Fast Diet Can Be More Effective, As Long As It Is Supervised by Experts

JAKARTA - Rapid weight loss has long been suspected: it goes down quickly, it goes up again quickly. However, a new study from Norway gives a different note. If it is done in a structured program and supervised by a professional, the results can be better than a slow diet.

According to a report by The Independent, quoted on Monday, June 8, the study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Turkey analyzed 284 adults with obesity. They were divided into two groups: a rapid weight loss program and a gradual program.

The first group underwent a fast diet for 16 weeks. Their calorie intake was limited: 1,000 calories per day in the first eight weeks, 1,300 calories in weeks 9 to 12, then 1,500 calories in the last four weeks.

The second group was asked to reduce their daily intake by 1,000 calories. Participants reported consuming around 1,400 calories per day.

As an illustration, the UK National Health Service (NHS) says the average man needs about 2,500 calories per day, while women need about 2,000 calories per day. Calories are a measure of the energy of food and drink that the body uses to be active.

After 16 weeks, both groups followed the same follow-up program for 36 weeks. The goal is to prevent weight gain.

In the Independent report, the research team said the fast diet group lost an average of 12.9 percent of total body weight in the initial phase. The gradual diet group fell 8.1 percent.

After one year, the fast diet group still recorded an average decrease of 14.4 percent. The gradual group fell 10.5 percent.

"Among adults with obesity, participation in a structured rapid weight loss program results in significantly greater weight loss after one year," the researchers wrote.

They emphasize that a fast diet can be a more effective method of achieving weight loss targets associated with reducing the health risks of obesity. The condition is carried out in a controlled environment and supervised by professional personnel.

This note is important. A low-calorie diet should not be done casually, especially for people with certain diseases, pregnant women, the elderly, or those undergoing treatment. Consultation with a doctor or nutritionist is still necessary.

The lead author of the study, Dr Line Kristin Johnson of Vestfold Hospital Trust, Norway, said the findings challenged the long-held belief that weight loss should be slow and steady in order to not go back up.

"Instead, we show that rapid weight loss is not associated with rebound weight gain," Johnson said.

According to Johnson, these findings are important because many people with obesity do not have access to or the cost of medical or surgical treatment. Effective commercial weight loss programs, Johnson said, have the potential to help reduce the burden on public health services.

Dr Marie Spreckley, research programme manager at the University of Cambridge, quoted by The Independent, said the study was important because it challenged the long-held assumption that a gradual diet was always superior for long-term results.

"Rapid weight loss, if done safely and appropriately in a structured program, can be an effective strategy for addressing obesity and is not automatically considered less sustainable than gradual weight loss," said Spreckley.