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Weight-loss shakes are making us fatter, Canstar Blue survey finds
– Reported October 03, 2014
ONE in five Australians say weight-loss shakes are actually making them fatter, according to a new survey.
Customer satisfaction research company Canstar Blue surveyed 750 dieting Australians who had bought weight-loss shakes and found that 21 per cent had put on weight as a result of using them.
The research also found that one in 10 had been addicted to the shakes and that only 58 per cent had successfully lost weight by using them.
Of those who lost weight, half said they put the weight back on when they stopped using the shakes.
Forty-three per cent didnt think the meal replacements worked, as opposed to 36 per cent who said they found it hard to lose weight without using them.
Sydney-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist Bill Sukala said he was not surprised that one in five thought the shakes made them fatter.
He said many Australians were already overeating, so replacing a meal with a shake put them back at square one.
The big picture is, we are still eating too much overall and were doing less exercise than we ever have before, Dr Sukala told news.com.au.
He said there was next to no evidence that the shakes helped people keep weight off long-term, and that the programs failed to address the underlying problems overweight people had.
Losing weight is only half the battle. Its keeping it off that is the challenge, Dr Sukala said.
The message is that its not about weight loss, its about fat loss and body composition change, and not being so focused on looking like an emaciated swimsuit model on the cover of a magazine.
Dr Sukala said the shakes could help kickstart weight loss, but they shouldnt be used long-term.
People need to remember that shakes are a supplement. Its not a substitute for healthy eating. Its only one piece of the puzzle.
They are not the end solution. They can give people a jump-start, but people shouldnt look at it as the holy grail. People are still overeating and not moving enough.
He said people would feel fuller for longer and would be less likely to overeat if they reduced their overall energy intake by eating more low-calorie, high-nutrient foods. Fruits, vegetables, salmon, chicken, olive oil, rice, quinoa and wholegrain pasta are a good place to start.
Its pretty hard to overdose on broccoli, celery and carrots, Dr Sukala said.
Other key findings of the survey were that being overweight was the biggest cause of stress in life for 45 per cent of respondents, while two thirds said they felt other people judged them on their appearance.
Nearly a third said they were embarrassed when buying weight-loss shakes.
Canstar Blue asked the respondents to evaluate the various shakes on the market, and ALDIs Slim and Trim range ranked the highest.
It received five-star ratings for taste, value for money and overall satisfaction, ahead of popular brands Tony Ferguson, Celebrity Slim and FatBlaster.
Consumers want to get value for money and they want great-tasting shakes. But above all else they want a product that helps them lose weight, Canstar Blue spokesman Simon Downes said.