Michael F. Ball

Comparative Effects of Caloric Restriction and Total Starvation on Body Composition in Obesity

Excerpt Total starvation as a treatment of obesity was introduced by Bloom (1), popularized by Duncan and associates (2, 3), and elaborated upon by Drenick and colleagues (4, 5). An increasing numb...

Insulin secretion and body composition in obesity

Abstract Plasma immunoreactive insulin levels were measured before and for 6 hr following a 100 g oral glucose load in ten normal volunteers and 17 grossly obese subjects. Eleven of the obese had an abnormal glucose tolerance, five of whom were overt diabetics. Twelve of the obese were restudied after significant weight reduction (thinned obese). Eight thinned obese subjects were also restudied 6–12 mo after completion of the weight reduction protocol. Body composition was measured in each subject prior to testing. Obesity was associated with hyperinsulinemia in the fasting state and in response to oral glucose. The obese diabetics demonstrated a delay and an impairment of insulin secretion in response to glucose. After weight reduction, elevated fasting plasma insulin levels fell in all. Insulin response to oral glucose was not different in the thinned obese with normal glucose tolerance from that observed in the normal volunteers. There was significant correlation between both fasting plasma insulin and total measurable insulin following the glucose load, and total body fat in the obese and thinned obese nondiabetics, but not in the obese overt diabetics. There was, however, significant correlation between fasting plasma insulin levels and total body fat in the diabetics who had a normal fasting blood sugar. These data indicate that the hyperinsulinemia of obesity is clearly related to the increase in total body fat. Carbohydrate intolerance occurs in those obese individuals with a limited pancreatic insulin secretory reserve, which fails to compensate for the increase in total body fat.

SOME PERSONALITY CORRELATES OF OBESE PERSONS

16 obese patients in a volunteer program of weight reduction were given the Adjective Check List (ACL) and the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) prior to beginning weight reduction. The patients were from 64.6% to 214.7% overweight. It was predicted that they would score lower than the normative group on the Achievement, Affiliation, Dominance, Endurance, Order, Personal adjustment, and Self-control scales, while higher scores were predicted for the Aggression, Exhibitionism, Heterosexuality, and Intraception scales. The predictions were upheld. In addition, the obese sample checked a significantly fewer number of Favorable Adjectives than did the normative group and more descriptive adjectives pertaining to Autonomy.

Humor Ratings as a Function of Weight and Food Deprivation

40 obese and 40 normal-weighted Ss rated 10 food-related, 10 neutral, and 10 hostile cartoons. Half of the Ss rated the cartoons before eating and half rated them after eating. The hypothesis that weight and the manipulation of hunger would differentially affect the food-cartoon ratings was not supported. The hypothesis that the obese would rate the hostile and neutral cartoons higher than would the normal-weighted Ss also did not receive support. A striking similarity of ratings on all cartoon groups was noted and discussed. Future research suggestions for stricter controls on deprivation time and amount eaten were made.