A study that helped subjects lose significant amounts of weight with a flexible diet program revealed the importance of consuming protein and fiber as the key to a successful diet.
Twenty-two individuals who completed the Individualized Diet Development Program (iDip) learned about key nutrients and improved their nutrition skills by attending two years of nutrition education sessions supervised by scientists from the University of Illinois.
Participants were encouraged to limit their calorie intake to 1,500 calories per day, much less than the generally recommended 2,000 to 2,500 calories. They were told to increase their protein intake to about 80 grams (2.8 oz) per day and their fiber intake to about 20 grams (0.7 oz).
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“The research strongly suggests that increasing protein and fiber intake while reducing calories is essential to maximize the safety and effectiveness of weight-loss diets,” Mindy H. Lee, registered dietitian and first author of the study, said in a statement.
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Current nutritional wisdom suggests that protein helps the body maintain muscle mass, which in turn helps the body maintain or improve metabolism and achieve sustainable weight loss. Meanwhile, eating more fiber promotes satiety and improves gut health, but it doesn’t contribute to calorie intake because it passes through the body undigested.
After one year, 41% of iDip participants were categorized as successful, having lost an average of 12.9% of their body weight. In comparison, others lost an average of 2% of their body weight.
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Those who lost the most weight were more likely to have consumed more protein and fiber; scientists detected a strong correlation starting in the third month of the study.
While rapid weight loss can lead to muscle loss as well as fat loss, iDip participants who lost more than 5 percent of their starting weight (and presumably consumed more protein) lost mainly fat cells (78%) and minimal muscle mass.
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Among the entire group encouraged to increase their protein intake, dieters lost minimal muscle mass but an average of 15 pounds (7.5 kg) of fat after six months.
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Aside from protein and fibre intake, there was one other factor that contributed significantly to dieters’ success. Those diagnosed with depression (seven participants) lost significantly less weight than those without a mental health condition: 2.4% versus 8.4%, respectively. Health conditions other than depression did not appear to have a similar effect.
It’s also important that iDip is designed to be tailored to each individual, said Manabu T. Nakamura, a professor of nutrition. He said the program allows dieters to experiment with their diets while maintaining the knowledge and skills to achieve sustainable change.
“Flexibility and customization are key to creating programs that optimize dieters’ success in losing weight and keeping it off,” he said.
“To maintain a healthy weight, sustainable dietary changes need to be made, which vary from person to person.”
Overall, iDip dieters lost an average of 15 pounds of fat and lost 3 inches (9.5 cm) around their waists in 15 months, even though they had made at least two weight-loss attempts before the program.
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Reference
Lee, MH, Shaffer, A., Alfouzan, NW, Applegate, CC, Hsu, JC, Erdman Jr., JW, Nakamura, MT (2024).Successful dietary changes are associated with weight loss outcomes in a new dietary weight loss program. Obesity Science and Practice, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.764