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Maintenance following a very-low-calorie diet
W S Agras1, R I Berkowitz, B A Arnow
1Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305-5544, USA.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
|June 1, 1996
Summary
This study found that using prepackaged foods or basing food reintroduction on weight progress did not improve weight loss maintenance after a very-low-calorie diet. The prepackaged food approach showed lower compliance.
Area of Science:
- Dietary science
- Obesity research
- Behavioral medicine
Background:
- Maintaining weight loss after a very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) is challenging.
- Standard reintroduction of solid foods may not optimize long-term weight management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if stimulus narrowing with prepackaged foods improves weight loss maintenance post-VLCD.
- To compare weight-contingent vs. time-contingent food reintroduction strategies.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial involving participants post-VLCD.
- Two intervention arms: stimulus narrowing (prepackaged foods) vs. regular food.
- Two reintroduction procedures: weight-contingent vs. time-contingent.
Main Results:
- Neither stimulus narrowing nor weight-contingent reintroduction improved maximum weight loss or maintenance.
- Stimulus narrowing (prepackaged foods) demonstrated poorer participant compliance and attendance.
- No significant difference in weight maintenance between the two reintroduction schedules.
Conclusions:
- Prepackaged foods and weight-contingent reintroduction do not enhance weight loss maintenance post-VLCD.
- The stimulus narrowing approach may be poorly tolerated by participants.
- Further research is needed to identify effective strategies for long-term weight loss maintenance.