Weighing up: What's the bottom line when it comes to weight loss?

Date:
March 3, 2022
Source:
University of South Australia
Summary:
When it comes to weight loss, many of us have dabbled in the latest
diets. But whether you're cutting carbs or keeping to keto, new
research shows that diet trends can cost more than your waistline
and leave a hefty hole in your hip pocket.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
When it comes to weight loss, many of us have dabbled in the latest
diets. But whether you're cutting carbs or keeping to keto, new research
from the University of South Australia shows that diet trends can cost
more than your waistline and leave a hefty hole in your hip pocket.


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In a new study, UniSA researchers have evaluated the affordability of
popular diets, comparing them to the recommendations within the Australian Guide to Health Eating (AGHE), and the Mediterranean Diet, finding that
costs of cutting your calories can vary by up to $300 per week.

The research shows that the most cost-effective diet was modelled from
the AGHE and adapted for weight loss through calorie restriction. This
meal plan included all five core food groups and a range of affordable
staple items such as breads, pasta, and legumes, as well as lower amounts
of animal products.

The diet plans that were most expensive typically restricted multiple
food groups and included premium products such as organic produce, protein supplements, low-carbohydrate replacements, and high protein bread.

In Australia, more than 2.5 million Australians had tried a weight
loss diet.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Karen Murphy says understanding
the costs of weight loss programs is important, especially when people
are facing financial struggles and reduced access to fresh produce amid COVID-19 and current floods.



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"In Australia, around 12.5 million adults are overweight or obese. That's
two in every three adults, or 67 per cent of our adult population,"
Assoc Prof Karen Murphy says.

"Not surprisingly, interest in weight loss diets continues to rise,
yet very rarely are the associated costs of these programs reported.

"In our research, we assessed the weekly costs of seven different meal
plans and found that weekly grocery shopping of entire product units
cost between $345-$625, which is substantially higher than more than
what the average Australian spends on groceries each week.

"Understanding the costs behind the range of diets on offer is important
as the financial feasibility of sticking to these programs may be
questionable for certain people, including low-income earners.

"Additionally, there tends to be a misconception that consuming a healthy
diet made up of the five key food groups, like the AGHE, is too expensive, which it's really not." The study showed that some of the more expensive
diets absorbed up to 13 per cent of disposable income*.



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In addition to costs, UniSA PhD candidate, Ella Bracci, says nutrition
is also key to starting a new diet.

"It doesn't matter whether you chose keto or carb-free, weight loss is
always linked to calorie intake -- if you reduce the number of calories
you consume, you will lose weight," Bracci says.

"Some diets purposely restrict certain food groups -- such breads and
pasta - - to help change unhealthy habits. But it's also important to
realise that the restrictive patterns of some diets can create unhealthy relationships with food and put you at risk of nutritional deficiency
if followed without guidance from a qualified nutritionist or dietitian.

"Healthy eating principles such as those within the Australian Guide to
Healthy Eating (AGHE) and the Mediterranean Diet place an emphasis on
fresh produce and staple foods. While an incorrect perception exists that
these can cost more, eating a healthy diet doesn't need to break the bank.

"Shop for specials and mark-downs, buy in season or frozen, dried and
canned produce, choose home-brand or non-premium products where possible,
and buy in bulk where appropriate.

"Weigh up your options wisely and you can reduce your waistline without
cutting into your bottom line."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_South_Australia. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ella L. Bracci, Rachel Milte, Jennifer B. Keogh, Karen J. Murphy.

Developing and implementing a new methodology to test the
affordability of currently popular weight loss diet meal plans
and healthy eating principles. BMC Public Health, 2022; 22 (1)
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021- 12447-4 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220303112233.htm

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