Pierre Dukan French physician, author of the Dukan Diet Date of Birth: 08.07.1941 Country: France

Biography of Pierre Dukan

Pierre Dukan is a renowned French physician and the author of the famous Dukan Diet. Born in 1941 in Algiers, French Algeria (a former French colony), Dukan moved to Paris with his family at a young age. He pursued a medical degree in Paris and developed an interest in weight loss and obesity from the early stages of his career.

Initially planning to become a neurologist, Dukan's focus shifted to dietetics after one of his patients successfully lost a significant amount of weight following his advice. Though his knowledge of dietetics was limited to his university course on healthy eating, this breakthrough inspired Dukan to develop his own weight loss method.

Eventually, he created the famous Dukan Diet, which is based on a high-protein eating plan. The diet consists of four phases: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation, and Stabilization. During the Attack phase, only pure protein foods such as meat, dairy products, and eggs are consumed. The Cruise phase involves alternating pure protein days with mixed protein and vegetable days. The Consolidation phase aims to consolidate the weight loss, and the Stabilization phase focuses on maintaining the achieved weight loss.

Dukan's innovative weight loss method gained widespread popularity and eventually challenged the well-known Kremlin Diet. His book "I don't know how to get slimmer," published in 2000, became an international bestseller, selling over 10 million copies worldwide and translated into at least 15 languages.

While the Dukan Diet has attracted a large following, it has also faced criticism. Some experts argue that the excessive protein consumption may have negative effects on the kidneys and can lead to a lack of fiber. Additionally, Dukan's emphasis on calories as an argument against counting them has been scrutinized.

Despite the criticism, the Dukan Diet has appealed to numerous followers, including celebrities. In the UK, the book gained popularity after Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, used it to prepare for her wedding to Prince William. She reportedly dropped two dress sizes following the diet.

Today, Pierre Dukan is over 70 years old but remains active, traveling the world, and meeting with his readers and followers. In 2012, he voluntarily left the French Medical Order.