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Patti Dollarhide
Patti Dollarhide a dietitian and Director of Nutrition Services at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, has worked in healthcare for the past 20 years. She was raised on a Kansas farm enjoying a bounty of fresh foods and is currently working to help people uncomplicate the maze of nutrition information to promote health and wellness. She is a member of the Society for Healthcare Food Service Management and has been recognized by the industry for her leadership and innovation in implementing new programs. She can be contacted by e-mail at www.patti_dollarhide@via-christi.org
Diet & Nutrition
2002-09-01 11:12:00
What are fat blockers?
:  What are fat blockers?  Do they work? 
Patti Dollarhide Question:  What are fat blockers?  Do they work? Answer:  Fat magnets, fat blockers…this tiny pill flunks out if you are looking for a guilt-free way to eat high fat foods.There are several products on the market that claim to help you turn french fries into a baked potato.   They do not reduce your appetite, but work by targeting your digestive system.  Dietary fat has to be broken down by enzymes before it can be absorbed.  When taken after a meal, fat blockers claim to change the activity of these enzymes, which blocks up to one-third of the fat from going into the bloodstream.  The results of a study at the University of California, Davis were recently reported in Shape magazine.  "There was no difference in the amount of fat excreted by seven men before and after they took chitosan-a weight-loss supplement made from shellfish-even though the product claims stated it could block the absorption of up to 120 grams of fat a day."  There are a variety of fat blockers to choose from with only Orlistat (Xenical®) that is prescription and approved by the Food and Drug Administration.For conversation's sake, let's say the reputable ones do block some fat absorption.  What are the pros and cons?  One-third of the fat calories of a 2000-calorie diet, based on 30% fat intake, is 200 calories.  2000 calories may be less than you currently consume, but remember the drug's product insert states  "This medicine works best if you follow a reduced-calorie diet and exercise regularly."   If you take the $1.25 pill each time you eat, you may reduce your calorie intake by 200 per day (about half of a muffin).  Side effects of the medication may include:-Increased number of bowel movements -Feeling like you need to have a bowel movement right away -Oil or fat in your bowel movements -Having more bowel movements than normal -Passing gas with your bowel movements -Passing oil from your rectum -Being unable to control bowel movementsYou decide if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.Is too much fat in our diets really the problem at all?  Studies have shown that when we are given two meals, one "rich in fat" as compared to "reduced-fat," we actually eat less calories eating the meal believed to be "rich in fat."  We tend to indulge ourselves and have second and even third helpings when we think we are eating "healthy".  The Department of Agriculture says Americans have reduced their fat intake from 43% to 33% over the last 25 years and are fatter than ever.  The thirty billion dollar a year fat-free industry has often replaced the fat in their products with more sugar.  Unfortunately, their clever multi-million dollar marketing strategies have convinced many of us that fat-free is calorie-free and as a result we are consuming more food.  Let's not finger point though, we liked the "eat all you can-it's fat-free" message and chose to fall for it.  It sounded so easy……So how do you lose weight and keep it off? First, we must understand the concept of diet.  Diet comes from the Greek work "dieta," which means "way of life."  With obesity, diet is a method of finding a new way of living, concentrating on feeling better and decreasing health problems that come from being overweight.  Simply, calories are calories and there is no one set plan that works for everyone.  The key to weight loss is to create a gap between the calories eaten and the calories burned through physical activity.  If you want to lose weight, you can choose to eat less, exercise more, or both.  What can you realistically tolerate?  Wanting to lose weight has to be balanced against the cost, and for some the cost is extreme.  Can you commit to a new "way of life" that includes making changes to your everyday routine instead of continuing the search for the magic pill?
 
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