Unanticipated weight gain during a dietary intervention designed to improve iron status (804.20)

Abstract

Objective: To quantify the effect on weight gain of a 4.5 months feeding trial intended to replace the subjects’ regular meals.Methods: 145 Rwandan women (18‐26 years) in a double‐blind feeding trial were randomized to receive either iron‐biofortified beans or traditional beans daily for 4.5 months. During the feeding period, the subjects were served 175 g of beans per meal, for lunch and dinner, plus ad libitum consumption of side dishes; they were allowed to consume more beans if desired. Blood biomarkers and anthropometry were measured before and after the feeding period. General linear models were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention on weight gain.Results: On average, the women consumed 200 g of beans (358 kcals) per meal. After the 4.5 months feeding period, 25% of the women gained 蠅 3 kg in body weight. Both the control and the treatment group consumed the same amount of beans per meal, with the treatment group having a significantly (p>.001) greater increase in iron status. The more beans consumed per meal, the more weight the subjects gained (F= 3.94, p=.05), regardless of iron intake. Women in the upper quartile of the BMI distribution (BMI > 24.2) gained the most weight (F=3.09, p=0.03).Conclusion: Providing lunch and dinner in a feeding trial to improve micronutrient status resulted in a net addition of calories and subsequent weight gain, especially in women with higher BMI.Grant Funding Source: Supported by HarvestPlus