Increased Protein Intake Helps Maintain Weight

Category: Diet and Nutrition , Dietary Supplements

Obesity is an increasing problem in not only the United States, but other Westernized countries. Many individuals attempt to loose weight with one or more popular diets only to gain the weight back after discontinuing the diet.

A study published in the February edition of the British Journal of Nutrition examined the effects of higher protein intake on weight maintenance. Participants in the study were placed on a 4-week low calorie diet, which achieved a mean weight loss of 7.5% body, mass. Then they were placed on a maintenance diet for 6 months. The treatment group was given a diet with an additional 30g of protein per day, while the control group consumed an average diet for weight maintenance.

At completion of the 6-month weight maintenance period the treatment group was measured to have an overall protein intake of 18% of total calories compared to 15% in the control group. The treatment group gained less weight than the control group during the maintenance period. They also had a greater gain in lean muscle mass over body fat compared to the control group which had a higher increase in body fat and no increase in lean muscle mass. These results were statistically significant.

The authors concluded that an increase in protein during the maintenance period of weight loss could improve body composition, fat distribution, and also positively effect early morning satiety.

Posted by Kristopher Foster on May 24, 2013 11:00 AM