Weight Maintenance Diets
Weight Study Aim
To compare importance of rate of initial weight loss for long term outcome
in obese patients and to compare efficacy of two different weight maintenance
programmes. Subjects were randomised to either rapid or slow initial weight
loss. Completing patients were re-randomised to one year weight maintenance
programme of ad lib diet or fixed energy intake diet. Patients were followed
up one year later.
Weight Study Results
Mean initial weight loss was 12.6 kg (95 percent confidence interval 10.9
to 14.3 kg) in rapid weight loss group and 12.6 kg in conventional diet
group. Rate of initial weight loss had no effect on weight maintenance
after 6 or 12 months of weight maintenance or at follow up. After weight
maintenance programme, the ad lib group had maintained 13.2 kg of the
initial weight loss of 13.5 kg, and the fixed energy intake group had
maintained 9.7 kg of the initial 13.8kg weight loss. Regained weight at
follow up was greater in fixed energy intake group than in ad lib group
11.3 kg v 5.4 kg, group difference 5.9 kg. At follow up, 65 percent of
ad lib group and 40 percent of fixed energy intake group had maintained
a weight loss of > 5 kg.
Weight Study Conclusion
Ad lib, low fat, high carbohydrate diet was superior to fixed energy intake
for maintaining weight after a major weight loss. The rate of the initial
weight loss did not influence long term outcome.
Source: Toubro S, Astrup A. Research Department
of Human Nutrition, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen,
Denmark.1997
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