Science Behind the Diet

Why isn’t this a fad diet? Because it is based on a better understanding of how our weight-control system works than previous popular diets. My scientific work on this had two parts: I came up with a new theory of weight control; and I used self-experimentation to test my theory (a fancy way of saying self-experimentation led me to believe my theory) and apply it. My theory was heavily based on the experiments and concepts of others, some of which are listed below. The Shangri-La Diet has a chapter about the theory (“A New Theory of Weight Control”), a chapter about the self-experimentation (“The Case of the Missing Appetite”), and an appendix about other scientists’ work (“The Science Behind the Theory Behind the Diet”).

The Theory that Led to the Diet

unpublished Roberts. S. What makes food fattening? A Pavlovian theory of weight control.

The Self-Experimentation that Led to the Diet

2004 Roberts, S. Self-experimentation as a source of new ideas: Examples about sleep, mood, health, and weight. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, vol. 27, pp. 227-262. replications.

Underlying Research: Michel Cabanac

• • 2006 Cabanac, M. Adjustable set point: To honor Harold T. Hammel. Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 100, pp. 1338-1346.
  • 2002 Cabanac, M., and Frankham, P. Evidence that transient nicotine lowers the body weight set point. Physiology and Behavior, vol. 76, pp. 539-542.
  • 2001 Cabanac, M. Regulation and the ponderostat . International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, vol. 25 (supplement 5), pp. S7-12.
  • 1989 Cabanac, M. Palatability of the food and the ponderstat. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 575, pp. 340-351.
  • 1976 Cabanac, M., and Rabe, E. F. Influence of a monotonous food on body weight regulation in humans. Physiology and Behavior, vol. 17, pp. 675-678.
  • 1971 Cabanac, M., Duclaux, R., and Spector, N. H. Sensory feedback in regulation of body weight: is there a ponderostat? Nature. vol. 229, pp. 125-127.

For reprints, please contact Dr. Cabanac at michel.cabanac@phs.ulaval.ca.

Underlying Research: Israel Ramirez

• • 1990 Ramirez, I. Stimulation of energy intake and growth by saccharin in rats. Journal of Nutrition, vol. 120, pp. 123-133.
  • 1988 Ramirez, I. Overeating, overweight and obesity induced by an unpreferred diet. Physiology and Behavior, vol. 43, pp. 501-506.
  • 1987 Ramirez, I. Feeding a liquid diet increases energy intake, weight gain and body fat in rats. Journal of Nutrition. vol. 117, pp. 2127-2134.
  • 1987 Ramirez, I. Diet texture, moisture and starch type in dietary obesity. Physiology and Behavior, vol. 41, pp. 149-154.
  • 1987 Ramirez, I. When does sucrose increase appetite and adiposity? Appetite. vol. 9, pp. 1-19.
  • 1987 Ramirez, I. Practical liquid diets for rats: effects on growth. Physiology and Behavior, vol. 39, pp. 527-530.

For reprints, please contact Dr. Ramirez at ramirezi-a@verizon.net.

Underlying Research: Anthony Sclafani

• • 2005 Ackroff, K., Lucas, F., and Sclafani, A. Flavor preference conditioning as a function of fat source. Physiology and Behavior, vol. 85, pp. 448-460.
  • 2001 Sclafani, A. Psychobiology of food preferences. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, vol. 25 (supplement 5), pp. S13-16.
  • 1997 Sclafani, A. Learned controls of ingestive behaviour. Appetite, vol. 29, pp. 153-158.
  • 1988 Sclafani, A., and Nissenbaum, J. W. Robust conditioned flavor preference produced by intragastric starch infusions in rats. American Journal of Physiology, vol. 255, pp. R672-675.
  • 1976 Sclafani, A., and Springer, D. Dietary obesity in adult rats: similarities to hypothalamic and human obesity syndromes. Physiology and Behavior, vol. 17, pp. 461-471.

For reprints, please contact Dr. Sclafani at anthonys@brooklyn.cuny.edu.