Factors Affecting Caloric Regulation in Human Feeding

The Effect of Decreases in Energy Density on Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

This study will test the hypothesis that reducing the energy density of the diet by incorporating more water-rich foods will result in: 1) greater weight loss and weight maintenance; 2) greater diet satisfaction and satiety; and 3) more healthful dietary patterns than reducing dietary fat alone.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Reduced-energy-density diet

Detailed Description

Energy density refers to the amount of calories (energy) in a given weight of food. For the same amount of energy, a larger volume (weight) of food can be consumed if the food or diet is low in energy density than if the food or diet is high in energy density. The two nutrients that have the largest impact on energy density are fat and water. Foods high in fat and low in water content are typically high in energy density, whereas foods low in fat and high in water content, such as fruits and vegetables, are low in energy density. This study will examine whether there are increased benefits for weight loss and weight maintenance when the ad libitum consumption of water-rich foods is added to a reduced-fat diet, thus making it even lower in energy density.

Comparisons: Reduced-energy-dense diet and Reduced-fat diet

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • State College, Pennsylvania, United States, 16801
      • General Clinical Research Center: Penn State University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 60 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy women
• BMI (body mass index) 30 through 40 kg/m2
• Normal blood pressure
• LDL (low density lipoprotein)-cholesterol < 90th percentile recommendations
• Triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and all other blood values within normal ranges
• Able to participate in low to moderate physical activity.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes - type I or II
• High blood pressure
• Renal or kidney disease
• Gastrointestinal disease
• Blood clotting disorder
• Liver disease or cirrhosis
• Any oral steroids
• Gout (requiring treatment)
• Anemia
• Lung disease
• Cancer within the last 5 years
• Thyroid disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Weight loss
Weight maintenance

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Changes in diet: quality and patterns, energy density, and fat content
Changes in lipids
Satisfaction with the two different dietary methods for weight loss

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Barbara J Rolls, PhD, The Pennsylvania State University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Rolls BJ, Drewnowski A, Ledikwe JH. Changing the energy density of the diet as a strategy for weight management. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 May;105(5 Suppl 1):S98-103. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.033.
• Rolls BJ, Ello-Martin JA, Tohill BC. What can intervention studies tell us about the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and weight management? Nutr Rev. 2004 Jan;62(1):1-17. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2004.tb00001.x.
• Bell EA, Rolls BJ. Energy density of foods affects energy intake across multiple levels of fat content in lean and obese women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Jun;73(6):1010-8. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/73.6.1010.
• Rolls BJ, Bell EA. Dietary approaches to the treatment of obesity. Med Clin North Am. 2000 Mar;84(2):401-18, vi. doi: 10.1016/s0025-7125(05)70228-5.
• Rolls BJ, Bell EA, Thorwart ML. Water incorporated into a food but not served with a food decreases energy intake in lean women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Oct;70(4):448-55. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/70.4.448.
• Ello-Martin JA, Roe LS, Ledikwe JH, Beach AM, Rolls BJ. Dietary energy density in the treatment of obesity: a year-long trial comparing 2 weight-loss diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1465-77. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/85.6.1465.

Helpful Links

• Research lab at Penn State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2003
• Study Completion: July 1, 2004

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 18, 2005
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 18, 2005
• First Posted (Estimate): April 19, 2005

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 13, 2010
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 12, 2010
• Last Verified: January 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: obesity; weight loss; vegetables; fruit; ad libitum intake; reduced-energy-density diet; fat-restricted diet
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Overweight; Body Weight; Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: FACTORS (completed); R37DK039177 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)