RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Why diets fail: a hypothesis for discussion
JF Postgraduate Medical Journal
JO Postgrad Med J
FD The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine
SP 360
OP 363
DO 10.1136/postgradmedj-2016-134447
VO 93
IS 1100
A1 Welsby, Philip D
YR 2017
UL http://pmj.bmj.com/content/93/1100/360.abstract
AB Weight regulation depends on the difference between weights of absorbed and metabolised carbon and excretion of the end products of metabolism, calories and carbon dioxide, which can be independently and variably excreted. Calories can be variably excreted as heat by vasoconstriction or vasodilation and carbon dioxide can be excreted variably as exhaled carbon dioxide (the major route of carbon excretion). Unless there are changes in ventilatory carbon excretion, ‘metabolism,’ ‘genetic factors,’ ‘hormones’ or ‘exercise’ do not provide complete explanatory mechanisms for weight changes, obesity and failure of diets. Low sensitivity of respiratory centres to carbon dioxide may cause overweight and dietary failures after initial weight loss.