The coronavirus pandemic has led to a series of lifestyle changes in our society, and while some have been positive, others not so much. This is reflected in two studies. According to a health study published in the Revista Española de Nutrición Comunitaria, which focused on food consumption during lockdown, our eating habits have improved. However, due to the decrease in sports participation and much-needed physical activity, the Ipsos report on the impact of COVID-19 on people’s overall health highlights an average weight gain of 5.7 kg in 38% of the Spanish population during this same period. Now, part of the population is seeking to lose the extra weight gained—without taking macronutrients into account.
However, whether due to lack of knowledge or following recommendations without scientific evidence, many people use very aggressive methods and strategies to lose weight. As a result, they not only lose a large amount of weight at the expense of body fat, but also muscle mass, compromising their health and ensuring the infamous rebound effect. So, how can we lose those extra pounds while maintaining a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle? And what role do macronutrients, nutrigenomics, and genetics play in weight management?
Losing weight without harming our health and well-being
You may have heard of different types of diets, such as the blood type diet, the Atkins diet, the Dukan diet, or the cabbage soup diet. These are what we call “fad diets” or “miracle diets.” But what are they, and how can we identify them? They are diets that achieve rapid weight loss at the expense of your health, lack scientific foundation, contradict expert consensus on obesity, and carry a potential risk of harm associated with following them.
When we aim to lose weight in a healthy way, it is important to stay away from counterproductive and harmful methods for rapid weight loss, such as miracle diets. Instead, we should look for more gradual strategies, as these not only help us lose weight, but also maintain it over time and prevent regain—while preserving vitality and overall health. This is achieved through a change in habits, including dietary habits, ensuring a daily calorie intake that is lower than our total energy expenditure.
Caloric deficit and macronutrients
To create this caloric deficit, we must control both the quantity and quality of the daily macronutrients we consume, since these nutrients provide energy to the body. There are three types of macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Protein intake should always be maintained during weight-loss processes, as it helps preserve muscle mass. This means we need to control carbohydrate and/or fat intake—but which one should we prioritize?
Despite implementing appropriate energy restriction, some people either fail to lose weight or do so much more slowly than others. This is partly due to our genetics.
Nutrigenomics: nutrition based on your genes
Macronutrients such as carbohydrates and fats are capable of regulating gene expression and can therefore affect our bodies in different ways, prioritizing certain metabolic pathways over others depending on the amount of macronutrients consumed. Their effect on genes is mediated by a group of proteins known as transcription factors which, depending on how they are stimulated, influence the activity of specific genes.
Carbohydrates regulate transcription factors such as ChREBP (carbohydrate response element binding protein), which stimulate genes involved in glucose utilization and fat storage. On the other hand, fats can bind to transcription factors such as PPARs (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors), which regulate genes involved in fat catabolism or synthesis, among other functions.
The optimal macronutrient ratio for you depends on your DNA
Genetic variants in genes related to transcription factors or proteins that regulate nutrient metabolism can influence how we process these nutrients and, consequently, how they impact our health. For this reason, when aiming for effective and healthy weight loss, these variants can determine which nutrient may be more beneficial to control in order to achieve better outcomes or a more favorable weight-loss response.
Therefore, understanding the information contained in our genes through a DNA test or genetic study (or even a nutrigenetic test) can provide key insights to manage weight in a sustainable and beneficial way—allowing us to design personalized nutrition and personalized health recommendations.
Nevertheless, it is always necessary to maintain a comprehensive view of each person’s health status, including factors such as blood test results, medications that may affect weight loss, social circumstances, current health and well-being habits, occupation, and daily physical activity levels, among others. Ignoring these factors may lead to failure when developing any individualized health plan or dietary intervention.
And remember!
- Our individual DNA affects how we lose weight and which healthy habits we should follow.
- Miracle diets pose a risk to our overall health.
- We must take a holistic view of each person and their lifestyle to ensure effective and sustainable habit change for weight loss.
