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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — What’s the secret to losing weight? Researchers at the University of Illinois believe the key is eating more protein and fiber, not less. Their novel dietary weight loss program shows promising results for some participants. However, it also highlights the challenges of sustainable weight loss.
The program, called the Individualized Diet Improvement Program (iDip), aims to help people lose weight by teaching them to make informed food choices rather than following strict diets or relying on pre-packaged meals. Along with focusing on protein and fiber, dieters also need to balance one other component — limiting their overall calories.
Weight loss does vary on iDip
The study, published in the journal Obesity Science & Practice, followed 22 participants over the course of a year. While the average weight loss was modest at about 6.5% of initial body weight, the results varied dramatically between individuals. Some participants achieved impressive weight loss of nearly 13% on average, while others lost little to no weight at all.
What sets this program apart is its focus on educating participants about nutrition and helping them develop skills to create their own personalized weight loss plans. Instead of prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach, iDip uses innovative tools to help people understand the nutritional content of foods and make better choices.
“Flexibility and personalization are key in creating programs that optimize dieters’ success at losing weight and keeping it off,” says Manabu Nakamura, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the leader of the research, in a media release. “Sustainable dietary change, which varies from person to person, must be achieved to maintain a healthy weight. The iDip approach allows participants to experiment with various dietary iterations, and the knowledge and skills they develop while losing weight serve as the foundation for sustainable maintenance.”
One key feature is the “Protein-Fiber plot,” a visual tool that displays the protein and fiber content of foods relative to their calories. This allows participants to easily compare different food options and choose those that are more nutritionally dense. The program also emphasizes increasing protein and fiber intake while reducing overall calories, a strategy backed by research for preserving muscle mass during weight loss.
“The research strongly suggests that increasing protein and fiber intake while simultaneously reducing calories is required to optimize the safety and efficacy of weight loss diets,” reports first author and U. of I. alumna Mindy H. Lee, a then-graduate student and registered dietitian-nutritionist for the iDip program.
No more calorie counting?
Another unique aspect is the use of a weekly weight chart based on daily weigh-ins rather than calorie counting. This helps participants visualize their progress and monitor their energy balance without the tedious task of logging every meal.
The study’s findings suggest that successful weight loss is closely tied to how well participants were able to implement the dietary changes taught in the program. Those who increased their protein and fiber intake relative to calories tended to lose more weight. Interestingly, weight loss in the first three months was strongly predictive of long-term success, highlighting the importance of early progress.
Nakamura adds that preserving lean mass is critical while losing weight, especially when using weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic. Simply put, keep eating your protein and fiber because these medications should not be taken on an empty stomach.
“Recently, the popularity of injectable weight loss medications has been increasing,” Nakamura concludes. “However, using these medications when food intake is strongly limited will cause serious side effects of muscle and bone loss unless protein intake is increased during weight loss.”
While the program showed promise for some, the wide variation in results underscores the complex nature of weight loss. Factors like depression, which was associated with less weight loss in this study, may play a role in outcomes. The researchers hope to refine the program based on these findings to improve its effectiveness for a broader range of people.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The study enrolled 30 participants with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. Over the course of a year, participants attended 19 educational sessions and three individual advising meetings. They learned about nutrition, how to use the Protein-Fiber plot and strategies for making healthier food choices. Participants weighed themselves daily using Wi-Fi-enabled scales and submitted food records periodically. Body composition was measured at the beginning, middle, and end of the study.
Key Results
Of the 22 participants who completed the program, 9 achieved clinically significant weight loss of more than 5% of their initial body weight. These successful participants lost an average of 12.9% of their body weight, primarily from fat mass. The remaining 13 participants lost an average of only 2% of their body weight. Higher protein and fiber intake relative to calories was associated with greater weight loss throughout the study.
Study Limitations
The study had a small sample size and lacked a control group, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. The wide variation in results also limits the program’s reliability as a weight loss treatment. Additionally, the study only followed participants for one year, so the long-term sustainability of the weight loss is unknown.
Discussion & Takeaways
The iDip program shows potential as an alternative to traditional diets, especially for those who are able to successfully implement the dietary changes. The focus on education and personalization may help some people develop lasting healthy eating habits.
However, the varied results suggest that additional factors, such as mental health and individual circumstances, play a significant role in weight loss success. Future iterations of the program may need to address these factors to improve outcomes for a wider range of participants.
Funding & Disclosures
The study was funded by grants from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
