The NRK program “A fat life” is about the life enjoyer Ronny Brede Aase and his attempt to find out if his lifestyle, with burger, beer and coziness, is compatible with his dream of a long and good life.
– It is time for a fat guy to make a TV program about health, writes NRK in its review of the program.
The series has struck a chord with the Norwegian people, and the first two episodes have been watched by over 900,000 people.
But experts are wrinkling their noses over some of the claims about weight loss in the program. It was Bergens Tidende who first mentioned the case, and similar criticisms have also been mentioned in Aftenposten.
– The program has something to offer in that we see that it is demanding to lose weight. By drawing attention to how demanding it is to lose weight, the program also shows that there is no connection between low overweight and low willpower. But this is absolutely most entertainment, and my big fear is that the impression left is that there is no point in thinking about physical activity and a health-promoting diet when you want to take care of your health and lose weight, says Tine Sundfør, clinical nutritionist, to Dagbladet.
This is not the first time “A Fat Life” has received criticism. Comedian Harald Eia had to apologize after he in the program defined being overweight as a type of selfishness.
Dieting has never been more enjoyable
Responds to this
There are three allegations in particular in the NRK series that Sundfør responds to:
Exercise does not help to lose weight.
If you want to lose weight, exercise is not the way to go. This is communicated by researcher Rønnaug Astri Ødegård in the third episode. She is chief physician at St. Olav’s Hospital.
“For ordinary people who are at work, have a family life and many things to do, it will be a completely meaningless way to go to reach that weight loss goal. Quite a few who train become hungrier afterwards. So that you actually eat more when you exercise. Then you do not want to lose weight “, she says, among other things.
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It does not matter to be a little overweight.
Being a little overweight does not matter, Steinar Krokstad conveys in the first episode. He is a professor of social medicine.
In the program, he points out that while more and more Norwegians become overweight and obese, they get fewer heart diseases, blood pressure goes down and we live longer. He also says that the ideal is to be in the area between normal weight and overweight.
3. Soft drinks are unfortunate for weight.
– If you are going to lose weight, it can be unfortunate to drink soft drinks. This is conveyed by doctor and author Øyvind Torp to Ronny Brede Aase in the third episode.
In the program, Torp says that the sweeteners trick the body into thinking that it is getting sugar and thus secretes insulin. This says he can put the body in “storage mode”.
DRAWER: Nutritional physiologist Trine Sundfør had wanted more nuanced journalism from NRK in the program «A fat life» Photo: Nina Hansen / DAGBLADET
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– Junk
Tine Sundfør believes that these allegations are misleading and should have been explained in more detail.
– If we take statement number one, I can agree that exercise in itself, when we look at large summary studies, has no effect on weight reduction. But what we know very well is that exercise reduces the other risk factors associated with being overweight. Increased physical activity can reduce blood pressure, blood sugar and fats in the blood regardless of weight loss. Another aspect, which is not mentioned at all in the program, is the psychological, says Sundfør.
She says that very many of her patients make dietary changes precisely because they are physically active.
Tine Sundfør
Tine Mejlbo Sundfør is a clinical nutritionist, PhD, researcher, author and communicator. Tine has researched obesity, obesity and cardiovascular disease and has her doctorate from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo. Tine has many years of experience from clinical work in hospitals and medical centers, from teaching at college and university level and as a leader.
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– Because physical activity gives a feeling of mastery. To highlight training in this way, as it is done in the program, I think gives the wrong information to the population and it is nonsense of a professional to set up training against weight reduction, says Sundfør.
Ødegård, for his part, believes that Sundfør takes her point out of context.
– Everyone knows that exercise is good for health, no one disputes that, she says, and continues:
– But when it comes to losing weight, it is eating less that is necessary to achieve effect.
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There are also few indications in the research literature that the effects of exercise make it easier to reduce food intake, says Ødegård.
– If you are obese, losing weight is the best thing you can do for your health. Then you have to find out what can motivate you to eat less, and how to manage to keep it, she says.
– But people with obesity are a very varied group that can probably be motivated by different conditions, and some certainly also by exercise. However, this large group of patients deserves that we talk properly about training for them. You get fitter, stronger and get better health, but lose very little weight. Providing the right information is the best thing for public health, and the common misconception that you have to exercise to lose weight can create unnecessary barriers for people with obesity, says the professor.
