A multiple approach programme used in 20 000 patients (3300 have been hospitalized at some time or other) for 19 years is described. It is based on operative definitions handled by an interdisciplinary team working within a therapeutic community. A diagnostic-prognostic profile is used, and so is the ambulatory treatment including an individual/group approach, and/or hospitalization with total… Read More

Serum levels of T4, T3, rT3, RT3U and TSH were estimated in 12 obese women in the course of a 14-day fasting. Seven of these patients were treated with T3 in a daily dose of 60--80 micrograms. Fasting led to a small increase of serum T4, while fasting combined with T3 administration was accompanied by a small decrease of serum T4. Serum T3 decreased in the course of the first 2 days of fasting… Read More

Serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins were measured in 16 obese female subjects before and after a short-term fast of four days. The mean body weight loss was 2.9 +/- 0.8 kg. Serum triglycerides decreased, serum, LDL, and HDL cholesterol increased significantly. Furthermore there was a significant reduction of the serum apolipoprotein B concentration, while apolipoprotein A I did not… Read More

The effects of fasting or a 600-cal diet on biliary lipid composition were studied in 20 persons with overweight. With complete fasting for 20 days and a mean weight loss of 650 g/day, biliary cholesterol fell significantly from 10.1 to 6.9 mol% and the 'lithogenic index' from 1.0 to 0.7. Following fasting, the index, in 10 of the 11 patients, was in the normal range below 1.0. With… Read More

To delineate the hormonal mechanism of dietary-induced changes in sodium balance, the role of insulin and glucagon in natriuresis of fast was evaluated in obese subjects submitted to a total starvation and given either glucagon or somatostatin infusion on day 4 of fast. While large amounts of glucagon (1 mg over 6 h) stimulated concomitantly ketonaemia, ketonuria and renal sodium losses, the… Read More

The meal-induced rises in plasma GIP, serum insulin, and blood glucose were studied after an overnight fast and after a 34-h fast in six healthy men. After the 34-h fast, the postprandial mean plasma GIP level at 120 min and the mean serum insulin and blood glucose levels at 60 and 90 min were significantly higher than those seen after the overnight fast.

Total fasting was compared with VLCD (1.28 MJ, 300 kcal/day; 56 g protein, 12 g CHO) in 14 euthyroid obese patients, selected as matched pairs, over a period of 28 days. The weight loss was significantly greater during fasting than during the VLCD (16.5 kg vs. 12.7 kg). The basal metabolic rate of (BMR) showed a significant decrease (25 per cent) during total fasting, but was unchanged with… Read More

We have attempted to determine if the elevated plasma glucagon concentration and delayed MCR of glucagon (MCRg) observed during caloric restriction are related to the decreased serum T3 that also occurs during fasting. Twelve obese subjects received a 3-h iv glucagon infusion during a 4-day fed period (1000 kCal/day) and again on approximately the third fasting day. Five patients fasted… Read More

The effect of small amounts of oral glucose on hepatic function during starvation was studied. A group of 20, nondiabetic, obese, male patients were entered into the protocol. Ten were placed on absolute caloric starvation and the other ten were placed on a starvation diet modified by the daily addition of 8 or 16 g of oral glucose. Five patients in the starved group crossed over to the… Read More