Very low calorie diet (VLCD)

Extreme energy-restricted diets provide fewer than 800 calories per day, and starvation or fasting diets provide fewer than 200 calories per day. These diets are frequently involved as a part of religious or protest regimen or in a personal effort to lose weight. Under these circumstances it is seldom continued long enough to produce the serious neurologic, hormonal, and other side effects that accompany prolonged starvation. 

Obesity and overweight

Obesity and overweight are a result of an imbalance between food consumed and physical activity. Nowadays calories consumption of adults has increased, but there are no changes in physical activity. Obesity is a complex issue related to lifestyle, environment, and genes. Overweight adolescents often become obese adults. Obese adults are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, certain cancers, infertility. 

Body weight regulation

Total calories are more important than any single macronutrient. 

Body weight components

Body weight is the sum of bone, muscle, organs, body fluids, and adipose tissue. All of these components are subject to normal change as a reflection of growth, reproductive status, variation in exercise levels, and effects of aging. Maintaining a constant body weight is a complex system of neural, hormonal and chemical mechanisms that keeps the balance between energy intake and energy expenditure within fairly precise limits. Abnormalities of these mechanisms result is weight fluctuations and the most common are overweight and obesity. The inability to gain weight can also be a problem. In the elderly or in children unintentional weight loss can be especially detrimental and should be assessed and treated early to prevent malnutrition.

Use of a dietary supplements

Popular interest in the use of dietary supplements for health applications is widespread in the United States. Health care professionals should be aware that, although nutrient supplementation is generally recommended to enhance the relative adequacy of the diet or to meet increased requirements associated with illness or disease, the therapeutic action of many botanical products is similar to that of drugs, so the potential for harmful interactions exists. 

Sodium

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor. In some people, sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body, creating an added burden on the heart. Too much sodium in the diet may also have other harmful health effects, including increased risk for stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease. 

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