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Warning!
Under no circumstances should anyone follow a very low calorie diet
without medical supervision.
Very Low Calorie Diets
Any diet with an intake of
about 800 calories per day is a very low calorie diet. Such a diet should
only be followed for a relatively short term (3-6 months) and only
under medical supervision. Medical supervision is essential for several
reasons: (a) To ensure only suitable candidates follow the diet; (b) To
ensure adequate nutrition; (c) To monitor progress.
Who can benefit from a very
low calorie diet
People suffering from moderate
to severe obesity who are at risk from additional weight-related illness.
This does not include children, adolescents, pregnant or breast-feeding
women, for whom very low calorie diets are not appropriate unless part
of a specialized treatment program.
Does a low calorie diet
work
As indicated, this diet is designed only for obese individuals under medical
supervision. Under these conditions, it typically produces significant
short-term weight loss amounting to 3 to 5 pounds per week, or about 44
pounds over 12 weeks. This can improve obesity-related conditions, including
diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. If combined with
behavioral therapy and exercise, such a diet may also retard weight regain.
Drawbacks
In the early stages of a very low calorie diet (up to 16 weeks), dieters
may experience a few minor side effects such as fatigue, constipation,
nausea, and diarrhea, but these side effects usually improve or disappear
entirely within a few weeks. However, there are other more serious side
effects with this sort of rapid weight loss regimen, including the development
of gallstones.
Verdict
Anyone suffering from moderate to severe obesity is at an increased risk
of developing serious disease. Therefore, any medically supervised diet,
even if very low in calories, is capable of producing significant benefits
for the individual sufferer. However, statistics suggest that obesity
does not respond well to short term diet plans. It requires a long term
commitment from both patient and doctor.
Diet
Review
No
diet review can be more than a reasoned opinion on a particular diet plan
or weight loss method. We don't have a monopoly of diet wisdom, so we
welcome all comments on our Diet Reviews. Please email
us.
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