Counting calories, and even more so every day, is not the most correct approach to healthy eating, but in general, keeping track of portion sizes and trying not to overeat is good advice for each of us. And there is scientific evidence for this.
Even people who are healthy or mildly overweight may benefit from lowering calorie intake, new research suggests. For example, reducing calorie intake over two years can improve mood, sex drive, and sleep quality.
“We know that obese people with weight loss experience an overall improvement in their quality of life, but it was still not clear if similar changes would occur in normal and overweight people to a moderate extent,” says the presenter. study author Corby K. Martin of the Pennington Biomedicine Research Center in Louisiana.
“Some researchers and doctors have suggested that restricting calories in people of normal body weight can negatively affect the quality of life, – says the scientist. Reuters Health… “However, we found that calorie restriction for two years and a loss of about 10% of body weight resulted in an improved quality of life in the normal weight and moderately overweight people involved in the study.”
Scientists selected 220 men and women with a body mass index between 22 and 28. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of weight in relation to height. Readings below 25 are considered normal; a reading above 25 indicates overweight.
The researchers divided the participants into two groups. The smaller group was allowed to continue to eat as much as usual. BоThe larger group reduced their calorie intake by 25% after receiving a nutritional guide and following that diet for two years.
By the end of the study, participants in the calorie restriction group had lost an average of 7 kilograms, while members of the second group had lost less than half a kilogram.
Each participant completed a quality of life questionnaire before the start of the study, one year later, and two years later. In the first year, members of the calorie restriction group reported better sleep quality than the comparison group. In their second year, they reported improved mood, sex drive, and overall health.
People who reduce their calorie intake should balance their nutrient intake with healthy vegetables, fruits, proteins, and grains to avoid malnutrition.