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– Has NRK slept for an hour?
Sundfør wonders if NRK has slept for an hour when the invited expert claims that it is not so dangerous to be a little overweight, since the Norwegian people have fewer cardiovascular diseases, at the same time as obesity increases.
– Have they not realized that the number of smokers has decreased from about 35 percent to less than ten percent? It is the most important risk for cardiovascular disease. It is no surprise that fewer people suffer from it, even though the weight has increased, when we have removed the most important risk factor. Something has also happened to the amount of saturated fat we eat. You can be slim on the outside, but have high cholesterol. When the population was slim, we had more smoking and more saturated fat, she says.
– Of course I am aware of the changes in public health that Sundfør points out, Krokstad answers.
– Nevertheless, the situation is such that the average Norwegian who is currently overweight, is still an exceptionally healthy person.
– Yes, it is a problem that more people have become heavier. But another problem is that one should give a bad conscience and self-image to the average Norwegian today, he says, and refers to the ever-growing fitness industry, which he believes creates an unhealthy body pressure.
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– The program may threaten the health and fitness experts a little on the power of definition. They want to keep it, and then they get a little threatened in this area, and I think that is good, he says.
Defends the soft drink
And when it comes to soft drinks, Sundfør believes that the main message should be that soft drinks with sugar increase the risk of obesity.
– If you are going to drink something else, it is healthiest to drink water. But the point is, when you want to lose weight, you may not be able to go all the way. Then choosing soft drinks is a less unhealthy alternative, and it does not increase the weight, says Sundfør.
– We see that people with high BMI drink more soft drinks, but that does not mean that soft drinks lead to increased obesity. On the contrary. Overweight people probably drink more soft drinks precisely because they struggle with obesity, she continues.
Øyvind Torp agrees that it is better to drink soft drinks than sugary soft drinks, but at the same time points out that the slimming effects of soft drinks are controversial.
– Therefore, you should preferably drink a glass of water, he says.
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Norway’s most prominent obesity expert, Jøran Hjelmesæth, shares Sundfør’s critical approach to the claims that it is better to have some extra kilos on your body.
– It is incorrect information in my opinion, says Jøran Hjelmesæth, professor at the University of Oslo, to NRK.
Siren Nymo, clinical nutritionist, believes that the focus should shift from BMI to life goals.
– BMI is not as important as fat mass and life goals for health. Life goals increase in the population and increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Life size is an indicator of fat mass between the organs in the abdomen, says Nymo to Dagbladet.
She agrees with Sundfør that training can not be excluded when you want to go down in marriage.
– The claim must be modified. Exercise can help with the desire for weight loss. What is most likely meant here is that diet is the easiest way to adjust if you want to lose weight. But it is important to point out that exercise can be an important part of this process. Strength training will, for example, increase your metabolism, due to increased muscle mass. Furthermore, physical activity is an important factor for good health in general, says Nymo.
– Do not want you to die
NRK answers
Sundfør says that she is disappointed with NRK, and misses a nuance of the allegations in the program.
– I had hoped that we would get a program that provided good and balanced information. Part of the problem is that the program should have entertainment value, then the claim about exercise and weight loss is highlighted, without going to another expert who can nuance it a bit, and highlight why exercise is still positive. There I am very disappointed with NRK, and I had expected them to do journalism and show both sides of the issues, she says.
Program manager at NRK Trøndelag, Kristian Karlsen, says that it is important to remember that the program is not a reference work or a learning program.
It is Ronny’s journey of discovery in the jungle of information and facts that exist around obesity and dieting. It is a complex topic we move into, with many theories and opinions. Ronny tries to interpret, understand and find a method that works for him. With Ronny’s project, we want to shed light on the fact that there are no simple answers, that the facts about weight reduction are complex and complicated, and with that we hope to break down some of the prejudices related to overweight and obesity, says Karlsen to Dagbladet.
Ronny Brede Aase is not surprised by the criticism.
– We have wanted to create a health program from my point of view, which shows how enormously complex and difficult obesity is. The response has been enormous, and I have received lots of feedback from people like me, who think our approach was deliciously sober, and with a focus on curiosity rather than index finger. When we know how complex this topic is, and how much commitment lies in body and health, I am not surprised that some are steep, says Ronny Brede Aase to Dagbladet.
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