When it comes to obesity, we are not talking about a small slice of the population. Even in a country dedicated to the Mediterranean diet, such as Italy, the problem includes 2.3% of the population, or about one million people. Obesity brings with it a large number of serious health problems, the most obvious of which is a predisposition to cardiovascular disease. Solving the problem often seems like a real mirage. An enterprise that is the prerogative of the few who manage to support extremely rigid diets and unsustainable workouts, for most. This is why it is positively surprising what science has revealed: that not a starvation diet but fewer calories saves from obesity and cardiovascular disease. The discovery is the merit of some researchers of the American Heart Association. These scholars have carried out a research on some obese subjects, of which they have published the encouraging results in the journal “Circulation”.
Not a starvation diet but fewer calories save you from obesity and cardiovascular disease
Obesity and the consequent predisposition to cardiovascular disease are problems that affect everyone, especially those over 65. This is why the study by researchers from the American Heart Association focused on this age group. The aim of the research was to detect the results of a slight caloric subtraction in the daily diet of an obese, combining it with light aerobic exercise.
The first result was that lowering caloric intake helps improve the arterial stiffness of these subjects. The second (and disconcerting) finding was that a slight decrease in calories has greater effects than a drastic cut.
Speaking of numbers, the results say a 200-calorie daily cut is better than a 600-calorie cut. The researchers found a distinctly positive impact on the health of the aorta, thanks to the combination of movement and (mild) calorie cut.
The study in detail
The research sampled 160 obese subjects, between 65 and 79 years old. The sample was then divided into three different categories. The first followed a training regimen. The second combined training with a calorie restriction of 200 calories. The third combined training with a calorie restriction of 600 calories.
After 5 months, the second group was the one with the greatest benefits in terms of distension of aortic stiffness: 21% less. The third group, although they achieved a significant decrease in body weight, did not match the data of the second in terms of cardiovascular benefits. This study is vital in giving hope to those battling obesity.
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(We remind you to carefully read the warnings regarding this article, which can be consulted WHO”)