1.
The effect of glucomannan on body weight in overweight or obese children and adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Zalewski, BM, Chmielewska, A, Szajewska, H
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.). 2015;(3):437-42.e2
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Glucomannan (GM), a soluble fiber derived from the plant Amorphophallus konjac, is marketed as being helpful in reducing body weight. However, the data supporting this claim are scarce. The aim of this review was to systematically evaluate the effects of GM on body weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI) in otherwise healthy obese or overweight children and adults. METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched up to June 2014 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effectiveness of GM versus placebo. The primary outcome measures were BW and BMI. RESULTS Six eligible RCTs, only one of which performed in children, were included. In adults, three RCTs reported a significant reduction in BW in the GM group compared with the control group at the following different points during the intervention: At week 2 (mean difference [MD], 0.21 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.29); at week 4 (MD, 2.04; 95% CI, 0.52-3.56); at week 5 (MD, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.89-1.71); and at week 8 (MD, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.29-5.05). Only one RCT reported a beneficial effect at more than one point. None of the RCTs reported a favorable effect of GM on BMI. CONCLUSIONS In otherwise healthy overweight or obese adults, there is some evidence that in the short term GM may help to reduce BW, but not BMI. Data in children are too limited to draw any conclusions.
2.
Correction of data errors and reanalysis of "The effect of glucomannan on body weight in overweight or obese children and adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials".
Zalewski, BM, Chmielewska, A, Szajewska, H, Keithley, JK, Li, P, Goldsby, TU, Allison, DB
Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.). 2015;(7-8):1056-7
3.
Effects of inulin-type fructans on appetite, energy intake, and body weight in children and adults: systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Liber, A, Szajewska, H
Annals of nutrition & metabolism. 2013;(1-2):42-54
Abstract
AIM: To systematically evaluate the effects of inulin-type fructan (ITF) supplementation on appetite, energy intake, and body weight (BW) in children and adults. METHODS The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to December 2012 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of supplementation with well-defined ITF with placebo or no intervention. RESULTS For the pediatric population, 4 RCTs (n = 232) met the inclusion criteria. In infants, very limited evidence (1 RCT, n = 62) showed no effect of ITF supplementation on energy intake and BW. One RCT involving 97 nonobese adolescents aged 9 to 13 years found a reduced increase in BW in the oligofructose + inulin (8 g/day) group compared with the control group after 1 year. For the adult population, 15 RCTs (n = 545) met the inclusion criteria. Five RCTs found no effect of ITF supplementation on appetite sensations. Eleven RCTs found no effect of ITF supplementation on daily energy intake or energy intake during a meal tolerance test. Among 3 RCTs that assessed the effect of ITF supplementation on BW, 2 RCTs showed a (significant) reduction in BW. Of 3 RCTs that evaluated body mass index (BMI), 1 RCT showed a significant reduction in BMI in subjects supplemented with ITF. CONCLUSION Limited data suggest that long-term administration of ITF may contribute to weight reduction.
4.
Systematic review demonstrating that breakfast consumption influences body weight outcomes in children and adolescents in Europe.
Szajewska, H, Ruszczynski, M
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 2010;(2):113-9
Abstract
Skipping breakfast is common among children and adolescents. However, there is uncertainty regarding whether breakfast consumption contributes to or protects against overweight or obesity. We aimed to review the evidence on the effects of breakfast consumption on body weight outcomes in children and adolescents in Europe. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched in January 2009. We identified 16 studies. All were cross-sectional or cohort trials involving more than 59,000 children/adolescents from Europe. Thirteen studies (n = 57,481) consistently showed that breakfast has a protective effect against becoming overweight or obese. One trial (n = 886) showed that this effect was significant only for boys. The effect of eating breakfast on the body mass index (BMI) was analyzed in 4 studies (n = 2897). All of these studies showed an increase in BMI in breakfast skippers. In one study (n = 1245), this effect was significant only for boys. The results of this analysis suggest that eating breakfast is associated with a reduced risk of becoming overweight or obese and a reduction in the BMI in children and adolescents in Europe. However, almost all of the data in this review were gathered from observational studies, thus, causality should not be assumed based on these findings.