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"Losing weight by fasting"

Today Tonight

Source: Today Tonight

Published: 31 Mar 2005

Category: Other

Rating: (0 stars)

what they said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

AFL coach, Grant Thomas, achieved some amazing results with St Kilda in 2004 but it was his results off the field that had everyone talking. In less than a month, Mr Thomas lost 22kg.

The original article can be found at: http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=19730

how did it rate? (more information)

Criteria Rating
Total Score 0 of 8
Novelty of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Availability of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Treatment Options Not Satisfactory (?)
Disease Mongering Not Satisfactory (?)
Evidence Not Satisfactory (?)
Quantification of Benefits of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Harms of Treatment Not Satisfactory (?)
Costs of Treatment Not Applicable
Sources of Information Not Satisfactory (?)
Relies on Press Release Not Applicable

what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

At media doctor we read some poor medical stories but this is one of the silliest. Recommending fasting as a legitimate treatment for anything contradicts any proper interpretation of our knowledge of nutrition, human physiology and clinical medicine. The suggestions contained in this are potentially dangerous. The intervention is not described properly, there is no supportive evidence and the main advocate has a serious conflict of interest. There is a warning at the end of the piece but editing makes this little more than a token effort.

public forum

(02 Jun 2009) Emily Heimerle writes,

"Have you tried it?
Experience is the only real evidence, and if you dont have the balls to do it, than why bother commenting?
Have you ever had an illness that all the doctors said was either in your head or only curable through surgury ie collitis, Krones disease or irritable bowel disease?
I fasted for 10 days on nothing but water. Was not hungry and now afterwards have never felt better in my life. I intend to fast again every few years as my system feels so clear.
I now suffer no symptoms of irritabe bowel disease."

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