Should snacks be recommended in obesity treatment?

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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