There are many myths as to how weight loss is achieved and what happens to fat when we lose it. In a recent study, Ruben Meerman and Professor Andrew J Brown surprised many with their findings on weight loss. In a paper published on BMJ, they revealed the lungs are the primary excretory organ for fat. Fat is made up of the compound C55H104O6 – that is; part carbon, part hydrogen and part oxygen. The researchers found when people lose weight, they lose atoms. The report claimed 84 per cent of fat is exhaled as CO2 and the remaining 16 per cent is excreted as H2O. The water formed may be excreted in the urine, faeces, sweat, breath, tears or other bodily fluids. This is because losing weight requires unlocking the carbon stored in the fat cells, thus reinforcing that often heard phrase ‘eat less, move more’.
Statistics show obesity and other weight issues are widespread across the globe. Moreover, there are a large number of health professionals advising the public with incorrect information on how to lose weight. Various diets also offer multiple ways of weight management and loss, but many fail to explain the fundamentals. Other misconceptions were that the metabolites of fat are excreted in faeces or converted to muscle. As the below infographic shows, this is not the case. For locals living in the Illawarra, there are a number of gyms readily available to join. Overall, the simplest method of losing weight is to eat well, exercise regularly and keep breathing!
