Low-Calorie Diet Best for Obese Teens

PHILADELPHIAWhile meal replacements are effective for obese teens in the initial stages of dieting; however, they were no better than a standard low-calorie diet in terms of controlling weight over the course of a year, according to a new study published in the journal Obesity.

Researchers at Philadelphias Childrens Hospital noted trading regular meals for shakes, bars or prepackaged entrees can be a useful weight loss strategy for adults as well, because both teenagers and adults often underestimate their calorie intake when they eat regular foods.

The research team randomly assigned 113 overweight teens and their families to one of three regimens: a standard 1,300- to 1,500-calorie-per-day diet for a year, four months of meal replacements (three SlimFast shakes, one prepackaged entrée, and five servings of fruits and vegetables) followed by eight months on a low-cal diet, or an entire year of replacements.

At four months, the teens in the meal replacement groups had lowered their body mass index (BMI) by 6.3 percent on average, compared to 3.8 percent for teens in the low-calorie diet group. But during the second phase of the study, teens in each group gained weight. By one year, average BMI reduction was 2.8 percent for those following the low-calorie diet plan and 3.4 percent for the meal replacement-only group. Statistically, by the end of the study there was no substantial difference in degree of weight loss among the three groups.