Intermittent protein-sparing fasting with abdominal belting.

In an attempt to minimize the weight regain that often follows effective weight reduction, a programme has been evaluated which involved the use of a nylon waist cord which could be readily tightened but not lengthened, during a regime of alternating periods of a liquid diet and a high-fibre natural diet combined with behavioural modification. Forty subjects completed the initial cycle of a liquid regime with an overall weight loss of 7.7 kg during the treatment period. Thirty-six of these subjects have been followed up for a mean of 12 months after the completion of the treatment programme. Five subjects are difficult to categorize having worn the cord for some but not all of this time. Fourteen have continued to wear the waist cord throughout and have achieved a further mean weight loss of 4.8 kg. This differs significantly from the 17 subjects who cut off the cord and who have regained a mean of 6.6 kg. The results suggest that an adjustable waist cord is a valuable aid to achieving successful and permanent weight reduction in some subjects.