Randomized clinical trial of portion-controlled prepackaged foods to promote weight loss

Providing portion-controlled prepackaged foods in a behavioral counseling intervention may promote more weight and fat loss than a standard self-selected diet.

The primary aim was to test whether providing portion-controlled prepackaged lunch and dinner entrées within a behavioral weight loss intervention promotes greater weight loss at 12 weeks compared to self-selected foods in adults with overweight/obesity. Other aims were to examine effects on biological factors, fitness, and meal satisfaction. One-half of those assigned to prepackaged entrées were provided items with a higher protein level (>25% energy) as an exploratory aim.

Participants (N = 183) had a baseline weight of 95.9 (15.6) kg (mean [SD]) and BMI of 33.2 (3.5) kg/m(2) . Weight data at 12 weeks were available for 180 subjects. Weight loss for regular entrée, higher protein entrée, and control groups was 8.6 (3.9)%, 7.8 (5.1)%, and 6.0 (4.4)%, respectively (P < 0.05, intervention vs. control). Intervention participants lost more body fat than controls (5.7 [3.4] vs. 4.4 [3.3] kg, P < 0.05).

A meal plan incorporating portion-controlled prepackaged entrées promotes greater weight and fat loss than a standard self-selected diet, with comparable meal satisfaction. Initial weight loss predicts long-term weight loss so these results are relevant to likelihood of longer term success.