Nutritional Group Counseling Or Individualized Prescription? Anthropometric, Metabolic, Nutritional And Mental Health Responses: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of nutritional counseling in a group (NCG) or an individualized nutritional prescription (INP) on physical health (inferred from anthropometric, body composition and metabolic responses), nutritional and mental health of overweight or obese women. METHODS: Seventy-four women aged 40-59 years underwent pre-intervention evaluations. The women were randomized into NCG and INP. Twenty-seven women completed the 12-week interventions, 11 being in the NCG and 16 in the INP. The groups were submitted to the same concurrent exercise protocol. They were measured before and after for body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), body fat percentage (BF), lean mass (LM), lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c (A1C), insulin and liver transaminases (AST and ALT). The dietary record was applied, and the following were calculated: total caloric intake (TCI), carbohydrates (CHO), proteins (PTN), lipids (LIP), and saturated and polyunsaturated fats. For mental health, it was measured dissatisfaction with body image, anxiety levels, self-esteem and the presence of pathological eating attitudes. RESULTS: After the intervention, reductions in BW, BMI, FM, BF, TCI, CHO, PTN, LIP, body dissatisfaction, anxiety, and saturated and polyunsaturated fats (p<0.05) were identified. No differences were identified for LM, metabolic variables, self-esteem and pathological eating attitudes (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both nutritional interventions combined with concurrent exercise were effective in promoting improvements in anthropometrics, body composition, food intake and some mental health parameters. Therefore, the choice of the method of nutritional intervention should be based on the preference of the participants.