Oertel's Diet For Obesity

Morning

One cup of coffee or tea, with a little milk - altogether about six ounces; bread, about three ounces.

Noon

Three to four ounces of soup, seven to eight ounces of roast or boiled beef, veal, game, or not too fat poultry, salad or a light vegetable, a little fish (cooked without fat), if desired, one ounce of bread or farinaceous pudding (never more than three ounces), three to six ounces of fruit, fresh preferred, for dessert. It is desirable at this meal to avoid taking fluids, but in hot weather or in the absence of fruit, six to eight ounces of light wine may be taken.

Afternoon

The same amount of coffee or tea as in the morning, with at most six ounces of water, and an ounce of bread as an exceptional indulgence.

Evening

One or two soft-boiled eggs, an ounce of bread, perhaps a small slice of cheese; salad and fruit, six to eight ounces of wine with four or five ounces of water.

After patients have undergone a special course of treatment for obesity and their weight has been sufficiently reduced, it is desirable to establish a diet for them which will prevent a return of the fat. For this purpose Oertel recommends the following regimen; it is intended for patients in whom obesity has complicated organic disease of the heart or lungs:

Morning

One cup of coffee or tea with some milk =150 grammes (6 ounces), and bread = 75 grammes (2½ ounces).

Midday

Soup =100 grammes (3½ ounces); lean meat, roasted or boiled, game or fowl = 200 grammes (7 ounces); fish, not too fat = 25 grammes (nearly 1 ounce); bread or starch stuffs = 100 grammes at most (3½ ounces); as dessert 100 to 200 grammes (3½ to 7 ounces) of fruit, fresh preferred - a smaller quantity if preserved, especially by Nägelis's method. Liquids are better avoided. At dinner time, only in very hot weather or in the absence of fruit, perhaps 1/6 to ¼ litre of light wine may be allowed (6 to 9 ounces).

Afternoon

The same quantity of coffee or tea as before, with at most 1/6 litre of water (6 ounces); occasionally 25 grammes of bread (nearly 1 ounce).

Evening

One or two soft-boiled eggs; meat, 150 grammes (nearly 5 ounces); bread, 25 grammes (nearly 1 ounce); a bit of cheese, a little salad and fruit. As a regular drink, 1/6 to ¼ litre of wine (6 to 9 ounces), with perhaps 1/8 litre of water (4½ ounces)".

Water should never be allowed in quantity, and what little is drunk should be distributed through the day.

The Schweninger System

Schweninger's system is essentially that of Oertel, but the former absolutely forbids the use of drink of any kind with meals, and the little fluid that is permitted must be taken fully two hours afterwards.

His treatment is substantially as follows: Moderate exercise for an hour before breakfast, after a cold bath with friction.

Breakfast, 8 A. M

Meat, eggs, or milk. A walk.

Second Breakfast, 10.30 A. M

Meat or fish and a glass of white wine. A walk.

Dinner, 1 P. M

Meat, vegetables, and fruit compote.

Supper, 7 P. M

Meat and fruit compote or salad, a glass of white wine.

No other fluid is given with meals. Bread is eaten very sparingly.