title: [The vitality of obese patients after a weight reduction by fasting].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective documentation of the positive results of natural medicine or physiotherapy gains raising importance in medicine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate the application of the vitality test according to Pöthig in the objective holistic evaluation of treatment by natural and physical medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 48 obese patients (28 males and 20 females) with a body mass index of 32.1 to 56.5 kg/m(2) a weight reduction therapy was carried out for 21 days (16-25 days) by means of fasting according to Buchinger, accompanied by physiotherapeutic treatments. At the beginning and at the end all patients underwent a multidisciplinary functional diagnosis by means of the vitality test according to Pöthig and a bioelectrical impedance analysis. On the basis of the 47 measured parameters of the entire body function (physical, mental and emotional/social) the Vitality Index and the Functional Age Index (FAI) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reduction of body weight was 9.1 +/- 2.4 (5.1-15.0) kg, the reduction of body fat 5.5 +/- 1.3 (3.3-8.5) kg. At the beginning 31% of the patients showed a reduced vitality, i.e. the FAI was at least 5 years (maximum 16 years) higher then the real age. 56% of the patients matched the real age and in 13% of the patients the FAI was better with respect to the corresponding age group. During the treatment 94% of the patients showed an improvement of their FAI by 5 +/- 3 years on average (maximum 12 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the help of the presented multidisciplinary vitality test it is possible to objectively document the positive results of natural medicine and physical medicine on the whole human organism.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Physiotherapie/Naturheilverfahren, Herbert-Krauss-Klinik, HELIOS Klinikum Berlin, Klinikum Buch, Berlin. JSteiniger@berlin.helios-kliniken.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steiniger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rohde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017097:Electric Impedance; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*