Artificial weight-loss supplements largely fail because the human body is wired to conserve energy during periods of food scarcity, an obesity specialist told a major international conference in Sydney in September 2006.
Speaking at the 10th International Congress on Obesity, New Zealand physician and academic Anne-Thea McGill argued that micronutrients consumed through whole foods are more effective for weight management than those taken in synthesized form.
McGill explained that modern Western diets strip beneficial micronutrients from energy-dense processed foods, pushing the body into a state of malnutrition. In response, the body hoards fat around the upper torso, mimicking its reaction to famine conditions.
Common over-the-counter remedies, including concentrated herbal products, mineral tablets, and vitamin supplements, fail to correct the nutritional imbalances that drive obesity, she said. Some high-dose supplements carry genuine health risks: large amounts of beta carotene have been linked to elevated lung cancer risk in smokers, and vitamin E supplementation in cardiac patients has been associated with increased heart failure rates.
Ingredients such as garlic, soy, amino acids, and dietary fiber found in many weight-loss products work more effectively when consumed in their natural food forms, McGill concluded.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.