Comparison of dietary patterns, food groups, nutrients intake, cardio-metabolic biomarkers, and liver enzymes in successful and unsuccessful weight loss maintainers

Abstract

PurposeCompare dietary patterns, food groups, nutrients intake, cardio-metabolic risk factors, and liver enzymes between female weight loss maintainers and regainers. MethodsThe present study was conducted using a case-control design on 263 participants. Cases and controls were matched regarding sex, ethnicity, and family history of obesity. Three 24-h dietary recalls were used to extract the usual dietary intake and major dietary patterns; the three-factor eating questionnaire was administered to evaluate the dietary habits; and blood sampling was performed to evaluate fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, and liver enzymes. ResultsIn total, three major dietary patterns were identified: Mediterranean-like dietary pattern, high-fat-high-carbohydrate (HFHC) dietary pattern, and Iranian traditional dietary pattern. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean-like and Iranian traditional dietary patterns increased the odds of success in weight loss maintenance (P-value<0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The HFHC dietary pattern was associated with lower success in weight loss (P-value<0.001). Maintainers had lower daily energy and carbohydrate intake (P-value<0.001), but not lower fiber, calcium and folate (P-value >0.05); even in the maintainers the calories percent from protein was higher than regainers (P-value <0.001). Longer duration of weight loss period (P-value<0.001), and combination of diet and exercise method in weight loss (P-value = 0.028) were more frequent and attempts for weight loss (P-value<0.001) was less frequent among maintainers compared to regainers. Participants with successful weight loss had significantly lower fasting blood sugar and gamma-glutamyltransferase levels after adjusted for confounding factors (P-value<0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). ConclusionResults indicated a higher healthy dietary patterns and lower adherence to unhealthy dietary patterns and different intake of food groups and nutrients in maintainers compared to regainers.