Formula diet
A formula diet is a diet in which the meals are wholly or partially replaced by ready-made drinks or nutrient powders that can be mixed with liquids, but also by other ready-made foods such as biscuits or the like. As a rule, the products are offered in several flavors. The nutritional value absorbed through nutrition only through formula products is a maximum of 5020 kJ (1200 kcal) per day , which is intended to bring about rapid weight loss in the case of overweight . The shakes, soups, ready meals or drinks are industrially produced nutrient mixtures. They contain protein, fat and carbohydrates in a balanced ratio. Usually enough vitamins and minerals are also added. Formula diets all work in the same way: the shakes replace one, two or all three meals with diet food. Manufacturers with other concepts offer packages for the replacement of up to 3 meals as well as hourly meals.
Products for formula diets fall under Section 14 of the German Diet Ordinance . This prescribes a maximum content of 1673 kJ (400 kcal) per meal for the products as well as the content of carbohydrates , fat and protein , whereby the recommendations of the German Society for Nutrition must be observed. The ordinance contains, among other things, provisions for additives and defines dietetic foods as foods that are intended for a particular diet. Vitamins and the minerals calcium and iron must also be included in order to rule out an undersupply.
If all meals are to be replaced by Formula products, the law stipulates that “May not be used for more than three weeks without medical advice”. Few diets can be marketed as the sole food because they contain all the nutrients the body needs during the day. Milk or oil have to be added to many formula diets, which is why the packaging says "For the preparation of a weight-optimized meal". By nutritionists and doctors Formula diets are only obesity -Patients with a body mass index advocated over 30 as an entry in a weight reduction program. There are some weight-loss programs that are accompanied by a doctor in which formula drinks are used in the initial phase. However, the focus of these programs is on changing eating habits and exercise.
The manufacturers promise a weight loss of eight to twelve kilograms in four weeks with exclusive nutrition with the instant products. Some sell their products exclusively through so-called structured sales , others through pharmacies or ordinary supermarkets.
Evaluation and criticism
In most formula diets, the food is almost exclusively liquid or pulpy. With this type of diet, most users miss chewing solid food after a while, and the taste is very soon perceived as monotonous. More and more manufacturers are therefore trying to offer a larger selection, including solid and hearty foods.
A complete formula diet is usually more expensive than a diet with normal foods. Since these products do not change eating habits, the causes of obesity do not change as long as there is no learning effect. Anyone who then returns to their usual eating habits will probably have to struggle with the well-known yo-yo effect , so that the initial weight is usually reached again very quickly. Especially in the pure shake diets there is hardly any fiber , so constipation can be the result. This effect does not occur as often with the diets with the additional products, as they contain more fiber.
Anyone who suffers from a weak heart or other heart diseases could run into problems, because shortly after starting the diet, the heart is heavily stressed. This is the result of a study with 27 overweight participants (Oxford Center for Magnetic Resonance, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK). The heart stores more fat and the pumping capacity decreases. The fat distribution and cardiac output of the test subjects returned to normal after eight weeks, but if you have a pre-existing heart disease you should definitely consult a doctor before starting such a low-calorie diet or fasting period. Because the temporary loss of heart function and fat deposits could lead to shortness of breath or even cardiac arrhythmias in these people.
Popular brands
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b The formula diet as an aid in the combination therapy of obesity (pdf; 470 kB) .
- ^ Crash diets can cause transient deterioration in heart function. Retrieved February 4, 2018 .
- ↑ Crash diets are on the heart - image of science. Retrieved on February 4, 2018 (German).