Avoid extreme, harmful diets, weight experts sayWORLD OBESITY DAY: Proper diet, regular exercise and treatment by medical professionals are the three essential components of a healthy weight loss regimenBy Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNAA study conducted last year showed that more than 40 percent of Taiwanese who tried to lose weight resorted to “extreme diets” and other regimens that were harmful to health, a medical group said on World Obesity Day yesterday. Photo: Lo Bi, Taipei TimesMore than 90 percent of those who were overweight or obese in the study tried to rein in their weight through diet or exercise, the association said. However, 40 percent of them tried to lose weight through ill-advised diets, such as total abstention from carbohydrates or eating small-portion snacks in lieu of meals, it said. The study also showed that only 20 percent of those trying to lose weight sought professional advice, Lin said. The theme for this year’s World Obesity Day is “8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity,” Shen said, calling on the society to directly confront the issue of obesity.

Source: Taipei Times March 04, 2026 17:15 UTC