24 week study sounds brutal, would never happen today in politically correct society.

   participant: I want to chop of my fingers and eat them, or kill myself, please let me go.
   "doctor": You signed a waiver, now shut up and eat your turnip!

Anecdote: There was a Polish Survivor edition in 2004, ran out of ideas halfway thru the series and started starving contestants out. They did things like an hour long swimming/running race culminated in holding item over your head in full sun until you collapse, all for the prize of small bag of sugar, while losers got small portions of white rice instead. Ordinary men got turned into stick figures. Last program was recorded one month after the contest, all previously super skinny guys sported huge beer bellies, when asked said they couldnt stop eating.