Very-low-calorie-diet therapy in severe obesity.

This study investigated the effects of very-low-calorie-diet (VLCD) therapy on body weight, plasma glucose, and lipid metabolism in severely obese patients. Ninety-one patients were subjected to VLCD therapy for 4-24 wk. Reduction of body weight was remarkable during the first 4 wk, then leveled off despite continuous treatment. Fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and 75-g oral glucose-tolerance test showed a significant improvement. Total cholesterol fell in the early stages but then increased more than the pretreatment level during VLCD. VLCD therapy is useful for the treatment of severe obesity.