Slim down with an EU report

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 01/09/05

With the demise of the Atkins' high protein diet and renewed cynicism concerning other get-thin-quick schemes, it might be that would-be slimmers across the continent are at a loss for a miracle fat-busting solution.

Madi Sharma puts forward an unusual answer: write a report on obesity for the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

Sharma claims to have lost 12 kilos while working on the EESC plan.

Before writing a report on obesity Sharma says she was an "obese 85kg". She now weighs an "overweight 73kg", although still a little way short of her personal target of 65kg.

The former food company director says that writing the own-initiative report was a surprising and rewarding experience. "What shocked me was the sheer volume of research done on the subject," she says.

The message of her report is a simple mix of exercise and healthy eating. She says: "I lost more than 10 kilos because I stopped eating [unhealthy foods] and started to exercise."

She adds: "Today my kitchen cupboards have completely changed in appearance, the fridge is full with fresh produce and the freezer is almost empty of pre-prepared meals. There are no good and bad foods, just certain products, especially 'treats' that have to be eaten in moderation...and I just have to exercise if I want to eat those treats. These positive measures mean I have become a role model and can share the easy ways to move forward with others."

Sharma, a member of the European Commission's Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, does not believe in relying on diet alone.

She says: "We can encourage exercise and health just by encouraging people to use the stairs rather than lifts. But we have to create an environment for this - for example in some buildings the stairs are only for emergencies."

If scientists are correct, the message may be important, even as many of those seeking to lose weight turn to high-profile diets and alternatives.

Using amassed evidence from randomised control samples, the International Journal of Obesity Studies recently reported that the effects of complementary therapies such as homeopathy, acupuncture and dietary supplements, except those of certain plant-derived stimulants, are "not convincing enough to suggest effectiveness".

The study found that most treatments had an effect similar to that of a placebo.

According to Sharma, who is a British member of the EESC's employers' group, while most of the work has been done by governments and big organisations, with an emphasis on large campaigns, a focus on individuals and small social units is also needed.

"I am interested in individuals, how we can get people involved at all levels," she says.

According to Sharma, what is needed is a mix of activism and promoting best practice.

"I have asked people to spend fifteen minutes a month [promoting health]. I go and talk in schools and colleges, and we look at diet and exercising. It is not about the latest fad. I am trying to encourage best practice at a grass-roots level."

But Sharma also points to the need for the food industry and non-governmental organisations to work together.

"We have to lose the blame culture to achieve results," she says.

Sharma expects, with help from the EESC, to publish a best practice booklet for dissemination in the autumn.

Article reports on an own-initiative opinion on obesity in Europe which the European Economic and Social Committee by was due to adopt by October 2005.