Does the Paleo Diet work?
All the information in the media on diets can be confusing.
We caught up with Back In Motion Hawthorn’s resident dietitian – Yuan – to get her opinion on recent reports that the Paleo Diet can lead to rapid weight gain.
“I think that fad diets can definitely be dangerous, especially when the science behind it is poorly understood and the interpretation of it turns to something that is far from its original intention. As a dietitian, my role is more about education and deciphering the pros and cons of fad diets.
“The problem with most fad diets is sustainability. Most do not consider a person's individual needs or lifestyle and therefore may vary dramatically in success rate from one person to another.
“I think that a reduced carb diet for a pre-diabetic or diabetic is a highly-successful way to reduce insulin secretions and combat insulin resistance.
“I also believe that so long as we control the sources of the fats and total quantity of intake, a “paleo-esque” approach isn't terrible.
“However, this article paints the paleo diet as a demonic way of eating when originally it was designed to encourage people to eat less processed foods (hence the “let's adopt butter instead of margarine”) and stick to nutrient dense foods as opposed to calorie-dense but nutrient poor foods.
“That general principle is not wrong.”
Book your appointment with Yuan.
Author
Feng-Yuan Liu - Accredited dietitian - Back In Motion Hawthorn
Yuan provides a range of services at Back In Motion Hawthorn including weight management, sports nutrition, food intolerances and type 2 diabetes.
Yuan has a degree in nutrition and dietetics from Monash University as well as postgraduate qualifications in sports nutrition through Sports Dietitians Australia, completed at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
A highly-skilled dietitian, Yuan specialises in weight management and type 2 diabetes and has had many years of experience in private practices as well as in hospitals, aged care services and sports nutrition.
As a qualified Level 1 ISAK Anthropometrist, Yuan has received world-class training in skinfold testing and thus the monitoring of body composition. She has had great experience in assisting athletes with event preparation, re-fuelling, hydration and recovery, as well as assisting bodybuilders and gym enthusiasts with achieving their desired physiques.
Yuan is passionate about health and nutrition and always strives to help her clients achieve their goals.
She has sound knowledge and high skill level in both clinical and sports dietetics, and is capable of helping clients with complex health conditions as well as healthy individuals wanting to improve their nutrition and fitness.