The Law of Parsimony: Mike Huckabee's miracle diet

[Diamond]

This isn't really about politics although it has a political dimension in that the person in consideration is a candidate for the GOP nomination for US President.

Please confine the politics to the Politics Forum. This is the Science Forum

I think this is an intriguing blog post by a physician: Mike Huckabee's Weight Loss Scam (http://plutarch01.wordpress.com/2007/12/11/new-121007-300pm/).

The questions are how well does the blogger characterize the weight loss as most likely the result of bariatric surgery versus the claimed diet/exercise regime of the Arkansas Governor? Was a diet book written to hide the fact of the surgery?

[Schneibster]

Hmmmm, I'm not sure I buy it. Too much supposing and not enough hard evidence. I will say this, however, it doesn't seem impossible; just unlikely. Not to mention, you'd do a lot of talking before you'd talk me into this.

Worth looking at what the Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastric-bypass/HQ01465) has to say.

ETA: Bona fides, I'm a lifelong Democrat and hate Huckaboob, so if I could find something wrong with him I'd be more than happy.

Also, I have to point out that some of the evidence given in that blog is simply evidence of very rapid weight loss- nothing more. Those are not physical symptoms directly and only attributable to gastric bypass; any method of losing that much weight that quick would be liable to do those things to a person's body. That's why more gradual methods are recommended.

[Diamond]

bump

[Horatius]

I've got some experience of this question, as I've lost large amounts of weight through both a diet program that sounds similar to the one Huckabee is said to have followed, as well as more recently, through the gastric bypass surgery mentioned.

The details of Huckabee's program are a bit vague, but they sound very similar to what I did a few years back. Looking at the website of the program I went through (http://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/programs/weightclinic/index-e.asp), I've just realized it's pretty vague too, so maybe that's just par for the course. This program was the Optifast program. (http://www.optifast.com/proven_benefits.do) I lost well over 100 pounds in the first six months, and if Huckabee's program is similar, I have no problem believing he did the same. There were a few people in the class I was part of who lost even more than me in the same period.

The long-term success rate of this program is about 35%, which isn't great, but is much better than most other diets, which typically have a success rate of about 5%.

Of course, I didn't keep the weight off long-term, over the last 4-5 years, it slowly came back, so I opted to try the surgery. That's been working well, and I hope it will work better long term.

I'd also mention that Huckabee's comments about his feeling concerning diet vs. surgery:

Mike Huckabee: I never considered it even though some close friends of mine have done it and most successfully. It was a matter of fear for me—I don’t like doctors slicing on me unless it’s the only option! (Just a personal thing!)

...are a very close match for how I felt. Surgery was an option for me when I first started the Optifast program, but at that time, I was in no way prepared to take that option. It took a few more years, and some more failure, to get me to a point where I was willing to go for surgery. So, in my experience, there's really nothing unusual here.

Also, in reference to the article's assertion that:

... a reasonable estimate of the number of people in the U.S. each year who through diet/exercise lose >100 lbs. is fewer than 1000.


is probably quite out of whack. The Optifast program is quite common (check out http://www.optifast.com/find_an_optifast_clinic.do to find how many clinics offer it near you), so I wouldn't be surprised to find a lot of people who lose 100+ pounds every year. Remember, there were at least 3 of us just in my class alone!

[SteveGrenard]

Also, I have to point out that some of the evidence given in that blog is simply evidence of very rapid weight loss- nothing more. Those are not physical symptoms directly and only attributable to gastric bypass; any method of losing that much weight that quick would be liable to do those things to a person's body. That's why more gradual methods are recommended.

For those who might be considering the surgical option, please don't forget lap-band surgery either. You don't need gastric bypass to "surgically" lose weight. See:

http://www.lap-band.com

[Horatius]

For those who might be considering the surgical option, please don't forget lap-band surgery either. You don't need gastric bypass to "surgically" lose weight. See:

http://www.lap-band.com



Actually, there are several types of surgery these days, all with their pluses and minuses. A good non-denomination site to learn about a lot of options is: http://www.obesityhelp.com/


Although I'll add a "Beware of the Woo" sign for those who read the forum there...

[SteveGrenard]

Actually, there are several types of surgery these days, all with their pluses and minuses. A good non-denomination site to learn about a lot of options is: http://www.obesityhelp.com/


Although I'll add a "Beware of the Woo" sign for those who read the forum there...


