There is growing evidence for the benefits of specific foods as part of a healthy weight management eating plan, including:
- Evidence in clinical and epidemiological studies show calcium intake from dairy foods assists in achieving a healthy weight. Researchers also found a greater weight loss effect with dairy products such as yoghourt than calcium supplements.1
Studies showed that children and adults with less body fat consumed higher levels of calcium and dairy products 2 3. In fact, studies showed for every 300mg increase in calcium intake there was an associated three kilogram lower body weight in adults.
- Yoghourt intake also enhances weight and fat loss when on a reduced-kilojoule diet. In a study, obese adults followed a higher-calcium, low-kilojoule diet and lost more weight and body fat than participants on a low-kilojoule diet with around a third of the calcium intake.
- Individuals who included low fat yoghourt as part of their weight loss plan lost significantly more weight than others who simply reduced kilojoules. 4 Not only did yoghourt help study participants lose more weight, they were twice as effective at maintaining lean muscle mass – this is important as you want to lose fat, not muscle. Muscles help burn kilojoules, and a diet rich in low fat dairy products, like yoghourt, can help make your weight loss efforts easier.
- Eating yoghourt helps dieters lose it where it counts – around the stomach area. The same study showed that as well as losing more body fat and weight than the non-yoghourt eaters, participants who included low fat yoghourt in their weight loss plan lost 81% more fat in the central, stomach area – important as ‘apple-shaped’ fat distribution is a greater risk to blood glucose control and heart health. 4
So, how much yoghourt should people concerned about maintaining a healthy weight eat every day? The amount of yoghourt recommended is three serves per day.
References:
- Zemel M. Dietary calcium and dairy products accelerate weight and fat loss during energy restriction in obese adults. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 75(suppl):342S-343S.
- USDA. Popular Diets: A scientific review. 2001
- Zemel M, Shi H, et al. Regulation of adiposity by dietary calcium. FASEB J 2000; 14:1132-1138.
- Zemel M, Richards J, et al. Dairy (yogurt) augments fat loss and reduces central adiposity during energy restriction in obese subjects. The University of Tennessee.37996-1920. (Presented April 2003 at the Experimental Biology conference, California, USA)
BMI – healthy weight for height range
The best way to assess your body weight relative to your height, is to calculate your body mass index, otherwise known as BMI. This might sound hard but it is actually very easy:
- First weigh yourself accurately in kilograms, for example, 65kg
- Next, measure yourself accurately in metres, for example, 1.67m
- Now, multiply your height by itself, for example 1.67 x 1.67 = 2.7889
- Finally, divide that figure into your weight to find your BMI. For example, 2.7889 divided into 65 is 23.3.
This example shows that a woman 1.67m in height and weighing 65kg would have a BMI of 23.3. Follow the same four steps explained above to calculate your own BMI. For an adult both male and female, a BMI that is:
- Below 18.5 – means you are underweight;
- Between 18.5 -24.99 – means you’re in the healthy weight range;
- Greater than 25 – means you’re in the overweight category;
- Greater than 30 – means you’re in the obese category.
For the average Australian, the healthy weight range is generally accepted as a BMI of 20 -25. The range from 20 down to 18.5 is more representative of those of Asian origin.
The table below provides healthy adult weight ranges relative to height. It is based on the BMI formula explained above (BMI = weight/height2):
|
Height (cm)
|
Healthy weight range (kg)
|
Height (cm)
|
Healthy weight range (kg)
|
|
140
|
39-49
|
173
|
59-74
|
|
142
|
40-50
|
175
|
61-76
|
|
145
|
42-52
|
178
|
63-79
|
|
148
|
44-55
|
180
|
65-81
|
|
150
|
45-56
|
183
|
66-83
|
|
152
|
46-58
|
185
|
68-85
|
|
155
|
48-60
|
188
|
71-88
|
|
158
|
50-62
|
190
|
72-90
|
|
160
|
51-64
|
193
|
74-92
|
|
162
|
52-66
|
196
|
77-96
|
|
165
|
54-68
|
198
|
78-98
|
|
168
|
56-71
|
200
|
80-100
|
|
170
|
58-72
|
|
|
As well as BMI it’s important to assess fat distribution. Fat that is positioned around your middle, often known as “apple-shaped”, poses a higher risk to health than fat carried around the hips or of being a pear shape.
To assess your abdominal fat, take your waist measurement at its narrowest point. A score of 94 or more centimetres in men and 80 or more centimetres in women poses a health risk. A score of 102 or more centimetres in men and 88 or more centimetres in women substantially increases the health risk, regardless of your BMI score.
Unfortunately there is no allowance made for age. Just because we get older it doesn’t mean we should get fatter or heavier!
