From 1980 to today obesity has more than doubled. In the country 45,1% of the population (more men than women) is overweight.
With serious health consequences: from cardiovascular problems to diabetes, from tumors to autoimmune inflammatory diseases. There are many pathologies attributable to an excess of kilos. It goes without saying that, to prevent them, the first thing we can do is try not to get fat.
And it is precisely to help us in this difficult task that the nutritionist biologist Raffaella Cancello and the endocrinologist Cecilia Invitti, with more than thirty years of experience in the care of obese people at the Auxological Institute of the village of Milan, wrote DietaSalute, which has recently also been sold online.
In the book you explain how to maintain the ideal weight thanks to healthy menus and a correct lifestyle ...
"Yes, because the battle against rampant obesity can only be won by educating people to eat healthily, making them aware of the choices they make at the super and at the table and the extra pounds they are accumulating", says Dr. Cecilia Invitti, we met in his studio.
«If I" know "that my weight is not normal, and I am well aware of the risks I could face, it is more likely that I will decide to take action before finding myself with an exaggerated number of kilos to dispose of. Losing weight when you are obese is arguably more difficult: metabolism is slowed down (it means that the body needs fewer calories to function) and thermogenesis (i.e. the use of energy to produce heat) is altered. Two conditions that have a negative influence, especially when it is necessary to pass from the phase of loss to that of maintaining what has been achieved ».
Did reading the human genome and the subsequent development of nutrigenomics change the way we deal with obesity?
«In the last European congress dedicated to this central theme for our health it emerged the need for increasingly personalized diets, tailor-made, starting from the identification (in each patient) of some genes involved more or less directly in weight maintenance. For example, we are thinking of taking better account of the different chronotypes. We know, because several scientific studies have shown it, that people accustomed to eating late at night tend to mess with food, gorging themselves on sugar and fat. We will therefore have to take this into account when drawing up the menus ».
Can foods that have been shown to affect the expression of genes (strawberries, asparagus, turmeric) help us lose weight?
“Research is still in its infancy. Some studies show that menu changes, imposed for example by famine situations, lead to positive changes (in terms of both weight and health) that are passed on to subsequent generations. But for this to happen it is not enough to "correct" the diet for a few months, it takes years and years ».
Lately there is also a lot of talk about probiotics ...
«These beneficial enzymes, capable of arriving alive in the colon, rebalance the intestinal flora, reduce chronic inflammation and, consequently, insulin resistance which promotes weight gain and opens the doors to diabetes. In addition, they improve the mood. They are certainly useful for the general well-being of the organism. But if the question is: do they help obese people lose weight, the answer is currently nì ".
And what do you think of nutraceuticals?
«Some can be a valid support, especially in the maintenance phase. Think of green tea, which stimulates thermogenesis and fat burning, but also of bitter orange extract and capsaicin from chilli. Instead, nutraceuticals that act on the thyroid gland (such as algae, rich in iodine) or that have strong diuretic and laxative properties should be avoided. In any case, and it also applies to probiotics, our advice is to always rely on a competent person in the field of nutrition ».
HEALTH DIET PROGRAM IN 10 POINTS
- 1. Keep a food diary (it will allow you to lose twice as many pounds).
- 2. Do not skip meals (you will end up eating more the next time) and try to sit at the table at the same time all the time.
- 3. Divide a portion of food into several units: it increases the perception of quantity and the sense of satiety.
- 4. Stay away from risky nutrients: saturated, trans fat and cholesterol.
- 5. Always combine carbohydrates with a source of protein.
- 6. Do not exceed 5 g per day of salt (including that hidden in food: cold cuts, cheeses, bread).
- 7. Vary your diet (you will live longer).
- 8. Drink 1 or 2 liters of water a day. Even during meals. The dilution of gastric juices does not hinder, but facilitates digestion.
- 9. Remember that eating must be a pleasure: always sit at the table, turn off your computer and mobile phone, concentrate on what you are doing, enjoying each bite and chewing slowly.
- 10. Get regular physical activity.
THE TYPICAL DAY
Breakfast
• 1 source of carbohydrates (wholemeal bread or rusks)
• 1 source of protein (milk or yogurt, alternating them)
• 20-30 g of oil seeds
• unsweetened coffee or tea
• fruit (100-150 g)
Lunch
• 1 source of carbohydrates (wholemeal bread or pasta)
• 1 source of protein (fish, white meats, etc.) varying the choices as much as possible
• 1 side dish (alternating the colors of the plants)
• 1 fruit (100-150 g)
• extra virgin olive oil for dressing
• wine or beer in extreme moderation
The frugale price
• 1 source of carbohydrates (vegetable soup or vegetable broth with rice or pasta if you don't use potatoes)
• 1 source of protein (cheeses, cold cuts, legumes)
• 1 side dish (always alternating the colors of the plants)
• 1 fruit (100-150 g)
• extra virgin olive oil for dressing
• no alcohol (because it can disturb sleep)
