Does The Dukan Diet Work In Obese Patients?

The problem with the Dukan diet is its generality, since it does not take into account the particularities of the patient. Thus, it is more normal that it does not have the same result in different people.

You’ve probably heard of the “miraculous” Dukan diet, the one chosen by many Hollywood artists. This is the favorite of those who want to lose weight without making much effort. In fact, for example, it doesn’t require exercise and you eat almost what you want.

However, those who have investigated this method by the French doctor Pierre Dukan indicate that it does not work in 80% of people who practice it, especially in those who are obese. Learn more in this article.

The supposed success of the Dukan system

This doctor has released several books on his miraculous diet and they are all a success. In Spain, for example, its three publications are best-sellers with more than half a million sales.

As the commotion over this weight loss plan did not go unnoticed by anyone, an investigation was carried out by the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN).

It showed that Dr. Dukan’s method “is fraudulent, illegal, does not help to lose weight and is a great risk for those who practice it.”

A good number of people have started this diet after seeing the effects it has had on the actress Penelope Cruz after giving birth to her son. In addition, she was also allegedly followed by the mother of the future Queen of England Kate Middleton.

Can you use the Dukan diet while being obese?

Some indicate that it is perfect for those who suffer from obesity and others that it is only for those who want to shed the extra pounds. What’s more, the method promises long-lasting (lifetime) effects.

However, many researchers have unmasked this supposed miraculous technique. One of the studies that serve to understand why this diet does not work was carried out by a group from Dr. Dukan’s country.

In this, a survey was carried out among 5,000 people who practiced the diet. Although most of them indicated that at first the method served them, later:

• 35% regained the lost weight within a year or less.
• 48% returned to their initial weight after one year.
• 64% of those surveyed had more weight than when they started, after two years of treatment.
• 70% exceeded the weight of the beginning at 3 years.
• 80% of those consulted weighed the same or more than when they started 4 years earlier.

However, it should be noted that current ketogenic diets have shown benefits. These are quite different from the traditional model, being more sustainable and including more variety.

What consequences can the Dukan diet bring?

One of the maxims that revolve around this method is that  “if you do not get the expected results, it is because of your lack of commitment. ” That is, it is the patient’s fault, not the method.

This has been drawn as a conclusion from the responses of the respondents. 60% of them said that “they did not lose weight because they ate much more than allowed”, “they did not respect the first phases of the diet”, “one day a week they ate something that they should not”, and so on.

This feeling of guilt is one of the psychological consequences associated with the Dukan diet, but it is not the only one.

“Dukanian” patients have also suffered from depressive symptoms and low self-esteem. This is because one day they look in the mirror and have a beautiful body. However, after a few weeks everything is back to the way it was, or much worse.

It is also worth saying that Pierre Dukan himself has stated that, for him, people with a few extra kilos are sick, not to mention the obese. However, it should be noted that being overweight is capable of dramatically increasing the risk of becoming ill, according to a study published in Circulation Research.

The World Health Organization declared something similar in 1997. It classified obesity as a chronic, albeit incontinuous, disease. This nutritionist treats everyone who is not thin equally, on the grounds that they have problems.

It is estimated that obese and overweight patients have been able to reduce, using this Dukan diet, an average of 2 kilos after the first month.

However, it is not a significant amount if we take into account the nutritional imbalances to which we are exposed.

So is it really the best diet?

Considering the above, it can be concluded that there are more effective and healthy plans that can be followed to obtain better results.

By eating less flour, sugars and fats, increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables, doing physical exercise and avoiding certain habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol, we can lose weight. It is not necessary to resort to such drastic treatments.

Among those who are against the Dukan diet and indicate that it is not recommended for any person, obese or not, is a researcher from the University of Navarra.

Dr. Silva indicates that these types of methods tend to provide little energy and nutrients. Thus, they favor the loss of muscle mass and water more than fat. Still, there are many advocates who are capable of providing solid evidence. Although the Dukan diet is somewhat outdated, there are very efficient ketogenic models.

How should a good diet be?

This diet is done by reading a book that is bought even in a supermarket. Therefore, Doctor Dukan is not in charge of analyzing each individual case. Nor does it carry out the corresponding follow-up, as a nutritionist in a medical center would.

In addition, there is not much control in relation to the understanding of the diet by the patient. Furthermore, as if that weren’t enough, the book is somewhat generalized and does not focus on a specific group of the population. However, it is clear that we cannot all follow the same diet, due to differences in:

• Age.
• Physical form.
• Kilos of more.
• Habits and activities.
• Hereditary factors.
• Diseases that can influence the process.

Therefore, it is necessary to go to the doctor and analyze other options to eat healthier and at the same time lose weight, always at the rate of each one.