The study showed the attitude of Russians towards their figure and excess weight

Over a third (40%) of Russians consider their figure to be bad, and 14% are extremely dissatisfied with their own appearance. The majority (64%) admit to being overweight, and every second person is already taking measures to combat it. This is evidenced by data from a joint survey conducted by Renaissance Insurance Group and the Invitro Index analytical project, the results of which were reviewed by Izvestia on March 30.

Only 45% of the respondents are satisfied with the condition of their figure: only 1.5% called themselves owners of an ideal body, one in ten considers their figure to be good, and a third is generally satisfactory. At the same time, almost two thirds (64%) of all survey participants reported that their weight had increased significantly (33%) or slightly (31%) over the past year. Of these, one in six gained more than 15 kg in weight, 14% — from 10 to 15 kg, a quarter of the respondents — 5-10 kg, and another 44% gained no more than 5 kg during the year.

The majority (81%) consider unhealthy diet to be one of the main reasons for weight gain, 80% named a sedentary lifestyle, 61% — a high level of stress, and another 45% — specific harmful foods in the diet. More than half (55%) cited hormonal disorders as the main factor, while only a quarter (28%) underwent medical tests with the intention of confirming or ruling out this cause.

Not all Russians who are overweight are trying to lose weight. Despite the fact that 64% are confronted with its presence, only half (55%) of the respondents take specific measures to lose weight. Another third is just planning to start losing weight, and one in eight (12%) is not going to change at all. Among the respondents who work on their figure, the majority (73%) choose to lose weight through dieting. The top 3 also included sports (59%) and calorie counting (34%). The respondents considered the same methods to be the most effective: 62% reported that a diet helped them, 53% noted the effectiveness of training, and 38% got results from eating with a calorie limit.

The chosen measures did not help all respondents: only 41% of respondents managed to achieve a sustainable result, another 42% reported that they had only a temporary effect followed by a rollback to a higher weight, and one in six did not notice any progress at all. Interestingly, the majority of respondents (72%) relied on personal experience when choosing ways to lose weight, 36% trusted advice from the Internet, and only a fifth (20%) of respondents sought medical advice.

"Before starting the weight loss process, it is necessary to consult with a doctor who will help determine the cause of the increase in body weight, if necessary, prescribe additional laboratory and/ or instrumental examination, which will help to make an individual weight loss plan, identify possible risks and limitations. The key to successful weight loss is to combine a balanced diet with an active lifestyle (for example, exercising or walking for at least 150 minutes a week). Physical activity (from simple walks to workouts) helps to increase calorie consumption and maintain muscle mass, which helps maintain a normal metabolic rate," said Natalia Pavlovich, an endocrinologist at Invitro.

On March 16, nutritionist Roman Pristansky told us which nutrients should not be reduced when dieting. According to him, fats are the most energy-intensive substrate of the body and perform an important structural function: they help to "patch up" blood vessels, participate in hormone production and provide the body with energy. Even with a calorie deficit, they should not be reduced below the minimum level. The optimal norm, according to him, is considered to be from 0.5 to 1 g per 1 kg of body weight per day. A similar principle applies to protein.

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