In an attempt to lose weight quickly, 92 percent of dieting women and 35 percent of men eat less than the recommended caloric intake for a seven-year-old, a study found. British nutrition brand Feel surveyed 2.644 British adults, 80 per cent of whom said they were trying to lose weight by May 17, when social distancing rules are likely to be relaxed in the UK.
Adults who want to lose weight eat less food than a child
The findings have exposed the prevalence of crash diets, with a significant number of calories that eat less than 1.530 / 1.649 calories per day Recommended for girls and boys.
In addition, the researchers found that 42 percent of women who diet put themselves at serious risk by consuming less than 1.200 calories a day. We recommend that health experts recommend a daily intake of 2.000 calories a day for women and 2.500 for men to maintain a healthy weight.
According to Feel, safe and sustainable weight loss is achieved with a calorie deficit between 10 and 20 percent. Excessively rapid weight loss leads to nutrient deficiencies that can trigger dizziness, fatigue, gallstones, hair loss, and loss of muscle mass.
Of those surveyed, adults ages 18 to 25 were the most likely to consume fewer calories while dieting than any other age group. But it is not news that many of us have gained a couple of kilos due to confinement. However, with the end of the restrictions in sight, many are looking to lose weight in the coming months, before the country opens up once more.
If someone wants to lose a few kilos, the most important thing is that they do it in the safest way possible. Unfortunately, our society and social media feeds are full of promotions of crash diets, which often result in some nasty side effects, as well as unsustainable, short-term weight loss. Restricting calories is a legitimate way to lose weight, however, as with everything, moderation is key, and it was surprising to find out just how much people restrict.
Image: Feel Holdings Limited
What are the most followed diets to lose weight?
As part of their survey, Feel asked dieting respondents to detail the weight loss plan they were following, and how many calories they were consuming daily, from which they calculated the average daily calorie intake for each diet or product for lose weight.
The most generous were Slimming World, Herbalife and Weight Watchers (with reported average values of 1.670, 1.308, and 1.500 calories per day, respectively). By contrast, BoomBod and Exante were the most restrictive, with users reporting an average daily intake of 876 and 979 calories, respectively.
Almost four-fifths of those surveyed said that social networks determined the diet they followed, with Instagram as the most popular source of dietary guidance, followed by Facebook and then TikTok.
In reaction to its survey findings, Feel has created a calculator where you can enter your age, gender, height and weight to find out how many calories you should consume daily to maintain or lose weight safely and sustainably.