Eating bananas and chocolate brownies, soaking your oats overnight and walking outdoors are just a few of the secrets to shedding unwanted kilos, according to Australian scientists.
Clocking up an impressive 10 years since first launching, the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet online, the nation’s leading science and research group, has helped a whopping 1.2 million Australians lose a combined total of 558,000kg – the equivalent weight of about 46 double decker buses.
Having tracked the weight loss of members who completed the 12-week program over the past decade, the organisation boasts a 97% success rate, with most losing at least 5kg.
CSIRO research scientist Dr Gilly Hendrie says the milestone demonstrates the critical role Australian science has played in addressing the current trend in weight gain.
“The need for evidence-based, sustainable weight loss solutions has never been more important,” Dr Hendrie said.
“On average Australian adults seem to gain about five kilograms over a 20-year period, while two thirds of the population are considered overweight or obese.
“With the right support, 12 weeks is all it takes to get the ball rolling and lose a significant amount of weight, improving wellbeing and reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases related to being overweight.”
Since its digital launch 10 years ago, the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet claims to have helped 21% of members move out of the obese category, with its average weight loss reported increasing from 5.2kg to 6.3kg.
Ten years of tracking members’ diet and exercise habits also revealed some interesting insights into Australians’ preferences.
Bananas are the most eaten food by Australians looking to lose weight, with more than 900,000 consumed by members tracking their food intake with the program.
Walking outdoors is the most common exercise recorded, with members pounding the pavement for over 22 million minutes over the past 10 years.
Overnight oats, stir fries and healthy chocolate brownies marked the favourite recipes from the program.
The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet is Australia’s only weight loss program to offer a financial reward for members who complete the 12-week program.
Since its inception, the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet has refunded more than $2.7 million back to Australians.
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