The "Big-Breakfast Diet" … The Loophole of the Research
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Elhashemy
June 24, 2008
Daniela Jakubowicz, MD, of the Hospital de Clinicas, Caracas, Venzezuela with scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, performed a research that concluded that eating a big breakfast packed with carbohydrates and protein, followed by a low-carb, low-calorie diet the rest of the day can lead to significant weight loss amounting to 21.3% of body weight within 8 months as they said.
The "big-breakfast diet group" (48 dieters) ate 1,240 calories a day out of which 610-calorie were eaten in a big breakfast. According to the researchers, these women lost nearly 23 pounds on average after the passage of 4 months and continued to lose weight, shedding another 16.5 pounds after completing 8 months. This means a total loss in body weight of 39.5 pounds representing 21.3% of their body weight,
After analyzing the details of the research and the published results, I concluded that there is a loophole in the research making its results delusive. My conclusion is based on the following facts:
1. The researchers claimed that the weight loss amounted to 21.3%. By performing simple calculation (dividing 39.5 pounds by 21.3%), we can deduct that the starting body weight was around 185.4 pounds (i.e. around 84.3 Kgm).
2. According to Mufflin equation the Resting Metabolic Rate "RMR" for women can be found through the following formula:
(10 x w) + (6.25 x h) – (5 x a) – 161
Where:
w = weight in Kgm
h = height in cm
a = age in years
Since the article showed that the average age of the women was in the 30s, we can assume that it was around 35 years. Regarding the height we can consider the average women height around 165 cm.
Based on these fair and normal assumptions, the RMR of the "big-breakfast diet group" will equal:
(10 x 84.3) + (6.25 x 165) – (5 x 35) – 161 = 1,538 calorie
3. For sedentary life, the total energy expenditure is found through multiplying RMR by a factor of 1.2.
1,538 x 1.2 = 1,845 calorie
4. By entering every week's weight loss in the above mentioned equations for the eight months period, we will find that the total weight loss in the first 4 months is 19.2 pounds and not 23 pounds. This means that the researchers overstated the weight loss by 4 pounds. For the next 4 months the total weight loss was 15.5 pounds and not 16.5 pounds. This means that the authors added a total of 5 pounds extra in their research.
5. It is well apparent that such research does not put into consideration the human factor. No single person on the globe could eat daily a restricted diet of 1,240 calories for successive 240 days (except of course if he/she is in jail).
So if we add just extra 20 percent of the basic calories of researchers for the human factor, this will give us only a loss of 17.5 pounds instead of 39.5 pounds as the declared.
This shows us the big gap between an office theoretical work and a true clinical practical research.
In contrast, there are many scientific factors behind the marked success of my innovated "Elhashemy's Broad Spectrum Luqaimat Diet Plan", where my super obese patients (on average BMI 45+ or around 270 pounds) lose 72 pounds on average after the passage of the first year. This loss is proportional to their original heavy weight. One of the factors behind this success is that they are well trained to eat small meals and well supported by consultation and education for 3 months. Another factor is that it is much more convenient as they don´t need to bother themselves with calorie counting. A third factor is that they get a moderate-sized meal (lunch or dinner) as a reward to the brain centers. This reward boosts their mood and encourages them to continue on this scientific diet plan for long.
The "big-breakfast diet group" (48 dieters) ate 1,240 calories a day out of which 610-calorie were eaten in a big breakfast. According to the researchers, these women lost nearly 23 pounds on average after the passage of 4 months and continued to lose weight, shedding another 16.5 pounds after completing 8 months. This means a total loss in body weight of 39.5 pounds representing 21.3% of their body weight,
After analyzing the details of the research and the published results, I concluded that there is a loophole in the research making its results delusive. My conclusion is based on the following facts:
1. The researchers claimed that the weight loss amounted to 21.3%. By performing simple calculation (dividing 39.5 pounds by 21.3%), we can deduct that the starting body weight was around 185.4 pounds (i.e. around 84.3 Kgm).
2. According to Mufflin equation the Resting Metabolic Rate "RMR" for women can be found through the following formula:
(10 x w) + (6.25 x h) – (5 x a) – 161
Where:
w = weight in Kgm
h = height in cm
a = age in years
Since the article showed that the average age of the women was in the 30s, we can assume that it was around 35 years. Regarding the height we can consider the average women height around 165 cm.
Based on these fair and normal assumptions, the RMR of the "big-breakfast diet group" will equal:
(10 x 84.3) + (6.25 x 165) – (5 x 35) – 161 = 1,538 calorie
3. For sedentary life, the total energy expenditure is found through multiplying RMR by a factor of 1.2.
1,538 x 1.2 = 1,845 calorie
4. By entering every week's weight loss in the above mentioned equations for the eight months period, we will find that the total weight loss in the first 4 months is 19.2 pounds and not 23 pounds. This means that the researchers overstated the weight loss by 4 pounds. For the next 4 months the total weight loss was 15.5 pounds and not 16.5 pounds. This means that the authors added a total of 5 pounds extra in their research.
5. It is well apparent that such research does not put into consideration the human factor. No single person on the globe could eat daily a restricted diet of 1,240 calories for successive 240 days (except of course if he/she is in jail).
So if we add just extra 20 percent of the basic calories of researchers for the human factor, this will give us only a loss of 17.5 pounds instead of 39.5 pounds as the declared.
This shows us the big gap between an office theoretical work and a true clinical practical research.
In contrast, there are many scientific factors behind the marked success of my innovated "Elhashemy's Broad Spectrum Luqaimat Diet Plan", where my super obese patients (on average BMI 45+ or around 270 pounds) lose 72 pounds on average after the passage of the first year. This loss is proportional to their original heavy weight. One of the factors behind this success is that they are well trained to eat small meals and well supported by consultation and education for 3 months. Another factor is that it is much more convenient as they don´t need to bother themselves with calorie counting. A third factor is that they get a moderate-sized meal (lunch or dinner) as a reward to the brain centers. This reward boosts their mood and encourages them to continue on this scientific diet plan for long.
Print
Email
