Other popular diet approaches to managing obesity include:

Protein Sparing Modified Fast

A special weight loss program called Protein Sparing Modified Fast was introduced in the late 1970s by George Blackburn and co-workers at the New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston.

This program consists of a special low carbohydrate, low fat, high protein diet designed to protect body protein mass while selectively using body fat as an energy source. It is supplemented with extra vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.

A weight loss of between two and three pounds a week has been observed. Compliance with the diet is problematic due to the unpalatability of the restricted diet. Regaining weight is the rule if the diet is discontinued.

High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet

Commercial variants of the protein sparing modified fast diet program have become quite popular. It has gone under such names as Stillmans' Quick Weight Loss Diet, The Scarsdale Medical Diet, Atkins' Weight Loss Revolution, and the more recent Sugar Busters, Enter the Zone, Atkins' New Diet Revolution, and Protein Power diets. These diets fall into two main groups: very-low-carbohydrate (10 to 15 percent of calories from carbohydrates), or moderate-carbohydrate diets (40 percent of calories as carbohydrates).

• The Atkins Diet and Protein Power are examples of the very-low-carbohydrate diets. Average daily caloric intake is about 1,200 kcal and contains 30 to 45 gm carbohydrates, 90 gm of protein, and 70-80 gm fat.
• The Zone and Sugar Busters diets follow the moderate-carbohydrate diets. Average daily caloric intake is also about 1,200 kcal but they contains 120 gm carbohydrates, 90 gm of protein, and 40 gm fat. With proper supervision and appropriate transition to “standard” diet programs, these diets can be safe and moderately effective, although no long-term study has been conducted documenting maintenance of weight loss. Serious metabolic deficiencies and complications can occur if proper monitoring is not performed.

Unfortunately, none of these diets have demonstrated long-term maintenance of weight loss.

Back to: Understanding Obesity