Overweight and obesity problems have risen substantially throughout the recent years.

Knowledge regarding the appropriate strategies for weight loss and weight maintenance is often

overlooked. Individuals sometimes tend to take short cuts when losing weight, which raises

concern for an unbalanced diet and possible weight regain. According to Krauses Food and the

Nutrition Care Process by Kathleen Mahan and Janice Raymond (2017), a drastic calorie

restriction that results in a rapid loss of body weight can mimic a starvation response in the body,

which is an adaptation to an anticipated period of deprivation. A calorie deficit that results in a

loss of approximately 0.5 to 1 lb. per week is ideal for individuals with a BMI of 27-35 (Mahan

& Raymond, 2017). However, there have been studies conducted that tend to challenge this idea

to evaluate long-term weight loss success.

A study published by Vink et al in 2016 evaluated the effect of rate of weight loss on

long-term weight regain in adults who were overweight and obese. Sixty-one overweight and

obese individuals were recruited for this study. Exclusion criteria included individuals who

smoked, had cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, liver or kidney disease, used medications

that influenced body weight regulation, were pregnant, had moderately high alcohol

consumption, elevated fasting glucose, elevated total cholesterol or triacylglycerol

concentrations, or elevated blood pressure (Vink et al, 2016). Questionnaires were filled out by

the participants on physical activity and weight cycles. The final sample size included fifty-five

participants. Participants were randomly placed into two groups, a low-calorie diet (LCD) of

1,250 kcal/day for 12 weeks and a very low-calorie diet (VLCD) of 500 kcal/day for 5 weeks,

both followed by a 4-week weight stable period and 9-month follow-up period (Vink et al,2016).

The LCD group was considered the slow weight loss program, while the VLCD group was the
rapid weight loss program. These diets were created and monitored throughout the study by a

dietitian. The LCD consisted of one meal replacement, two meals prepared by the participants

that were created by the dietitian, and three snacks daily (Vink et al, 2016). The VLCD consisted

of three meal replacement meals daily, while also being able to consume two 500 mL instant

broth drinks per day and an unrestricted amount of low-calorie vegetables (Vink et al, 2016).

Results of this study in the weight loss (WL) period concluded that there was an average

weight loss of 0.7 kg/week in the LCD-group and 1.8 kg/week in the VLCD-group (Vink et al,

2016). There was no difference in body weight between the two groups in the 4-week weight-

stable period. Fat percentage significantly decreased in both groups, and %FFML was higher in

the VLCD-group compared to the LCD-group after WL. After the 9-month follow up, data

concluded that participants in both diet programs regained more than 50% of the weight lost

(Vink et al, 2016). Overall, the results of this study suggest that the rate of weight loss did not

affect long-term weight regain in individuals who are overweight and obese, since it was

suggested that %FFML was positively correlated with weight regain in both groups (Vink et al,

2016).

The weight regains of participants after the 9-month follow up can be explained by the

drastic calorie deficit demonstrated in this study, more so in the VLCD-group than in the LC-

group. Although the drastic calorie deficit was intended for the purposes of the study, it still

contrasts what is being recommended by Mahan & Raymond (2017). Weight reduction was not

taken into consideration with gender in the study, however, the percentage of fat free mass loss

(%FFML) was. Men tend to lose weight faster than women due to their higher lean body mass

and resting metabolic rate (Mahan & Raymond, 2017). One could say that fat free mass can yield

the same conclusion. The results of the study concluded that there was no difference in %FFML
between men and women, which contrasts a study, mentioned in the article, performed by

Millward et al., that showed that FFML was greater in men than in women (Vink et al, 2016).

Bigger studies along with a longer duration should be conducted to further examine the effect of

rate of weight loss on the long-term weight regain of overweight and obese adults. For now, the

latest research shows that the most successful strategy for weight loss and weight maintenance in

individuals, overall, is a restricted-energy diet combined with lifestyle modifications and dietary

modifications (Mahan & Raymond, 2017). Individuals who are overweight and obese should

focus on gradual weight loss for optimal weight maintenance.

 References

Mahan, K., Raymond, J. (2017). Krouses Food and the Nutrition Care Process (14th ed.) St.
Louis, MI.
Vink, Roel G., et al. The effect of rate of weight loss on long-Term weight regain in adults with
overweight and obesity. Obesity, vol. 24, no. 2, 2016, pp. 321327.,
doi:10.1002/oby.21346.