1. Weight loss challenges
2. Difficulties of losing weight.
Why is Long-Term Weight Loss So Difficult to Achieve?
Editor’s note: Season 9 of the podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the intersection between body weight and health. We delve into a slew of topics, including new weight loss drugs and how to talk to kids about weight. You can listen here.
Australia is no stranger to the challenges of losing weight and keeping it off. Studies have found that long-term weight loss is incredibly difficult to achieve, with estimates suggesting that over 80% of people who lose a significant amount of weight will regain it within five years. However, the reason behind this struggle may not solely lie in a lack of willpower to make necessary lifestyle changes, such as adopting healthier eating habits, reducing calorie intake, and increasing physical activity. The truth is, our bodies are genetically programmed to hold on to fat.
The Evolutionary Purpose of Fat
In a recent episode of the podcast Chasing Life, paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman, a professor at Harvard University, shed light on why our bodies cling to fat. He explained that humans, unlike other mammals and even primates, have exceptionally high levels of fat. This is because our bodies have evolved to prioritize reproductive success, and fat plays a crucial role in this process.
Lieberman highlighted that our brains require a significant amount of energy to function, accounting for about 20% of our metabolism. Additionally, babies, who heavily rely on their brains, allocate half of their energy towards brain development. To ensure a constant supply of energy for brain function, humans evolved to store fat. This fat acted as storable energy, fueling our bodies during times of scarcity and enabling our ancestors to survive, find food, and reproduce.
“It’s like money in the bank account. And so individuals who have appropriate levels of fat did better in our evolutionary history than those who didn’t,” Lieberman explained. “And so we were selected to make sure that we always could put it on, because there were always times when we had to lose it.”
The Mismatch Between Our Evolutionary Adaptations and Modern Lifestyle
While our bodies have remained largely unchanged, our environment has drastically transformed. We no longer need to run from wild animals or embark on long journeys to find our next meal. Modern conveniences such as smartphones and food delivery services have made life easier. However, this shift has led to weight issues and obesity in many individuals, along with various related health conditions.
Lieberman refers to this phenomenon as a “mismatch disease” – a condition that arises when we live in environments to which we are poorly adapted. Our modern obesogenic environment, characterized by easy access to calorie-dense foods and sedentary lifestyles, contributes to weight gain. Losing weight in this environment becomes increasingly challenging as our bodies resist intentional weight loss due to deeply ingrained evolutionary adaptations.
“It’s because we evolved not to lose weight intentionally. And so, losing weight requires dieting, requires tricking your body and overcoming those adaptations — which your body’s going to fight you every, every inch of the way,” Lieberman explained.
Understanding Our Relationship with Fat
Lieberman emphasizes the importance of understanding our relationship with fat and dispelling common misconceptions. Here are five key takeaways:
1. Fat is Essential for Humans
Contrary to societal ideals, not all humans are meant to be stick figures. Even thin individuals possess between 15-25% body fat, which is significantly higher than most mammals. Fat is vital for fueling our energetically expensive bodies, sustaining our big brains, and supporting our reproductive processes.
2. Belly Fat and Health Issues
While fat is necessary, excess belly fat can lead to health problems. It’s essential to pay attention to the distribution of fat in your body, as excessive belly fat is a sign to take action.
3. Weight Fluctuations are Normal
Short-term fluctuations in weight are normal and often attributed to water retention. Throughout history, humans experienced cycles of storing and utilizing fat reserves depending on energy availability. Understanding this natural fluctuation can help alleviate unnecessary concerns.
4. Dieting Challenges
Blaming oneself for struggling to lose weight is counterproductive. Our bodies have not evolved to voluntarily consume less energy than we use, therefore, dieting triggers ancient starvation responses that make weight loss difficult. Dieters often experience increased cravings and a slower metabolism as the body tries to preserve energy.
5. The Importance of Exercise and Diet
Both exercise and diet play crucial roles in weight loss, but for different reasons. While dieting is more effective in terms of weight loss, exercise helps prevent weight gain or regain. Additionally, exercise offers numerous mental and physical health benefits beyond weight management.
Addressing the mismatch between our Stone Age bodies and our modern environment is vital. Engineering environments that encourage healthier choices can help overcome the challenges faced in the pursuit of weight loss.
Understanding the complexities of weight loss and the role fat plays in our bodies allows us to approach the topic with compassion, both towards ourselves and others. It’s time to reshape our understanding of weight loss and focus on overall well-being rather than conforming to unrealistic societal standards.
For further insights, listen to the full episode of Chasing Life and discover Lieberman’s perspective on the Paleo diet. Join us next week on the podcast as we delve into the world of popular new weight loss medications.
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1. “Losing weight challenges”
2. “Effective weight loss strategies”.
