Effects of Re-Feeding Duration on Weight Maintenance After Weight Loss With Very-Low-Energy Diets (VLEDs)

June 10, 2008 updated by: Göteborg University

Liquid Very-Low-Energy Diets (VLEDs) in Obesity Treatment. Effects of Re-Feeding Duration On Weight Maintenance, Eating Behaviour and Health-Related Quality of Life

The primary objective of the study is to test the hypothesis that prolonged re-feeding after VLED induced weight loss improves weight maintenance and eating behaviour

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

VLED program:

During the initial 12 weeks, patients were encouraged to follow a strict liquid very-low-energy diet (470-820 kcal). They selected and paid themselves for one of the following commercially available diets; Modifast® (820 kcal), Nutrilett® (560 kcal) or Cambridgekuren® (470 kcal). Free consumption of non-caloric drinks (<6 kcal/100 g) was allowed. All patients had scheduled nurse visits at week 0 (baseline), 2, 5, 8, and 12. Body weight was registered at each visit and patients were given support and counselling to enhance VLED compliance. Side effects were monitored and a more frequent contact was offered if needed. All patients were encouraged to be physically active.

Dietary treatment:

Following VLED, dietary treatment advice was given during individual dietician counseling at nine study visits (week 12, 15, 18, 21, 26, 32, 38, 44, and 52). At week 12, the dietician assigned patients with ≥10% weight loss to treatment group according to randomization. Standardized written and oral instructions for one or six week re-feeding were provided; hence, participants as well as study staff were aware of group assignment. During re-feeding, ordinary meals were gradually re-introduced and VLED portions removed. Patients with one week re-feeding (Group 1) (instructed at week 12) started with breakfast for three days, added lunch (or dinner) the next four days, and thereafter the third meal was re-introduced and VLED discontinued. Patients with six week re-feeding (Group 6) (instructed at week 12, 15, and 18) started with one regular meal (patient's choice) for three weeks. A second meal was added the next three weeks, and at week eight the third meal was re-introduced and VLED discontinued. For both groups between-meal snacks (e.g. fruit) were recommended from the completion of the re-feeding periods.

Recommended energy intake was based on an estimated energy requirement minus 30% to achieve an energy-reduced level. Energy requirement was calculated from the equation of Harris-Benedict for estimation of basal metabolic rate, adjusted by factor 1.3 for total energy expenditure (moderate level of physical activity). Recommended energy distribution for breakfast, lunch and dinner was 20, 35 and 35% of daily energy intake, and 10% from snacks. Dietary prescriptions followed the Swedish Nutrition Recommendations. All patients were encouraged to increase their level of physical activity.

Power calculation and randomization:

Sample size calculations were based on data from a similar study. A sample size of 75 patients per treatment arm was derived, assuming 80% power to detect a 4 kg weight loss difference, SD 7 kg, statistical significance level P<0.05, and 35% dropout between week 12 and 52.

Two-hundred and sixty-nine patients started on the VLED regimen, and were after 12 weeks eligible for randomization if they had lost ≥10% of initial body weight. The randomization was stratified by the combination of sex and degree of weight loss (strictly greater than or less than 17.1% weight loss). Eligible patients were randomly assigned within each of the four strata to one of the two treatments (one or six weeks re-feeding) in blocks of size two, with equal allocation of treatments within each block. The randomization list was generated with a pseudo-random number generator, so that the resulting treatment sequence was reproducible and unpredictable.

The treatment allocation order was arranged in numbered, sealed envelopes and kept in separate boxes for each strata. At patient assignment, the envelope next in order was drawn from the appropriate strata box.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

169

Phase

  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • Göteborg, Sweden
        • Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 60 years (ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • age 18-60 years
  • BMI > 30 kg/m2
  • speaking swedish

Exclusion Criteria:

  • eating disorder
  • unstable diabetes type 1
  • unstable cardiac disease
  • severe psychiatric disorder
  • pregnancy or lactation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: A
1 week of re-feeding
1 or 6 weeks of re-feeding after VLED-induced weight loss
Other Names:
  • Dietary advice
EXPERIMENTAL: B
6 weeks of re-feeding
1 or 6 weeks of re-feeding after VLED-induced weight loss
Other Names:
  • Dietary advice

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Weight development
Time Frame: 52 weeks
52 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Eating behaviour (Three Factor Eating Questionnaire)
Time Frame: 52 weeks
52 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Kaj Stenlöf, MD, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 2004

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

January 1, 2008

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

January 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 9, 2008

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 10, 2008

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

June 11, 2008

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

June 11, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 10, 2008

Last Verified

June 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • VGFOUREG-1942

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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