A viral reel by @GalattaIndiaOffl shows the renowned Bollywood actress Vidya Balan candidly sharing her lifelong struggle with weight loss and the distinction between body fat and inflammation.
"All my life, I have struggled to be thin. All my life, I have dieted like crazy, I have exercised like crazy, sometimes I would lose weight and then it would come back," says Balan, adding no matter what she did, her weight only increased.
"The more it (weight) increased, the more I would go and work out. Then, early on this year, I met a nutritional group called Amura in Chennai. They said it's just inflammation, it is not really fat… so, they put me on a diet to get rid of inflammation and it worked beautifully. Weight went like that" she explains.
The group, according to Balan, asked her to eliminate foods that were not suiting her and stop working out.
"This is the first year when I haven't worked out," she adds, endorsing the group’s treatment approach.
What is the inflammation?
Inflammation is a biological response by the body to any injury or infection. Typically, immune cells assemble on the site of damage and this causes visible signs like redness, swelling, heat and pain. There are two main types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is sudden and temporary, while chronic inflammation can go on for months or years.
Chronic inflammation can have far-reaching consequences, causing harm to the body's own tissues and systems. This prolonged inflammation can last from months to years, with fluctuating periods of improvement and worsening symptoms. Worldwide, 3 of 5 people die due to chronic inflammatory diseases like stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disorders, cancer, obesity, and diabetes.
Research highlights chronic inflammation as a key contributor to various symptoms, including persistent abdominal and chest pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, recurring fever, joint pain and stiffness, and gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, constipation, and acid reflux, as well as unexplained weight fluctuations.
But is it inflammation that is keeping you from shedding those kilograms? Let's dive deeper.
CLAIM 1: Inflammation can keep you from losing weight
FACT 1: Partially true. Inflammation can hinder weight loss, but its impact varies across individuals and depends on multiple factors
Divya Gandhi, a New Delhi-based nutritionist, agrees with Balan, noting that inflammation could hinder weight loss, however, its impact varies among individuals and depends on several complex factors.
“Inflammation can cause water retention, which makes it harder for the body to lose fat. That’s why anti-inflammatory diets are helpful for weight loss,” Gandhi told The Week. “Inflammation is also related to gut health, sleep patterns, and activity levels, making it a multifaceted issue.
Insulin resistance, she added, is a major cause of many issues, including insulin resistance, which, in turn, can lead to obesity, diabetes, PCOD, or hypothyroidism.
“It’s all connected,” said Gandhi, who owns a private clinic in Delhi.
However, the nutritionist made it clear that the relationship between inflammation and weight gain is complex.
“Inflammation can cause obesity, and obesity can further trigger inflammation. It’s a cycle, but it varies from person to person,” Gandhi said, adding that dietary habits and individual health conditions play a significant role. “You cannot generalize. Someone may eat foods that cause inflammation but still not be obese, and vice versa.”
Thus, Balan's claim about not being able to lose weight due to inflammation might be true in her case.
CLAIM 2: Cutting on inflammatory food can reduce weight in people who have chronic inflammation, even if they don't work out.
FACT 2: Partially true, but more research is needed to assess the role of exercise in controlling inflammation.
Findings from a randomized controlled trial found “that a diet-induced weight-loss intervention reduces chronic inflammation in older, obese men and women.”
However, the study concluded that it “did not find a statistically significant effect of exercise training on these inflammatory biomarkers, nor was there an interaction between weight loss and exercise training.”
“Additional studies are needed to assess the effects of different modes and intensities of exercise on inflammation,” the survey added.
This largely aligns with Balan's claim that her weight, attributed to inflammation, was primarily managed through dietary changes rather than exercise. However, the study emphasizes that there is no conclusive proof yet, as further research is needed to determine if and how exercise impacts inflammation.
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.