Abstract
Meal replacement plans are effective tools for weight loss and improvement of various clinical characteristics but not sustainable due to the severe energy restriction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of meal replacement, specifically 388 kcal in total energy, on body composition and metabolic parameters in individuals with overweight and obesity from a Chinese population. A parallel, randomized controlled trial was performed with 174 participants (ChiCTR-OOC-17012000). The intervention group (N=86) was provided with a dinner meal replacement, and the control group (N=88) continued their routine diet as before. Body composition and blood parameters were assessed at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. A post hoc analysis (least significant difference (LSD) test), repeated measurements, and paired T-test were used to compare each variable within and between groups. Significant (p < 0.001) improvements in body composition components were observed among the intervention group, including body weight (−4.3 ± 3.3%), body mass index (−4.3 ± 3.3%), waist circumference (−4.3 ± 4.4%), fat-free mass (−1.8 ± 2.9%), and body fat mass (−5.3 ± 8.8%). Body composition improvements corresponded with significant metabolic improvements of blood glucose (−4.7 ± 9.8%). Further improvements in visceral fat area (−7.7 ± 10.1%), accompanying with improvements in systolic (−3.7 ± 6.9%) and diastolic (−5.3 ± 7.7%) blood pressure, were only found in male subjects. To conclude, meal replacement intake with 388 kcal in total energy at dinner time for 12 weeks contributed to improvement in body composition and clinically significant metabolic parameters in both male and female participants with overweight/obesity. Additionally, glucose and blood pressure reduction were gender-specific highlighting the importance of gender stratification for design of nutritional intervention studies for improvement of health.
Highlights
Obesity has increased dramatically worldwide over the past few decades [1]
Chronic obesity increases individual risks for many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension [4, 5], which are increasing in prevalence among Chinese populations at an alarming rate [6]
There are few studies looking at the effects of low-calorie meal replacement in Chinese populations, for which environmental, nutritional, and physiological differences are known to exist [10]
Summary
Obesity has increased dramatically worldwide over the past few decades [1]. According to the World Health Organization, more than one-third of adults in China are overweight, while 7% of adults are obese [2], with some provinces reaching epidemic proportions [3]. Chronic obesity increases individual risks for many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension [4, 5], which are increasing in prevalence among Chinese populations at an alarming rate [6]. From a health-care perspective, addressing overweight and obesity is an important strategy that contributes to the prevention or reduced risk of developing these diseases within the Chinese population [7]. Energy-restricted meal replacements are a safe and effective strategy for weight control that has been implemented in many studies [8, 9]. Physiological response to specific meal replacement diets is heterogeneous and may vary by individual or population. There are few studies looking at the effects of low-calorie meal replacement in Chinese populations, for which environmental, nutritional, and physiological differences are known to exist [10]
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