Recently, someone asked me: "Should a doctor never advise someone to reduce weight to decrease their risk of sleep apnea, diabetes, pressure on the joints, etc.?"
My answer: “Of course not; however, they also need to educate the patient about the risks involved with chronic food restrictions, undereating, and extreme weight loss.”
Many physicians who push weight loss leave out the potential adverse consequences that can develop as a result: bradycardia, A-fib, congestive heart failure, dangerous electrolyte imbalances, hair loss, cognitive decline, forgetfulness, sleeping problems, depression, gastroparesis ("paralysis of the stomach"--stomach empties food into the small intestine more slowly than usual), lack of menstrual cycles in women, weakened immune systems, osteoporosis, eating disorders, liver disease (hepatitis), pancreatitis, kidney failure, GERD, bloating, feeling cold, high cortisol levels (high stress), hyperlipidemia (elevated cholesterol). . . just to name a few.
Additionally, when insufficient amounts of carbohydrates are consumed due to undereating, a hormone in the brain (neuropeptide Y) remains consistently elevated.
In a person who’s never dieted to lose weight, this hormone will go down after eating.
But in an individual who goes on and off diets to lose weight—this hormone doesn't go down--and the elevated hormone increases the likelihood of binge eating.
And binge eating opens a whole can of worms; everything from vomiting, misusing laxatives to rapid weight gains, morbid obesity, and yo-yo weight cycling.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the risks involved with weight reduction diets and challenges.
A doctor must have a thorough understanding of the medical complications that can develop as a result of chronic calorie restriction--and not only advise the patient of the risks but also closely monitor them.
Everyone who goes on diets to lose weight develops disordered eating behaviors. . .and one out of four of them go on to develop full-blown eating disorders. (The undeniable link between dieting and eating disorders.)
In the US alone, someone dies every 52 minutes from eating disorder complications; primarily cardiovascular complications.
All of this information is from the culmination of physicians and certified eating disorders specialists: Philip S. Mehler, MD, FAED, CEDS; Arnold Andersen, MD, FAED, DLFAPA; Dennis Gibson, MD; Robyn L. Goldberg, RDN, CEDRD-S; to name a few.
Drs. Mehler & Andersen authored the textbook Eating Disorders: A Complete Guide to Medical Care and Complications.
Dr. Mehler, MD is also the Founder and Executive Medical Director for ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition in Denver, Colorado. He's seen firsthand what chronic dieting for weight loss has done to thousands of patients.
Dr. Gibson, MD works at the same hospital. Robyn Goldberg, RDN interviewed him on her podcast, The Eating Disorder Trap: Episode #120 "Electrolyte Complications."
The movie Dying in Plain Sight is based on the culmination of true stories rolled into one young woman’s depiction of the potential dangers of diet-wellness culture.
There is so much more to health than a number on the scale.
Emily Boller, wife, mother, artist, and author is on a mission to create expressive works of art in her lifetime; and to bring awareness to the potentially harmful traps of diet-wellness culture.
In her free time, she loves to chase sunrises, grow flowers and vegetables, and can homemade soups.