hrp0097s7.1 | Theories of obesity development and their implications on dietary interventions | ESPE2023

Competing Paradigms of Obesity Pathogenesis

Ludwig David

Conventional treatment for obesity, founded on the First Law of Thermodynamics, assumes that all calories are alike, and that to lose weight one must ultimately β€œeat less and move more.” However, this prescription rarely succeeds over the long term. Calorie restriction elicits predictable biological responses – including increased hunger and reduced energy expenditure – that oppose ongoing weight loss. Indeed, the prevailing Energy Balance Model offers ...