Muniyapillai Tamilarasan, George Neethu, Dharmaraj Rock Britto, Parthasarathi Akaash, Panneerselvan Naveen, Thirumalraj Aravindhan, Jeganish A, Kulothungan Karthikeyan
Community Medicine, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, Siruvachur, IND.
Emergency Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Dec 30;16(12):e76647. doi: 10.7759/cureus.76647. eCollection 2024 Dec.
Background The escalating global obesity epidemic requires comprehensive investigations for effective weight management strategies. Understanding the patterns, barriers, and facilitators of dietary interventions is crucial for developing effective weight management protocols. This research aims to assess dietary modification interventions among weight loss subjects in Tamilnadu, South India. Specific objectives included evaluating various weight loss interventions, analyzing dietary patterns adopted by subjects, and examining characteristics, barriers, and facilitators associated with specific dietary modification approaches. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 432 participants from Tamilnadu, South India. The research employed a comprehensive data collection approach, gathering information on demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, dietary modification patterns, and intervention outcomes. Participants were categorized based on their chosen dietary interventions, particularly distinguishing between intermittent fasting and alternative dietary approaches. The study systematically evaluated various parameters, including regular adherence, physiological effects, psychological impacts, and barriers to maintenance. Statistical analysis utilized chi-square and Fischer's exact tests for categorical variables, while independent t-tests were employed for continuous variables. Results This study encompassed 432 participants, with demographically diverse participants characterized by a predominance of urban residents (295, 68.3%), highly educated individuals (383, 88.6%), and students (190, 44%). The mean age was 27.93 years, with a mean body mass index of 25.21 kg/m. Regarding dietary intervention objectives, the study revealed that 289 (66.9%) were not engaged in any healthcare intervention, while 102 (23.6%) pursued intermittent fasting and 41 (9.5%) adopted alternative dietary strategies such as Paleo and ketogenic diets. Among participants implementing dietary modifications, the mean intervention duration was 5.21 months, ranging from half a month to 60 months. Intermittent fasting participants exhibited statistically significant characteristics, including a younger mean age (27.09 years) compared with alternative diet groups (37.37 years). Notably, 73 (71.6%) reported significant weight loss, with 69 (67.6%) experiencing weight regain during non-adherence. Psychological and physiological benefits were prominently observed, with 73 (71.6%) reporting mood improvements, 71 (69.6%) experiencing enhanced concentration, and 72 (70.6%) noting improved bowel habits. Barriers to dietary modifications included timing challenges (50, 49%), family mealtime conflicts (43, 42.2%), and work schedule interruptions (39, 38.2%). Conclusion The research provides comprehensive insights into dietary modification patterns among young Indian adults, highlighting intermittent fasting's potential as an effective weight management strategy. The findings underscore the complex interplay between dietary choices, individual characteristics, and holistic health outcomes. While demonstrating promising weight loss and cognitive benefits, the study emphasizes the necessity of personalized, context-sensitive nutritional interventions. These insights contribute significantly to understanding dietary modification dynamics and inform the development of more effective, tailored weight management strategies.
背景 全球肥胖流行趋势不断加剧，需要进行全面调查以制定有效的体重管理策略。了解饮食干预的模式、障碍和促进因素对于制定有效的体重管理方案至关重要。本研究旨在评估印度南部泰米尔纳德邦减肥受试者的饮食调整干预措施。具体目标包括评估各种减肥干预措施，分析受试者采用的饮食模式，并研究与特定饮食调整方法相关的特征、障碍和促进因素。
方法 对来自印度南部泰米尔纳德邦的432名参与者进行了横断面研究。该研究采用了全面的数据收集方法，收集了有关人口统计学特征、人体测量数据、饮食调整模式和干预结果的信息。参与者根据他们选择的饮食干预措施进行分类，特别是区分间歇性禁食和其他饮食方法。该研究系统地评估了各种参数，包括定期依从性、生理影响、心理影响和维持障碍。统计分析对分类变量使用卡方检验和费舍尔精确检验，对连续变量使用独立t检验。
结果 本研究包括432名参与者，参与者在人口统计学上具有多样性，以城市居民为主（295人，68.3%），受过高等教育的人（383人，88.6%）和学生（190人，44%）。平均年龄为27.93岁，平均体重指数为25.21kg/m。关于饮食干预目标，研究表明，289人（66.9%）未参与任何医疗保健干预，而102人（23.6%）进行间歇性禁食，41人（9.5%）采用了古饮食和生酮饮食等其他饮食策略。在实施饮食调整的参与者中，平均干预持续时间为5.21个月，范围从半个月到60个月。间歇性禁食参与者表现出具有统计学意义的特征，包括平均年龄（27.09岁）比其他饮食组（37.37岁）更年轻。值得注意的是，73人（71.6%）报告体重显著减轻，69人（67.6%）在不依从期间体重反弹。心理和生理益处显著，73人（71.6%）报告情绪改善，71人（69.6%）注意力增强，72人（70.6%）排便习惯改善。饮食调整的障碍包括时间安排挑战（50人，49%）、家庭用餐时间冲突（43人，42.2%）和工作时间表中断（39人，38.2%）。
结论 该研究提供了关于印度年轻成年人饮食调整模式的全面见解，突出了间歇性禁食作为一种有效的体重管理策略的潜力。研究结果强调了饮食选择、个体特征和整体健康结果之间的复杂相互作用。虽然显示出有希望的减肥和认知益处，但该研究强调了个性化和因地制宜的营养干预的必要性。这些见解对理解饮食调整动态有很大贡献，并为制定更有效、量身定制的体重管理策略提供了参考。
