[A clinical trial on the efficacy of an alternative diet in obese patients]

To evaluate the effectiveness of a diet based on dietary advice in treating obesity.

Random clinical investigation of two groups of obese people.

Two health centres in the city of Huelva.

We randomly assigned two types of diet, one consisting of dietary advice (A) and the other consisting of low calorie daily menus (B). These were followed for a period of 2 months. At the end of the period we administered a questionnaire on the difficulties in adhering to the diet. 88.4% of those on diet A lost weight, compared with 55.5% of those on diet B (p < 0.025). There were mean decreases in cholesterol and triglyceride levels with diet A of 12.37 +/- 12 and 22.1 +/- 18 mg/dl respectively. In the case of diet B, there were increases of these levels of 8.4 +/- 13 and 2.09 +/- 14 mg/dl respectively (p < 0.05). Of those who followed diet A, 16.7% said they experienced difficulty in keeping to it, while 45.4% of those on diet B said they experienced such difficulty (p < 0.025). Altogether, 29.16% of those who followed diet B (p < 0.025).

With the diet based on nutritional advice a larger number of the subjects lost weight, felt less hungry hunger; this diet is easier to keep to, and produces a significant decrease in cholesterol and triglyceride levels.