Plain language summary
Many diets can produce weight loss over the short term, but most people struggle to maintain this loss over the long term. One explanation is that weight loss results in biological effects, such as a decline in energy expenditure and an increase in hunger, that promote weight regain. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of three different diets on energy expenditure, hormones (including leptin, insulin, cortisol and thyroid hormones) and metabolic indicators following a 10-15% weight loss. The three diets differed widely in macronutrient composition and were: low-fat/high glycaemic load (60% energy from carbohydrates, 20%, 20% protein) LF; low glycaemic index (40%-40%-20%) LGI; and very low carbohydrate/low glycaemic load (10%-60%-30%) VLC. Participants were assigned to one of the three diets for four weeks. Participants on the VLC diet had a resting energy expenditure (REE) of 67kcal/day greater than the LF diet, as well as a total energy expenditure (TEE) of 300kcal/day greater. The physiological basis for these differences is unclear. Although the VLC diet produced the greatest improvements in most metabolic syndrome markers, it also resulted in increased cortisol and inflammation markers. These could be deleterious to health in the long term.
Abstract
CONTEXT Reduced energy expenditure following weight loss is thought to contribute to weight gain. However, the effect of dietary composition on energy expenditure during weight-loss maintenance has not been studied. OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of 3 diets differing widely in macronutrient composition and glycemic load on energy expenditure following weight loss. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A controlled 3-way crossover design involving 21 overweight and obese young adults conducted at Children's Hospital Boston and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, between June 16, 2006, and June 21, 2010, with recruitment by newspaper advertisements and postings. INTERVENTION After achieving 10% to 15% weight loss while consuming a run-in diet, participants consumed an isocaloric low-fat diet (60% of energy from carbohydrate, 20% from fat, 20% from protein; high glycemic load), low-glycemic index diet (40% from carbohydrate, 40% from fat, and 20% from protein; moderate glycemic load), and very low-carbohydrate diet (10% from carbohydrate, 60% from fat, and 30% from protein; low glycemic load) in random order, each for 4 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome was resting energy expenditure (REE), with secondary outcomes of total energy expenditure (TEE), hormone levels, and metabolic syndrome components. RESULTS Compared with the pre-weight-loss baseline, the decrease in REE was greatest with the low-fat diet (mean [95% CI], -205 [-265 to -144] kcal/d), intermediate with the low-glycemic index diet (-166 [-227 to -106] kcal/d), and least with the very low-carbohydrate diet (-138 [-198 to -77] kcal/d; overall P = .03; P for trend by glycemic load = .009). The decrease in TEE showed a similar pattern (mean [95% CI], -423 [-606 to -239] kcal/d; -297 [-479 to -115] kcal/d; and -97 [-281 to 86] kcal/d, respectively; overall P = .003; P for trend by glycemic load < .001). Hormone levels and metabolic syndrome components also varied during weight maintenance by diet (leptin, P < .001; 24-hour urinary cortisol, P = .005; indexes of peripheral [P = .02] and hepatic [P = .03] insulin sensitivity; high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, P < .001; non-HDL cholesterol, P < .001; triglycerides, P < .001; plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, P for trend = .04; and C-reactive protein, P for trend = .05), but no consistent favorable pattern emerged. CONCLUSION Among overweight and obese young adults compared with pre-weight-loss energy expenditure, isocaloric feeding following 10% to 15% weight loss resulted in decreases in REE and TEE that were greatest with the low-fat diet, intermediate with the low-glycemic index diet, and least with the very low-carbohydrate diet. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00315354.
