Re: Should snacks be recommended in obesity treatment?

[Guest guest]

Thanks for that piece. I don't know how simple/difficult it would be,

but I'd like to see a trial where the quality of the snacks in the

3+3M were considered as well. There could be a significant difference

in the numbers...

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> > 1: Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Aug 15; [Epub ahead of

> > print] Links

> >

> > Should snacks be recommended in obesity treatment? a

> > 1-year randomized clinical trial.

> > Bertéus Forslund H, Klingström S, Hagberg H, Löndahl

> > M, Torgerson JS, Lindroos AK.

> > 1Department of Metabolism and Cardiovascular

> > Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University,

> > Göteborg, Sweden.

> > Objective:To study the effect to recommend no snacks

> > vs three snacks per day on 1-year weight loss. The

> > hypothesis was that it is easier to control energy

> > intake and lose weight if snacks in between meals

> > are omitted.Subjects/Method:In total 140 patients

> > (36 men, 104 women), aged 18-60 years and body mass

> > index>30 kg/m(2) were randomized and 93 patients (27

> > men, 66 women) completed the study. A 1-year

> > randomized intervention trial was conducted with two

> > treatment arms with different eating frequencies; 3

> > meals/day (3M) or 3 meals and 3 snacks/day (3+3M).

> > The patients received regular and individualized

> > counseling by dieticians. Information on eating

> > patterns, dietary intake, weight and metabolic

> > variables was collected at baseline and after 1

> > year.Results:Over 1 year the 3M group reported a

> > decrease in the number of snacks whereas the 3+3M

> > group reported an increase (-1.1 vs +0.4 snacks/day,

> > respectively, P<0.0001). Both groups decreased

> > energy intake

> > and E% (energy percent) fat and increased E%

> > protein and fiber intake but there was no

> > differences between the groups. Both groups lost

> > weight, but there was no significant difference in

> > weight loss after 1 year of treatment (3M vs

> > 3+3M=-4.1+/-6.1 vs -5.9+/-9.4 kg; P=0.31). Changes

> > in metabolic variables did not differ between the

> > groups, except for high-density lipoprotein that

> > increased in the 3M group but not in 3+3M group

> > (P<0.033 for group

> > difference).Conclusion:Recommending snacks or not

> > between meals does not influence 1-year weight loss.

> > European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance

> > online publication, 15 August 2007;

> > doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602860.

> > PMID: 17700649

>