Highlights
► Diet-induced weight loss results in compensatory changes that encourage weight regain.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University have found that a well balanced 600-calorie breakfast that includes proteins, carbohydrates, and even dessert can help dieters to lose much more weight. Their ability to maintain their target weight and a healthy diet is increased as well.
The diet strategy involves indulging in the morning, when the body's metabolism is at it's peak and we have the potential to work off calories throughout the day, say Prof. Daniela Jakubowicz, Dr. Julio Wainstein and Dr. Mona Boaz of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Diabetes Unit at Wolfson Medical Center, and Prof. Oren Froy of Hebrew University Jerusalem.
When an individual tries to avoid sweets entirely they then can create a psychological addiction to these foods in the long-term, explains Prof. Jakubowicz. By including dessert items to an ordinary breakfast helps control the cravings for sweet foods throughout the day. A 32 week-long study, detailed in the journal Steroids showed that participants who added desserts such as cake, pie, ice cream, or cookies to their breakfast had lost an average of 40 lbs. more than a group that avoided these foods.
Breakfast is the meal that most successfully regulates ghrelin, the hormone that increases hunger, explains Prof. Jakubowicz. Ghrelin levels are most effectively suppressed after breakfast compared with other meals throughout the day. The researchers hoped to determine whether the meal composition and time had an impact on short and long term weight loss , says Prof. Jakubowicz.
Background
Although dietary restriction often results in initial weight loss, the majority of obese dieters fail to maintain their reduced weight. Diet-induced weight loss results in compensatory increase of hunger, craving and decreased ghrelin suppression that encourage weight regain. A high protein and carbohydrate breakfast may overcome these compensatory changes and prevent obesity relapse.
Methods
In this study 193 obese (BMI 32.2 ± 1.0 kg/m2), sedentary non diabetic adult men and women (47 ± 7 years) were randomized to a low carbohydrate breakfast (LCb) or an isocaloric diet with high carbohydrate and protein breakfast (HCPb). Anthropometric measures were assessed every 4 weeks. Fasting glucose, insulin, ghrelin, lipids, craving scores and breakfast meal challenge assessing hunger, satiety, insulin and ghrelin responses, were performed at baseline, after a Diet Intervention Period (Week 16) and after a Follow-up Period (Week 32).
Results
At Week 16, groups exhibited similar weight loss: 15.1 ± 1.9 kg in LCb group vs. 13.5 ± 2.3 kg in HCPb group, p = 0.11. From Week 16 to Week 32, LCb group regained 11.6 ± 2.6 kg, while the HCPb group lost additional 6.9 ± 1.7 kg. Ghrelin levels were reduced after breakfast by 45.2% and 29.5% following the HCPb and LCb, respectively. Satiety was significantly improved and hunger and craving scores significantly reduced in the HCPb group vs. the LCb group.
Conclusion
A high carbohydrate and protein breakfast may prevent weight regain by reducing diet-induced compensatory changes in hunger, cravings and ghrelin suppression. To achieve long-term weight loss, meal timing and macronutrient composition must counteract these compensatory mechanisms which encourage weight regain after weight loss. 1 2
Journal Reference:
- Daniela Jakubowicz, Oren Froy, Julio Wainstein, Mona Boaz. Meal timing and composition influence ghrelin levels, appetite scores and weight loss maintenance in overweight and obese adults. Steroids, 2011; DOI:10.1016/j.steroids.2011.12.006
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039128X11003515
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