Fast diets better than slow ones

Customer succession with fast diets easier to reach

17/10/2014

Fast diets, which massively lose weight within a few weeks, have been regarded as rather critical, since it was assumed that those willing to lose weight would hardly be able to maintain their weight afterwards. But a recent study by scientists at the University of Melbourne shows that fast diets do not fare worse than slow diet programs. Their results have the researchers in the trade magazine „The Lancet“ released.

So far, the guidelines for the treatment of obesity generally recommend „a gradual weight reduction, which is due to the widespread belief that quickly lost weight is recovered faster“, The Australian research team writes to study director Joseph Proietto from the University of Melbourne Medical Institute. However, the current investigation of the customer success in fast and slow diets have now revealed that the reduced weight can not be better with slow diets. In addition, with fast diets the target weight can be reached more reliably.

200 overweight people go through fast or slow diets
The study included 204 overweight adults with a body mass index of 30 to 45. The subjects were „either a 12-week rapid weight loss program (average weight loss 1.5 kg per week) with a very low calorie diet (450 to 800 calories per day) or a 36-week gradual weight loss program (average weight loss 0) at random , 5 kg per week) based on current nutritional recommendations“ assigned, write Proietto and colleagues. The goal was a weight loss of 15 percent. In the second phase of study, the researchers observed the development of body weight in the following 144 weeks. About half of the volunteers in the slow diet group achieved a weight loss of 12.5 percent, according to the researchers, whereas in the fast diets, 81 percent of the study participants achieve this goal. Both the slow diets and the fast weight loss programs, however, have subsequently been followed by a renewed increase. After completion of the second study phase, about 71 percent of the participants would have regained their original weight in both groups, the Australian researchers write.

Fast diets are more likely to succeed
Co-author of the study and dietitian Katrina Purcell said the analysis clearly showed, „that an overweight person is more likely to achieve the weight loss goal and less likely to fall out of their weight loss program when losing weight is done quickly.“ Accordingly, fast diets offer significant benefits over slow weight loss programs. However, there was no significant difference in the recovery. Study results will influence the worldwide treatment guidelines for obesity, Purcell continued. The researchers see several possible reasons for the positive performance of fast diets. For example, the greatly reduced intake of carbohydrates in the very low-calorie diet can generally promote satiety and favor a reduced food intake, as the diet in the body increasingly called ketones are formed, which suppress the feeling of hunger. Furthermore, the rapid weight loss seems to motivate participants more to stick to the diet.

Simple diet program easier to follow
In a commentary to the current study, Corby Martin and Kishore Gadde of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Los Angeles (USA) provide another possible explanation for the success of fast diets. These are simply easier to follow, because the diet programs are relatively simple knit here. Over a longer period of time to completely change the diet and to maintain a rather complex diet program, many willing to lose weight, however, seem to cause particular difficulties. Considering the current study results, it is important to consider a complete conversion of the obesity treatment guideline, although it must be kept in mind that fast diets may be a burden on the body and therefore not suitable for all patients. It is also advisable to monitor the diet by doctors or nutritionists. (Fp)