How can you avoid overweight in winter?

Winter always seems to leave some extra kilos in your body because the food consumed during that season are: potato, sweet potato, pasta sauces, vegetables, meats, breads and sweets, among others. These are high-calorie foods and eat in order to increase body temperature.

The desire to eat this type of food for the body to go into heat, coupled with the need to taste something sweet to improve mood, lack of physical activity and the feeling of lack of energy are to blame for those extra kilos regret that the time to get swimsuit in summer.

“The neurotransmitter serotonin is their lowest values ​​in winter-is responsible, among other things, our moods. Here’s how we instinctively seek foods loaded with carbohydrates and sugars, which generally also contain fat, to feel better, “said Magdalena Ramos Mejía, nutrition degree in interdisciplinary medical team Diagnostic and Therapeutic Gastroenterology (Gedyt).

In our country, more than half of the population is overweight or obese. 53.4% ​​overweight and obesity represents 18% which places us at number 13 in the world ranking.

On average during the winter, a patient at your ideal weight goes up two or three kilos, an increase that is considered acceptable. “In obese this increase is much higher nutritional struggle is historic in this population. The important thing is to treat each case personally and individually, “said Dr. Luis Caro, medical director and chief of gastroenterology Gedyt Alexander Fleming Institute.

For those who have lost a battle that seems against others kilos, there are several techniques that seek to counter this, such as bariatric surgery (bypass, gastric band and sleeve) and, on the other hand, pharmacological, nutritional and endoscopic treatments not require surgery. Each has certain indications.

Endoscopic treatment as the intragastric balloon offers a less risky and invasive alternative for patients wishing approved down between 10 and 30 kilos above their ideal weight and morbidly obese people who need a first instance of rapid weight loss before having surgery.

During the 6 months that this treatment is extended, it can be significantly lowered weight, having built a definite change in your eating habits that necessarily lead to a healthier life.

Caro said it is imperative the need to work together with different specialties: psychology, nutrition, gastroenterology and performing physical activity. “The psychotherapeutic shoring is very helpful to the strength work, not only during the stage in which the patient has the intragastric balloon but after removal of the same.”