Ask The Experts
Here are some commonly asked or interesting questions and expert opinions on them provided by Professor Cristal Hill, University of Southern California Assistant Professor at Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
If you had to recommend one supplement/food to a student athlete, what would it be?
One type of supplement cannot give a person the required amount of nutrients needed to meet their needs. Balanced diets are essential for acquiring adequate amounts of nutrition. For instance, if you are on a diet with only broccoli, you aren't going to get enough protein.
What are some myths when it comes to losing weight?
The myth is that losing body fat can be done over a short period. Sure, fad diets (weight-loss plans that promote quick results with unsustainable methods) like the ketogenic diet may give you fast results, but these diets are not sustainable and they never incorporate a healthy lifestyle. You simply aren't getting enough macro/micro-nutrients from FAD diets.
What body fat percentage is healthiest for people my age?
Using BMI will not provide the most accurate measurements. Lean mass to fat mass should correspond to age, muscle mass, fat mass, etc. (needs to account for everything, not just weight and height). The recommended body fat percentage is 12% but she isn't an expert in this topic. However, excess accumulation of body fat will result in formation of visceral fat. Visceral fat is dangerous because lipids from the fat will infiltrate your organs and not allow the organs to function properly. This will cause inflammation.
Can calorie restriction cause slower aging and increase life expectancy?
In Professor Hill's research using mice as test subjects, there was a discrepancy in her findings. Some mice showed slower aging, and some didn't. She attributed this to genetic variation. She tried to alter their genes to see how they would react to different diets. In the end, she concluded that one must find the diet best suitable for him/her.