many studies provide proof that just increasing protein content can unconsciously help one lose weight which is a good practice instead of cutting carbohydrates, fats or calories. (1,5,6) 

4. Thermic effect  

Thermic effect describes the amount of energy spent in digesting and metabolizing food. Proteins have a greater percentage (20-30%) of thermic effect than carbohydrates and fats. Consequently, more calories are expended. Clearly a protein rich diet outshines a low protein diet in terms of metabolism. (1,6,7) 

Protein can have a powerful effect on both cravings and the desire to snack at night. 

A person following a diet plan, or restricting calories falls victim to cravings or temptations. Evidence suggests that eating night snacking can make a person gain weight as they are most likely to be loaded with sugar or empty calories. Having a high protein diet tends to reduce the craving for snacks and hence helps you manage weight or stay on track. A group of overweight men were divided into two and given Normal Protein diet and High Protein diet. In this study, protein at 25% of calories reduced cravings by 60% and cut the desire for late-night snacking by half! (1, 8)

FIBER: Beyond Gut health

Reduces Hunger & promote Satiety – regulates food intake.

Fiber increases feelings of fullness and lowers the number of calories ingested. This leads to an overall reduction in energy intake which prevents obesity development. (10)

More Chewing time: 

Fiber-rich foods require more chewing time than normal foods. This requirement for chewing not only slows down the rate of food consumption but also initiates feelings of satiety by stimulating the release of gut hormones, such as cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1). (9)

Water-absorbing capacity: 

Soluble fibers found in whole grains like oats, barley, fruits and vegetables absorb more water and create a viscous gel which increases stomach distention. This further slows down gastric emptying and creates a feeling of satisfaction. Thus, reducing overall food intake without suppressing your appetite. (9,10)

Low Energy Density:

Energy density refers to the number of calories in a given weight of food. Fiber-rich foods are low in energy density due to their high water & fiber content. This adds to the volume helping to fill your stomach and inducing early satiety, further making it easier to create a calorie deficit.(11)

The Dynamic Duo of Protein and Fiber

Combining protein and fiber in your meals creates a powerful synergy that maximizes satiety and minimizes overeating. Think of meals like a hearty salad with grilled tofu, a bowl of quinoa with black beans, or a snack of apple slices with almond butter. These combinations not only taste great but also keep you full and energized.

Incorporating protein and fiber into your diet is a simple yet effective strategy for weight management. By understanding and leveraging their benefits, you can make smarter food choices, enjoy your meals more, and stay on track with your health goals. So, power up with protein and fiber, and let these nutritional superheroes lead you to a healthier, happier you!

What ICMR has to say about weight loss?

Consuming higher amounts of protein (15%) is important during typical energy-deficient weight loss to preserve muscle mass.

Additionally, weight loss diets should also be nutrient rich and nutritionally balanced. Foods containing high sugar/salt/fat/ refined cereals such as sweets, biscuits, cakes, candies, fruit juices or cool drinks (carbonated beverages) provide high calories and nil or low nutrients and hence should be avoided. Adequate intake of micronutrients and fibre-rich foods such as pulses, nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, whole grains including millets, vegetables and fruits improves satiety and helps to maintain levels of blood glucose, insulin, cholesterol as well as triglycerides. Pulses, nuts and moderate quantity of lean meat will also help maintain weight and health. Consumption of plenty of fruits and vegetables would not only result in satiety but also help maintain adequate fibre and micronutrient intake. Additionally, ICMR advises avoiding non-caloric & artificial sweeteners, since studies have indicated that their long term consumption could lead to overweight/obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs). Thus, reducing added sugars to less than 5% of total calories and choosing traditional sweets & snacks made with whole grains, millets, nuts & oilseeds with relatively lower fat & sugar.

References:

1. Edda Cava, Nai Chien Yeat, Bettina Mittendorfer, Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2017, Pages 511–519
2. Njike, V. Y., Smith, T. M., Shuval, O., Shuval, K., Edshteyn, I., Kalantari, V., & Yaroch, A. L. (2016). Snack Food, Satiety, and Weight. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 7(5), 866–878. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.009340  
3. Leidy, H. J., Clifton, P. M., Astrup, A., Wycherley, T. P., Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., Woods, S. C., & Mattes, R. D. (2015). The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 101(6), 1320S–1329S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.084038 
4. Institute of Medicine (US) Subcommittee on Military Weight Management. Weight Management: State of the Science and Opportunities for Military Programs. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. 4, Weight-Loss and Maintenance Strategies.  
5. Pesta, D.H., Samuel, V.T. A high-protein diet for reducing body fat: mechanisms and possible caveats. Nutr Metab (Lond) 11, 53 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-11-53 
6. Moon, J., & Koh, G. (2020). Clinical Evidence and Mechanisms of High-Protein Diet-Induced Weight Loss. Journal of obesity & metabolic syndrome, 29(3), 166–173. https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes20028 
7. Martens EA, Lemmens SG, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Protein leverage affects energy intake of high-protein diets in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97:86–93.
8. Leidy HJ, Tang M, Armstrong CL, Martin CB, Campbell WW. The effects of consuming frequent, higher protein meals on appetite and satiety during weight loss in overweight/obese men. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011 Apr;19(4):818-24. doi: 10.1038/oby.2010.203. Epub 2010 Sep 16. PMID: 20847729; PMCID: PMC4564867 
9. Waddell, I. S., & Orfila, C. (2022). Dietary fiber in the prevention of obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases: From epidemiological evidence to potential molecular mechanisms. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 63(27), 8752–8767. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2061909 
10. Ruheea Taskin, Ruhee & Suzuki, Katsuhiko. (2018). Dietary Fiber and its Effect on Obesity: A Review Article. 10.12715/amr.2018.1.2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330872321_Dietary_Fiber_and_its_Effect_on_Obesity_A_Review_Article  
11. Ello-Martin JA, Roe LS, Ledikwe JH, Beach AM, Rolls BJ. Dietary energy density in the treatment of obesity: a year-long trial comparing 2 weight-loss diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1465-77. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/85.6.1465. PMID: 17556681; PMCID: PMC2018610. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2018610/