The purpose of this investigation is to conduct a 12-week pilot study to examine the effect of three different dietary prescriptions that differ on targeting reducing energy density (kcal/gram) and energy (kcal) on overall dietary intake, hunger, feelings of deprivation, satisfaction with the diet, mood, and weight loss in 45 overweight/obese adults receiving a 12-week behavioral weight loss intervention.
Given the current prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults in the United States and the projected increase of these conditions in the future, development of effective weight loss and weight loss maintenance strategies is imperative. For weight loss to occur, energy intake needs to be reduced to incur an energy deficit, and for successful weight loss maintenance, energy intake needs to remain lower than energy intake at pre-weight loss levels due to an overall reduction in body size which reduces basal metabolic rate. One dietary strategy that may facilitate weight loss maintenance is consuming a diet low in dietary energy density (ED). This pilot study will test the effects of a dietary prescription focused on ED. All participants in the investigation will receive a standard 12-week behavioral obesity intervention. The intervention will include an activity goal that participants will gradually work to achieve over the course of the 12-week intervention along with standard behavioral weight loss strategies. One condition will receive a dietary prescription for weight loss that focuses solely on lowering the ED of the diet, another condition will receive the traditional dietary prescription used in behavioral weight loss interventions that reduces energy intake, and the third condition will receive both prescriptions. Pre and post intervention measurements will be taken to determine if there are differences between groups.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
45
12 week standard behavioral weight loss intervention including a physical activity goal and behavioral weight control strategies
Consume low ED foods (ED \< 1.0) for at least 10 items consumed per day and limit high ED foods (ED \> 3.0) to two items consumed per day.
Limit energy intake to 1200 to 1500 kcals/day and \< 30% kcals from fat.
Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Energy density of the diet
Energy density is defined as the kilocalories per gram of a food. Energy density will be measured by collecting and analyzing 3-day food records using Nutrition Data Systems for Research at baseline (week 0) and post intervention (week 13).
Time frame: Weeks 0 and 13
Weight Loss
Time frame: Weeks 0 and 13
Feelings of dietary deprivation and satisfaction
Dietary deprivation and satisfaction will be measures using 100mm visual analog scales with the statements "I feel like I ate enough today" and "I feel like I ate what I wanted today". Both scales are anchored with "strongly disagree" on one end and "strongly agree" on the other end. These will be collected for 7 days at baseline (week 0) and post intervention (week 13).
Time frame: Weeks 0 and 13
Hunger
Hunger will be measured using a 100mm visual analog scale. The scale asks "How hungry did you feel today?" and is anchored with "not at all hungry" on one end and "extremely hungry" on the other. Hunger scales will be collected for 7 days at baseline (week 0) and post intervention (week 13).
Time frame: Weeks 0 and 13
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