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Metabolic Balance might sound like a meditation program or the latest health trend from the United States - something rich and beautiful people are enjoying to enhance their quality of life. In fact, Metabolic Balance is the name of a wellness program that's become a topic among all kinds of people. It's not inexpensive, but it is extremely successful according to its founder. "A well-balanced metabolism is the basis for the harmonic progression of all bodily functions," says Wolfgang Funfack, a German nutritionist who developed the program. Few scientists dispute his statement, but the means of achieving it remain contentious. "A metabolic diet is in fact a synthetic term. Diets always have something to do with metabolism," says nutrition scientist Achim Bub of the Max Rubner Institute in Karlsruhe. According to Bub, it's sufficient to work dietary intake around simple rules. To begin with, a diet should be varied. It should also contain as little fat as possible and what fat there is should be plant-based, not animal fat. People who in addition to following these rules remain active and drink enough liquids can lose weight without a special diet, according to Bub. Funfack sees things differently: "Every person requires different basic components to bring his or her metabolism into tune," he says. "People who want to make an enduring change need an individual nutritional plan." A blood analysis determines which basic nutritional components the patient needs. The patient should reckon with a cost of 1 euro per day for a basic treatment period of about one year, Funfack says. The main goal of Funfack's metabolic balance program is to keep the insulin and blood sugar levels as low as possible. This helps maintain a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time. Funfack stresses that participants in his program lose weight with pleasure. Before they reach that point, however, they must strictly follow the plan. This includes three meals a day and a five-hour wait between meals. Little snacks in the course of the day are forbidden. Professor Kurt Widhalmof Vienna's medical university is critical of the scientific basis of Funfack's claim. He says Funfack's statements can't be made with such certainty. "I know of not a single study or publication that examines the scientific basis of Metabolic Balance," Widhalm says. Funfack says his method promises to heal other illnesses, such as neurodermatitis. Participants' skin often looks younger and their general wellness improves, he says. It also ends the yo-yo effect some people experience when trying to lose weight. Therein lies the problem, according to Widhalm: "It would all be nice and a true achievement, but there is just no proof." People who are severely overweight require a treatment that is tailored to their individual needs. In normal cases, however, fruit and vegetables three times a day along with 20 to 30 minutes of activity are what's needed as opposed to an expensive program, Widhalm says. 2009-05-06 
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