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Evidence for the Effectiveness of Meal
replacements for Weight Loss
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22 September 2005
A recent meta-analysis published in the International Journal of
Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders May 2, vol 27 (5) 2003
(pages 37-49) by Heymsfield et al showed that meal replacements
result in medically significant weight losses - 7% average
weight loss at 3 months and 7-8% at 1 year. Along with the
weight loss there was also an improvement in some heart disease
and diabetes risk factors such as blood glucose and insulin
levels, blood lipid profiles and blood pressure.
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Two groups of dieters were studied. The partial meal replacement (PMR)
group replaced 1-2 meals daily with 1-2 vitamin/mineral fortified
liquid meal replacements but included at least one meal of regular
foods. The reduced calorie diet group (RCD) consumed the same number
of calories as the PMR (800-1600kcal/day) but did not consume any
meal replacaments. A significantly greater weight loss was achieved
in subjects receiving the meal replacements compared with the RCD
group. The former lost 7-8% body weight and the latter 3-7% i.e the
PMR group lost 2.5kg more. There were also significantly less
dropouts in the PMR group after 1 year. No reported adverse events
were attributable to either weight loss regimen at one year.
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