Especially the one about ear stapling for weight loss.

However, I do think that if one staples their ear to their lips this will result in significant weight loss.

[Horatius]

Yeah, but then you'd still never get a date, so what's the point? ;)

[Tokenconservative]

The Tokie Redneck Hater Miracle Diet!

1. Eat Less.

2. Exercise More.

3. Lose weight.

I know!? Who knew!?

Tokie

[Pipirr]

The Law of Parsimony diet: just eat razors?

[Tokenconservative]

Especially the one about ear stapling for weight loss.

However, I do think that if one staples their ear to their lips this will result in significant weight loss.

I knew a guy who put a nailgun "staple" in his head.

He lost weight.

When they removed his organs ahead of embalming him.

Tokie

[Horatius]

The Tokie Redneck Hater Miracle Diet!

1. Eat Less.

2. Exercise More.

3. Lose weight.

I know!? Who knew!?

Tokie


And how well does this work for the woman in my class who gained weight while on a 725 calorie a day liquid diet?

One thing I really liked about Dr. Dent, the guy who runs the program here, is he is involved in actual research into the topic (http://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/programs/weightclinic/research-e.asp), rather than just kneejerk reactions like the above:

Variation in Weight Loss Study.

In our clinical experience we have observed that some people lose weight very slowly when they diet. Traditionally these people were accused of not telling the truth about what they were eating. We have been able to show that people who lose weight slowly or diet-resistant people have a genetic abnormality that makes it difficult for them to lose weight. We are continuing this study to learn how this genetic abnormality can be altered. This has been the first study in humans to show an association between Uncoupling Protein 3 function and responsiveness to caloric restriction. This is a collaboration of Dr. Robert Dent, Dr. Mary Ellen Harper, Dr. Ruth McPherson and others.

Reference: Harper M, Dent R, Monemdjou S, Bezaire V, van Wyck L, Wells G, Kavaslar N, Gauthier A, Tesson F, McPherson R. Decreased Mitochondrial Proton Leak and reduced Expression of Uncoupling Protein 3 in Skeletal Muscle of Obese Diet-Resistant Women. Diabetes, 51:2459-2466,2002

[SteveGrenard]

I knew a guy who put a nailgun "staple" in his head.

He lost weight.

When they removed his organs ahead of embalming him.

Tokie

There is an x-ray of a guy who has multiple nailgun nails in his skull. I wonder if he did this to lose weight. One I could see, this many? He has one, possibly two around the ear.

I think this case takes acupuncture to a new level.

[Diogenes]

Originally Posted by Tokenconservative View Post
The Tokie Redneck Hater Miracle Diet!

1. Eat Less.

2. Exercise More.

3. Lose weight.

I know!? Who knew!?

Tokie

And how well does this work for the woman in my class who gained weight while on a 725 calorie a day liquid diet?

Tokie's diet probably would work for the great majority of people, unlike the person in your knee-jerk reaction above ..

[Horatius]

Tokie's diet probably would work for the great majority of people, unlike the person in your knee-jerk reaction above ..


Excuse me, but when he ends his simplistic "revelation" diet with, "I know!? Who knew!?", he is simply being a knee jerk. And how exactly is my responding to him with links to actual research into the issue of weight loss a knee jerk reaction?

The plain fact is, for people who are seriously overweight as Mike Huckabee was, the simplistic "eat less and exercise more" plan doesn't work. The doctors involved in the research I linked to (and was a subject in) have found genetic differences between identifiable groups of people who show distinct differences in how they lose weight. They've also found genetic differences between people who are "naturally obese" and those who are "naturally slim".

A simple program of eating a bit less and exercising a bit more may be enough for the average person to lose the 10-15 pounds they want to lose before their wedding/vacation/high school reunion or whatever, but for a large percentage of the morbidly obese, it simple does not work. And let's remember, it is the morbidly obese that are the subject of this thread.

In the mindset of the knee jerks of the world, the woman I mentioned would simply be dismissed as a (big fat!) liar. In fact, people like here were dismissed as such for far too long, and even today, are still dismissed as liars by far too many people.

And frankly, I'm sick to death of it. And I'm sick to death of every conversation I've ever had on this issue being derailed by some jerk shouting "Eat less and exercise!" as if no one had ever heard that before.