When people think about metabolism, they often picture how efficiently the body "burns calories" from the food we eat. While that idea sounds simple, metabolism is actually much more complex. Healthcare providers look at several markers to understand a person's metabolic health, including cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and abdominal obesity.1 Managing body weight can positively influence each of these markers.
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined by five key measurements:2
About one in four Canadian adults has metabolic syndrome, and it's as common in males as in females, and the likelihood of having it increases with age.3 Lack of physical activity, ethnicity, and family history of type 2 diabetes may also contribute to metabolic syndrome.2 Having metabolic syndrome is a significant issue: it can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by making your body unable to use insulin properly, and it can cause coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.2
Measuring waist circumference provides an indication of whether there is excess fat in the abdominal area. This is referred to as visceral fat, which surrounds the organs in the abdominal area, such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines.4 Losing weight can help to reduce visceral fat, which can ultimately lead to lower inflammation, less insulin resistance, and improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
It's no surprise that nutrition plays a major role in supporting weight loss to improve metabolic health. While there is no single approach that is right for everyone, the goals of nutrition therapy are to reduce weight, and improve your waist circumference, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Here are some dietary patterns with scientific evidence that can help you reach your goals.5
Calorie restriction with varying amounts of proteins and fat.
Mediterranean: High intake of extra virgin olive oil, nuts, fruit and vegetables, whole grains and pulses; moderate intake of wine, fish, and dairy; low intake of red meat.
Vegetarian: Focused on plant-based foods.
Portfolio: Plant-based with a focus on foods with approved claims for cholesterol-lowering or cardiovascular disease risk reduction (e.g., nuts, plant-based protein from soy and pulses, oats, barley, psyllium, plant sterols, extra virgin olive oil, canola oil).
Low glycemic index: Focus on more low-glycemic index foods (e.g., dietary pulses, mixed-grain breads, milk, yogurt) rather than high-glycemic index foods.
DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension): High intake of fruit, low-fat dairy, vegetables, grains, nuts, and pulses; low intake of red meat, processed meat, sweets.
Nordic: Focused on a traditional diet in Nordic countries, similar to Mediterranean, DASH and Portfolio patterns.
Partial meal replacements: Involves replacing one or two meals a day with a meal replacement product to reduce calories consumed.
Intermittent fasting: Involves alternating periods when you do not eat anything (or a very small amount) with periods when you eat according to your typical diet.
Remember that nutrition is not about "dieting," but rather about incorporating a healthy eating plan that works for you and helps to achieve and maintain your health goals. Whichever approach you take, make sure it considers your budget, cultural preferences, and meets your nutritional needs, and that it is an eating plan you can maintain over time. Get the support of a dietitian, if they are available to you through your employer or in your community.
Being active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and it can help you reach your weight and metabolic health goals. If you have overweight or obesity, even if you don't lose weight, regular physical activity can improve blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Fortunately, you don't need to run a marathon or buy an expensive gym membership to incorporate physical activity into your day-to-day life. Here is what is recommended.
Aerobic activity6
Resistance activity6,7
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)6,8
While most people recognize that physical activity contributes to good health, it is important to remember that having long periods of sitting or being sedentary has the opposite effect. Sedentary behaviour (time that we spend sitting down, laying down, or driving, for example) can worsen your metabolic health and increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, even if you meet the physical activity recommendations described earlier in this article.9
Strive to move more often. Do your best to spend no more than 8 hours per day sitting down or being inactive. If you have to sit down all day at work, be sure to get up as much as you can to break up the time that you spend in your chair or while sitting in transit. Standing and other light physical activity can improve your health, too.7
There are several medications that are approved for managing weight and weight-related health concerns to be used, along with health behaviour changes and counselling. They are considered as part of a long-term treatment strategy, rather than a "quick fix".10
Liraglutide (Saxenda®) and semaglutide (Wegovy®) are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, and tirzepatide (Zepbound®) is called a GLP1/GIP agonist. All three of these medications help to regulate appetite and increase your feeling of fullness. They are given as subcutaneous (into the fat tissue) injections. You can inject them yourself or have someone help you. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
Setmelanotide (Imcivree®) is a unique treatment for obesity in people with a rare genetic disorder. It is also given as an injection. Side effects can include darkening of the skin, injection site reactions, nausea, and vomiting.
There are two oral medications for weight management. Naltrexone/bupropion (Contrave®) is a combination medication that increases your feeling of fullness and helps to reduce cravings. This medication can cause nausea, constipation, headache, dry mouth, dizziness and diarrhea. Orlistat (Xenical®) helps to reduce the amount of fat that is absorbed in the body. Orlistat can cause loose, watery stools and flatulence, especially if too much fat is consumed while taking the medication.
If you and your doctor decide that medications are right for you, the choice of medication will depend on many factors, including how often it is taken (some are daily or multiple times a day, and some are weekly), whether you are comfortable with injections, other medications that you take that may conflict with certain medications or medical conditions, and the health benefits that you hope to achieve.10
While all of the medications are safe and effective ways to help you lose weight, they have different effects on metabolic health, but generally, can:10
If you are prescribed one of these medications for weight management, it's essential to stay on track. If you stop the medication, you will likely regain weight, so reach out to your Rexall pharmacist or doctor if you are having trouble taking it or are bothered by side effects.
Metabolic syndrome can increase your risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Ask your doctor or Rexall pharmacist for advice on steps that you can take towards improving your metabolic health through weight management.
Get a comprehensive assessment and create a personalized weight management plan. Book a free consultation to learn more.
