Enhanced weight loss with protein-enriched meal replacements in subjects with the metabolic syndrome.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the effects of a high-protein diet versus a conventional protein diet on weight loss, weight maintenance, and body composition in individuals with metabolic syndrome.
Results Summary
The high-protein diet group lost more body weight and fat mass than the conventional protein diet group, with similar fat-free mass loss in both groups. Improvements in metabolic syndrome parameters were greater in the high-protein group, with 64.5% no longer meeting metabolic syndrome criteria after 12 months.
Population
Obese individuals with metabolic syndrome.
Effective Dosage
High-protein diet (1.34 g/kg body weight) vs. conventional protein diet (0.8 g/kg body weight).
Duration
12 months.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
high-protein diet | decrease | body weight | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | - | lost more | #1 |
high-protein diet | decrease | fat mass | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | - | lost more | #2 |
high-protein diet | no change | loss of fat-free mass | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | - | similar | #3 |
conventional protein diet | no change | loss of fat-free mass | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | - | similar | #4 |
high-protein diet | increase | biochemical parameters associated with the metabolic syndrome | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | - | improved | #5 |
conventional protein diet | increase | biochemical parameters associated with the metabolic syndrome | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | - | improved | #6 |
high-protein diet | increase | biochemical parameters associated with the metabolic syndrome | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | - | modestly greater improvements | #7 |
high-protein diet | decrease | metabolic syndrome status | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | 64.5% | no longer met three or more of the criteria for having the metabolic syndrome | #8 |
conventional protein diet | decrease | metabolic syndrome status | obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome | 34.8% | no longer met three or more of the criteria for having the metabolic syndrome | #9 |
energy-restricted, high-protein diet with nutrient-dense meal replacements | decrease | body weight and fat-free mass | individuals with the metabolic syndrome | - | achieved significant weight loss while preserving fat-free mass | #10 |
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a protein-rich diet in comparison with a conventional protein diet on weight loss, weight maintenance, and body composition in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Obese subjects received instructions for an energy-restricted diet with a calorie deficit of 500 kcal/day and were randomly assigned to either high-protein (1.34 g/kg body weight) or conventional protein (0.8 g/kg body weight) diets for 12 months. Protein-enriched meal replacements were used to enrich one arm of the diet with protein throughout the study. In all, 67% of the participants completed the 1-year study. RESULTS: Subjects following the high-protein diet lost more body weight and more fat mass compared with those on the conventional protein diet, whereas the loss of fat-free mass was similar in both diet groups. Biochemical parameters associated with the metabolic syndrome improved in both diet groups. Improvements were modestly greater in subjects with the high-protein diet. After 12 months of treatment, 64.5% of the subjects in the high-protein diet group and 34.8% of the subjects in the conventional diet group no longer met three or more of the criteria for having the metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with the metabolic syndrome achieved significant weight loss while preserving fat-free mass when treated with an energy-restricted, high-protein diet that included nutrient-dense meal replacements, as compared with the results for conventional protein intake. An intervention with a protein-enriched diet may have advantages for the management of the metabolic syndrome.