Weight loss roundup

Another quick one, an Australian colleague has forwarded a series of articles from his homeland on the myths and truths of weight loss. Mostly fairly general stuff, not attacking too many of the specifics, but good general information with a few handy citations. I was particularly pleased to see it tackling high street weight loss scam products, and that all diets work initially but plateau off and become useless by 6 months to a year, even if they are strictly followed (which rarely happens because, after all, they aren't actually achieving anything anymore):

For decades, a high proportion of doctors and dietitians worked on the incorrect assumption that cutting 2100 kJ (about 500 calories) of energy intake every day would result in steady weight loss of about half a kilogram a week.

But this assumption ignores adjustments in the body that take place in response to any change in weight.

What actually happens is that the body’s composition and metabolic rate change after the initial loss of weight, and this leads to a plateau in weight loss.

Read the entire series