State of the science: VLED (Very Low Energy Diet) for obesity

Abstract

It is often stated, "the faster you lose weight, the faster it is regained". A review of existing literature does not support such a statement - indeed if anything the reverse is true. The origins of this erroneous view are the misconceptions that weight regain is a simple matter of bad dietary and social habits and that it takes time to change these, that physiological adaptations to rapid weight loss are different to those of gradual weight loss and that weight regain is simply due to a return to old habits. Indeed there are many advantages to rapid weight loss achieved with the use of a modern very low energy diet, including the fact that rapid weight loss is a motivating factor, that the..