Global warming: is weight loss a solution?

Gryka, A.; Broom, J.; Rolland, C.

Abstract

The current climate change has been most likely caused by the increased greenhouse gas emissions. We have looked at the major greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), and estimated the reduction in the CO2 emissions that would occur with the theoretical global weight loss. The calculations were based on our previous weight loss study, investigating the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on body weight, body composition and resting metabolic rate of obese volunteers with type 2 diabetes. At 6 months we observed decreases in weight, fat mass, fat free mass and CO2 production. We estimated that a 10 kg weight loss of all obese and overweight people would result in a decrease of 49.560 Mt of CO2 per year, which would equal to 0.2 % of the CO2 emitted globally in 2007. This reduction could help meet the CO2 emission reduction targets and unquestionably would be of a great benefit to the global health.

Citation

GRYKA, A., BROOM, J., and ROLLAND, C. 2012. Global warming: is weight loss a solution? International journal of obesity [online], 36(3), pages 474-476. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2011.151

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 24, 2011
• Online Publication Date: Jul 26, 2011
• Publication Date: Mar 31, 2012
• Deposit Date: Sep 5, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 5, 2012
• Journal: International journal of obesity
• Print ISSN: 0307-0565
• Electronic ISSN: 1476-5497
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 474-476
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2011.151
• Keywords: Global warming; Carbon dioxide; Obesity; Weight loss
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/752