Eating frequency and weight loss: results of 6 months follow up of a public health campaign at Aurangabad

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a major health problem in developed as well as developing countries. The “carbo-insulin connection” theory was popularized by late Dr. Shrikant Jichkar from 1997 to 2004. He advocated the idea of eating only twice a day to lose weight and prevent obesity. The author tried this theory on himself from January to March 2013 and lost 8kg of weight and 2 inches from his belly! Since then the author is conducting lectures for lay people educating them about eating twice and losing weight. Author has addressed audiences in many cities and towns of Maharashtra. The present study provides the encouraging results of this public health campaign. Methods: This study was a self-controlled community trial. The tenure of the study was from 1 st July 2013 to 30 th June 2014. The subjects were enrolled in the study after taking their informed consent during the author’s lectures on weight loss arranged in various cities and towns of Maharashtra. The author got pretested questionnaires filled from the audience who attended his lectures on weight loss. The follow up was done on phone every fortnightly. Total 446 individuals participated in this campaign. Results: The weight loss and decrease in waist circumference in participants was as below: weight loss: average 1.5 kg in first month, 4.2 kg in 3 months and 6.8 kg in 6 months; inches loss: average 0.5 cm in 1 st month, 1.5 cm in 3 months and 3.5 cm in 6 months. No side effects were observed. Conclusions: The weight loss activities have taken a form of exploitative business for many. Poor and ignorant people are being looted. This simple method of weight loss costs nothing, there is no requirement of a doctor and contrary to many other successful methods of weight loss, can be followed for a life time. Hence such a simple method should be advocated for all. There is a need to spread this message in the form of a public health campaign.