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Updated: Aug 4, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Comparison of two hypocaloric diets in obese children
R Figueroa-Colon1, T K von Almen, F A Franklin
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama, Birmingham.
Insights
The protein-sparing modified fast diet and hypocaloric balanced diet effectively reduced pediatric obesity. The modified fast diet showed greater overweight reduction and preserved lean body mass in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Pediatric obesity is a growing public health concern requiring effective weight management strategies.
- Evaluating different dietary interventions is crucial for safe and successful outpatient weight reduction programs for children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the safety and efficacy of a protein-sparing modified fast diet versus a hypocaloric balanced diet in children undergoing outpatient weight management.
- To compare the effectiveness of these two diets in reducing overweight and body composition changes over a 14.5-month follow-up period.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 19 children (7.5–16.9 years) with overweight issues.
- Participants were assigned to either a protein-sparing modified fast diet or a hypocaloric balanced diet for the initial 10 weeks, followed by a shared hypocaloric diet phase.
- Data collected included weight, body composition, growth velocity, blood pressure, and serum cholesterol levels.
Main Results:
- Both diets led to significant weight loss, but the protein-sparing modified fast diet resulted in greater reductions in overweight percentage at 10 weeks and 6 months.
- The protein-sparing modified fast diet group demonstrated significant adipose tissue loss while preserving lean body mass.
- Transient growth velocity slowing was observed in both groups at 6 months, normalizing by 14.5 months; significant reductions in blood pressure and serum cholesterol were noted.
Conclusions:
- Hypocaloric diets, including the protein-sparing modified fast diet, are safe and effective for short-term pediatric obesity management.
- Close medical supervision is essential when implementing these dietary interventions in children.
Objective:
To examine whether a protein-sparing modified fast diet and a hypocaloric balanced diet are safe and effective for children in an outpatient weight reduction program.
Design:
Randomization of two groups to either diet, with follow-up at 14.5 months.
Setting:
Physician or parent referral to outpatient program at Children's Hospital of New Orleans, La.
Participants:
Nineteen children, ranging in age from 7.5 to 16.9 years, weighing 45% to 131% more than the mean weight for age, sex, and height.
Intervention:
During the first 10 weeks, 10 children were placed on a protein-sparing modified fast diet (2520 to 3360 J), and nine children and adolescents were placed on a hypocaloric balanced diet (3360 to 4200 J). Subsequently, all participants were placed on a hypocaloric diet; calories were increased from 4200 to 5040 J in a 3-month period and maintained for 1 year.
Selection Procedures:
Children were assigned to one of two diets for the first 10 weeks according to their time of enrollment.
Measurements/Main Results:
Both diets produced significant weight loss during the first 6 months. However, the protein-sparing modified fast diet produced significantly greater changes in the percentage of overweight at 10 weeks (-30% vs -14%) and at 6 months (-32% vs -18%). At 10 weeks, a significant loss of adipose tissue with preservation of lean body mass occurred in the protein-sparing modified fast group. A transient slowing of growth velocity was noted at 6 months in both dietary groups compared with values at 14.5 months. Growth velocity approached normal levels at 14.5 months compared with standards for North American children. When dietary groups were combined, the initial mean blood pressure decreased significantly at all points in the study. The initial mean serum cholesterol value also decreased significantly at 10 weeks. No biochemical or clinical complications were observed.
Conclusions:
These hypocaloric diets appear to be safe and effective in the short-term management of pediatric obesity. However, these diets should not be used without close medical supervision.
