Impact of diet recommended in naturopathy centers on the nutritional status of obese patients

Obesity is the synergistic product of interaction between overeating and easy lifestyle. Naturopathy is the best solution to cure obesity as it is primarily concerned with both the aspects. Keeping this in view 60 patients of 25-40 years who had enrolled in naturopathy centers and to whom were recommended a treatment of one month were selected for the purpose of study. In naturopathy centers subjects were doing yoga (i.e. Exercise and Pranayam) and were drinking amla and lemon water in fasting state, undergoing mud, water and diet therapies. Their food habits and life style information was collected by interview cum questionnaire method before and after naturopathic treatment of each subject. Height, waist, and hip circumference was measured and BMI was calculated. Their lipid profile and blood glucose were determined from blood serum in fasting state. Nutrient intake of each subject was assessed by 24 hour recall method for three consecutive days. After getting treatment in naturopathy center. The male subjects, mean body weight reduced from 90.81 to 79.43 kg (11.40%) and BMI from 31.01 to 27.06.For female subjects, reduction in weight was from 81.53 to 72.23kg (12.52%) and of BMI was from 31.79 to 28.18.Percentage reduction as compare to RDA of carbohydrate, energy, protein and fat intake in male subjects was 36.66, 41.66, 58.41 and 36.89 percent. Corresponding values for female were 47.15, 47.76, 44.92 and 26.10 percent. Contrary to the intake of carbohydrate, energy and fat, Vitamin C intake increased by seven folds, Vitamin A too raised by two folds because of this hemoglobin moved up significantly at both levels in spite of iron intake being below R.D.A. So, naturopathic treatment is a powerful weapon to combat obesity as well as maintaining and improving the nutritional status of the obese patients.