Weight loss equals dieting? Read this definitive guide to losing weight
At a recent press conference during the National People’s Congress, the National Health Commission announced the launch of a three-year ‘Weight Management Year’ initiative. The campaign aims to encourage the public to prioritise weight management, adopt science-based eating and exercise habits, lose weight healthily, and lead healthier lives.
Everyone should take primary responsibility for their own health, but weight loss is not solely an individual matter. As our eating habits are increasingly dominated by a complex modern food system, weight loss has become a societal issue. It is not merely a change in numbers on a scale, but involves a holistic adjustment of one’s diet and lifestyle.
To address this, Foodthink has curated a selection of previous articles to help you identify the “red flags” in your daily diet that often lead to obesity, avoid the traps of pseudo-healthy foods, and establish a balanced dietary structure. Healthy living begins with eating well!
I. The Culprits Behind the Modern Obesity Crisis
The “Weight Management Guidelines (2024 Edition)” released to the public by the National Health Commission indicates that research predicts if left unchecked, the overweight and obesity rate for adults in China will reach a staggering 70.5% by 2030, with the rate for children reaching 31.8%. We often attribute obesity to unhealthy personal habits—the inability to resist cravings or the failure to get moving—but in reality, the modern obesity crisis is a systemic problem. The factors influencing weight are far more complex than we imagine.
The so-called “modern diet” means we have begun consuming increasing amounts of meat, refined grains, refined vegetable oils, and ultra-processed foods; our dietary patterns are being shaped by the food industry. Processed foods are high in fat and sugar; not only are they calorie-dense, but they are also designed to be addictive. Sugary drinks are one of the primary culprits; unlike the way we obtain endogenous sugars from whole foods, the excessive free sugars in sugary drinks cause blood glucose to spike rapidly, significantly increasing the risk of becoming overweight.
Related Reading▼
Who on earth came up with the idea of drinking Cola during the Lunar New Year?
Sugar Tax: An indulgence for soda companies or a catalyst for public health?
Bigger Fridges, Worse Diets? The food system inside the fridges of the American middle class
UN: One-third of children are malnourished; is your child affected?
II. Heavy Oil and Heavy Salt: The “Cheap Takeaway” Culture
Takeaway platforms do not produce food directly, yet they indirectly determine whether the food consumers eat is healthy. The margins for vendors are squeezed to the limit by the platforms’ low-price strategies and traffic-driven logic; ultimately, they are forced to cut costs on ingredient quality and hygiene, often using excessive salt and sugar to mask the lack of freshness in the ingredients.
Currently, the number of takeaway platform users in China has reached 535 million, with over 200 million urban residents ordering takeaways almost every day. Takeaways have evolved into a commonplace way of eating, but at the cost of exploiting riders, pressuring vendors, and compromising consumer health. In the long run, this could have an immeasurable impact on the increase in obesity and other chronic diseases among the public.
Related Reading▼
“Group Buying Meals”: Who is actually getting a good meal?
The moment they decided to stop ordering takeaways | 315 Eat Better
Film vs Reality: What is the life of a takeaway rider really like? | Food Talk Vol. 38
III. Are These “Healthy Foods” Actually Healthy?
People’s anxiety over weight management has created new business opportunities for the market. Companies create new “healthy products” to soothe consumers, but are these products truly healthier, or just a new marketing gimmick? These “healthy foods” are often endorsed by nutrition experts, and food companies are happy to fund nutritional research to peddle one-sided views and dress up processed foods in a “scientific” cloak.
This “nutritionist” viewpoint treats food as merely a “collection of nutrients,” as if a food factory could simply reduce the “bad” nutrients and add the “good” ones to make a processed product healthier than natural food. This ignores the negative impact of additives, preservatives, sugar, and fats found in processed foods. As consumers, we should not blindly accept every piece of nutritional advice; placing blind faith in nutritionism may actually create additional risks.
Related Reading▼
Is plant-based meat actually healthier?
Stop! Stop wasting your money on gimmicks; fruit and vegetable juices cannot detox your body!
Why are nutritional conclusions often contradictory?
If we want to eat well, can we still trust nutritional science?
Have nutritionists become “lackeys” for food giants? A registered dietitian’s perspective
IV. The Principles of Truly Healthy Eating
Rather than chasing a dizzying array of “healthy foods”, it is better to return to simple, natural eating principles: eat food that is as fresh, whole, and minimally processed as possible. We need to reduce our intake of ultra-processed foods and establish a diverse, plant-based dietary structure. This means combining refined and whole grains, eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, incorporating more legumes and soy products, and adding a moderate amount of nuts.
As obesity is a systemic issue, achieving a healthy diet and tackling the problem requires a fundamental transformation of our food system. Weight management is not about short-term dieting; it is about taking each meal seriously and eating well. It means seeking out alternative local food systems, eating closer to the land, and rebuilding our connection with food, the soil, and nature. This not only helps in managing weight but also prevents chronic diseases, allowing the body to return to a more natural rhythm.
Related Reading▼
What illnesses can result from a lack of vegetables and whole grains?
Which foods should we limit to prevent chronic diseases?
The Worry-Free Veggie Shop | Master Yiguo’s Small Dining Table
The closer to the land, the further from the hospital: reflections on reverse ageing at sixty
V. Delicious and Healthy Recipe Recommendations
Healthy eating can be delicious too! Grandma Kouzi, a columnist who farms and eats from her own land in Villain’s Valley, has contributed several simple and nutritious plant-based recipes. Let us enjoy wonderful flavours while losing fat and managing our weight!
Related Reading▼
How to lose fat and weight while celebrating the Lunar New Year | Grandma Kouzi’s Foodie Perspective
A Chef Hidden in the Loofah | Grandma Kouzi’s Kitchen
Su Dongpo’s preferred dish for guests was actually this quick recipe? | Kouzi’s Kitchen
If you cannot cook a bowl of bean soup, how can you talk of ‘nobility’? | Grandma Kouzi
Edited by: Maomao, Yuyang