This was a perfectly valid scientific experiment, with the laudable goal of determining how best to help victims of starvation recover.
Some of the comments here are odd. There was no political slant to these experiments and the participants were all volunteers.
I don’t think I could do that to myself if I had access to food at home or at work. I agree with your sentiment, but don’t you just start feeding people that are starving and let nature take its course?