How you can focus on a healthier future
Words by Nutritional Consultant and Clinical Manager Excellence at Allurion, Cynthia Bou Khalil
If having to spend their early 20s fighting a global pandemic wasn’t enough for Gen Z, they are now worrying about their weight more than any generation before them. Gen Z is facing increased dangers associated with obesity. To put this into perspective, a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021 identified that worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, and in 2016 alone more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight, of which 650 million were obese.
In a study, it was demonstrated that the younger generation is likely to be more exposed to obesity throughout their lives than previous generations, thus putting them at an increased risk for chronic health conditions such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study also concluded that in the absence of effective and timely intervention, obesity will have severe public health consequences in decades to come. Furthermore, over the last decade, a rapid increase in time spent in sedentary activities by people in their early childhood and an overall downward trend in energy-expending behaviour has been observed. This goes to show that more on-screen time and a ‘cohort effect’ towards lower physical activity are one of the leading causes of increased weight among Gen Z. As a result, they are beginning to understand the consequences of obesity on their overall well-being in adulthood and are seeking to lose the pounds.
There is an acceptance of intervention by them to bring reform to their diets and a more system-focused approach that recognize the interrelation of different influences on their diet. As I get approached by younger patients who want to lose weight, I have observed curiosity in subjects related to weight loss, such as different types of diets or even looking into alternative methods to lose weight. This interest can be seen coming from their growing worry about putting on too much weight too fast and being unable to shed those kilos as easily. However, wanting to lose weight can also be seen as a silver lining as they are becoming more aware and in control of their habits.
That being said, it must be acknowledged that with the rise of social media more people are coming forward and leading the conversation surrounding matters related to weight loss. It is good to raise awareness about the varying impacts of obesity and create a space to discuss how it can be prevented, it is vital to do it the right way. The need of the hour is to educate the younger population about the right ways to lose weight and see obesity as a threat instead of thinking that it is a simple weight problem that can be cured by jumping on fad diets and trends. Education in the right direction will also help them tackle stigma and discrimination towards obese people.
Whilst Gen Z does seem to have an unfair disadvantage over previous generations and drivers of the obesity crisis continue to charge towards them in full force, there is still hope. One of the implications about obesity among youngsters is the stimulation of a wider and more innovative set of means to help Gen Z keep a healthy weight into adulthood, such as the Allurion programme, which is a revolutionary gastric balloon that creates a feeling of fullness by taking up space in the stomach. It gives patients/clients the chance to take a ‘honeymoon from hunger’.
Being a generation that is so easily influenced, it is imperative that they know about the different approaches they can use to thrive on their weight loss journey and understand early on that the only right way to lose weight is to do it the healthy way. In my experience, I have seen a lot of patients who eat right as well as exercise regularly and are still unable to lose weight. The younger generation needs to understand that the causes of obesity are multi-dimensional and that no weight loss programme is a magic bullet. An effective programme is based on good healthcare and good science. For instance, Allurion is a proven programme that takes a holistic approach to losing weight. The patients benefit from six months of dietary support from a nutritionist to ensure lasting lifestyle changes alongside an Allurion body composition scale and Health Tracker linked to an app to follow the progress. It is an adjunct to a lifestyle support programme and represents a safe and well-tolerated treatment approach in severely obese adolescents and those entering their early 20s. Improvements in psychosocial health, physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness were maintained even at 12 months.
As Gen Z gets more fixated on the number on the scale, they need to be encouraged to make healthy choices, create a nutritious food environment, or even talk about a nourishing diet and exercising in positive ways. I strongly believe that being a positive role model is one of the best ways to encourage our adolescents’ eating habits and instil a sense of positivity towards losing weight instead of treating it like a taboo.
Allurion’s Program is the world’s first and only weight loss device that requires no surgery, endoscopy, or anaesthesia. It is a swallowable pill that expands in the stomach to around the size of a grapefruit and allows patients to lose an average of 10 to 15% after approximately 16 weeks. Allurion’s Program combines its high-tech balloon solution with a full package of support to help its patients develop good lifestyle habits that can remain with them long after their balloon has gone. Patients benefit from six months of dietary support from a nutritionist to ensure lasting lifestyle changes alongside an Allurion body composition scale, health tracker watch and mobile app.
