Lose weight and live longer: that is the simple message from a nutritional specialist who says losing weight isn't so hard if you apply a few simple methods.
There are good reasons for doing so, according to Dr Nora O'Brien, a senior lecturer in University College Cork's Department of Food Technology and Nutrition. Obesity has been shown to be a health risk factor for a wide range of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancers, arthritis and more.
"Adult-onset diabetes is increasing within our society," she says. "Eighty per cent of adult diabetics are obese." Many take medication to offset the effects of the disease, but if they lost weight many could avoid medication altogether, she believes.
O'Brien is a specialist in "nutritional toxicology", the study of how we respond to the foods we eat. This involves a detailed analysis of the content of foods, how foods are metabolised and what happens to the metabolites that are produced.
She is currently studying "phytosterols", the plant-derived substances attracting attention in products such as Flora margarine and Benecol. These sterols have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels and are promoted for their health benefits.
O'Brien studies cholesterol oxides and the impact of a variety of sterols on biochemical systems in the body. She wants to know what substances are produced when they are broken down, and how these substances interact. Some can have unexpected effects. She has early data that suggests that some sterols can influence the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
O'Brien has laboratory models for these studies which use cultured human cells from the liver, blood and intestines. "I challenge them with the substance and look to see if the cell membrane is damaged", or if there is DNA damage or interference with essential intercellular systems.
In a similar way, she can study cell protectants such as anti-oxidants. A cell is challenged with an oxygen radical and then an anti-oxidant is introduced and its performance assessed.
Her interest in obesity comes from her involvement in nutritional science at UCC. The recent North/ South food consumption survey released last spring gives her reason to be concerned.
The survey conducted by research teams on both sides of the border found that 33 per cent of adult females and 46 per cent of adult males were overweight. Overweight was classified as weighing at least 10 per cent more than desirable body weight.
Worse, it found that 16 per cent of adult females and 20 per cent of males were classed as obese, defined as being more than 20 per cent above desirable body weight.
She is against fad dieting because it doesn't usually work and does nothing to correct bad eating habits. Her advice is simple: "Sustained weight loss and maintenance of desirable body weight is best achieved by eating less, exercising more and changing problem eating behaviours."
Her simple formula isn't as attractive as the latest fad diet, but "it does work". Excess weight, O'Brien says, is put on slowly, and so it should be taken off "at the same steady pace".
She has a range of techniques that should help, including these recommendations:
Eat a wide variety of foods in moderation.
Choose fruit and vegetables and carbohydrate-rich foods such as pasta, potatoes and rice.
Eat slowly and drink plenty of water - you will feel full faster.
Use a smaller plate. It makes a small amount of food look more substantial.
Take note of times when unnecessary eating occurs - for example, when clearing leftovers or feeding young children.
Snack on low-calorie foods such as fruit or carrot sticks rather than crisps or biscuits.