Weight Loss Tips & Tricks

Obesity is known to be associated with many potentially life threatening diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. According to most scientific studies, there is an inverse linear relationship between life expectancy and body mass index (BMI). Those who are considered obese (a BMI greater than 30) can expect to live on average 6 to 7 years less than people in the normal weight range (BMI less than 25).

One study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at the impact obesity has on remaining life expectancy at 40 years of age. The study involved 3,457 individuals who were divided into three groups: normal weight (BMI < 25), overweight (BMI between 25 and 30), and obese (BMI > 30).

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According to recent evidence, diets high in fish oil may lower an individual’s body fat levels by increasing the rate of fat oxidization in the body.

One study, published in the International Journal of Obesity in 1997, looked at the effect of high doses of fish oil on total weight, body fat, and the rate of fat oxidization. The research involved six volunteers who were fed a control diet over a three week period followed by a high fish oil diet where 6 g/day of fat was replaced by 6 g/day of fish oil.

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A shortage of vitamin C is associated with high body fat levels due to a reduction in the bodies ability to burn stored fat for energy according to the findings of several recent studies.

One such study, published in the Journal of Nutrition in July 2007, looked at the levels of Vitamin C in the blood of a group of 118 middle aged individuals. The researchers found that the heavier individuals tended to have lower levels of vitamin C in the blood. The average vitamin C level of the participants with a BMI lower than 25 was 54.4umol/L compared to just 37.2umol/L for individuals with a BMI greater than 35.

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Caffeine is a stimulant that is often used by dieters because it increases thermogenesis (heat generation due to the bodies metabolism). Studies suggest that moderate caffeine intake can increase daily calorie expenditure by more than 100 calories a day.

One study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at the effect of caffeine on total energy expenditure in a group of lean and obese women. The researchers found that 100mg of caffeine increased energy output by 3 to 4% over a 150 minute period. When the caffeine was administered at two hour intervals during a 12 hour period, total energy intake was increased by 12% in the lean group and 8% in the obese group.

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The benefits of green tea on weight loss have been borne out through several scientific studies.

One such study, published in the journal Obesity in 2007 looked at the relationship between consumption of green tea extract and weight in a group of 240 Japanese women. The women were divided into two groups, a control group which received 96mg of green tea catechins a day, and a test group which received 583mg of green tea catechins a day.

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