European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 05, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Summing continued rom Page Ait Down if i cat he said after losing 22 pounds in impressed by the approach to weight loss a group of patients at Wiesbaden gave the program its name weight away through education Wate. Focus of the educational process is the group learning session out of which patients Cany ideas to mealtime gab sessions and fitness exercises. The prime modality of helping the patient is the group Norton said. It is in the group that patients stare experiences and relate to one with patients at these sessions arc psychologists psychiatrists social workers dieticians and Doc tors. An invaluable spinoff of group action is patient feedback. Wilh so much of the emphasis on food diets play a major role in weight loss. Although similar in theory menus used it the two hospitals Wiesbaden patients follow a fixed 800-calorie regi men the first two weeks when meals arc served on the Ward. During the third week they select with the help of dining Hall personnel food that approximates the 800-Cal Oric meals for the first two weeks. On the final week they eat in the dining Hall strictly on their own. At Lakenheath patients remain on a fixed daily menu of 1,000 calories for the duration of their stay in the pro maj. Herman Stayman dietician at Wiesbaden Hospi Tal favours the Low calorie approach because it proves Sas a Cus Schuet Tueful weight control programs at Wiesbaden Lakenheath of hospitals include lots of exercising. By do people overeat physicians Witch doctors quacks holy men and reputable behavioural scientists have been asking this question for decades. Quite obviously the results of their inquiries have been less than satisfactory As Many people continue to Gorge themselves with far More food than they nerd. Indeed in thu Western world where overeating Lias become an everyday occurrence there seems to by More reason than Ever to find out Why people simple As the question sounds it Points to highly Complex psychological and sociological ele ments that make up individual lifestyles. With Hie military a Sligo us new lean look eating habits take on a new dimension for men and women in uniform. Specialists studying the behavioural ambiguities at rating approach the subject with caution. Oil. Soul a Zoltzman. Chief of psychiatry at the army s 97th general Hospital. Frankfurt surveys the problem with the Eye of a practitioner who has seen an endless variety of obese patients. It is very difficult to put the Finger on a Constella Tion of reasons Why certain people cat More than they should or weigh More than they should Holtz Mun said. What we May say is that in Many individuals eating will relieve symptoms of anxiousness. But in some people it works the opposite Way in these cases anxiousness cuts or curtails their appetite. Why is this so it is so because it refers to the whole investigation of life patterns to the ethnic pattern or the family pattern of tote individual. Certain families tend to serve a lot More food than Oiler families. As a result of the family Back ground inc individual becomes habituated or cult rated to eating certain Sio meals. There Are times when you will see a family where everyone is Over weight and this May be attributed to the intake of food you see this tendency in certain u. Col. John c. Kushta clinical psychologist 1 Sakk surgeon s office Ramstein Germany Points to diverse psychological and sociocultural reasons for overeating. In some families the customary diet May Lead to obesity in its members Kuchta said. In some Cul Tural groups obesity is regarded As a sign of health and Prosperity. In a similar fashion some individuals have Learned in childhood that to overeat is a Means of alleviating emotional distress which May continue into adulthood. All of these determinants have in common the fact that they Are All Learned patterns of col. Bruce l. Fariss consultant in internal medi Page a2 the stars and stripes thursday May 5, 1977
