[Evaluation of the effect of extremely low-calorie diets on obese patients]

The authors summarize the data on many years of study of the effect of the diet with an extremely reduced caloricity (2500 kj or 600 kcal) on the clinical, biochemical and morphometry parameters in patients with different degrees of obesity. A total of 148 patients aged 17 to 52 years were placed under observation. The investigations confirm that the nutrition regimens under consideration are well tolerated by patients, favouring the improvement of lipid metabolism, reduction in the level of glycemia and insulinemia and making cortisol and glucagon secretion return to normal. At the same time the low protein quota in the diet, noticeable disorders in protein metabolism (negative nitrogenous balance, an increase in the uric acid content in blood serum) attest to the necessity of being cautious in prescribing the diets with an extremely reduced caloricity. It is not advisable that the diets under consideration should be employed under inpatient conditions for more than 1-1.5 month.