A low-energy-dense diet adding fruit reduces weight and energy intake in women

• Published in: Appetite 2008-09, Vol.51 (2), p.291-295
• Main Authors: de Oliveira, Maria Conceição, Sichieri, Rosely, Venturim Mozzer, Renzo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; apples; Avena; Biological and medical sciences; body weight; Clinical trial; diet; Diet, Reducing; dietary fiber; Diets; energy content; Energy density; energy intake; Energy Intake - physiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fruit; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; low calorie diet; Male; Malus; mathematical models; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Nutritive Value; Oats; Obesity - diet therapy; pears; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pyrus; Randomized; special diets; time series analysis; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weight Loss; women
• ISSN: 0195-6663; 1095-8304
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2008.03.001

This study evaluated the effect of adding fruit or oats to the diet of free-living women on energy consumption and body weight. Fruit and oat cookies had the same amount of fiber and total calories (∼200 kcal), but differed in energy density. We analyzed data from a clinical trial conducted in a primary care unit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Forty-nine women, ages ranging from 30 to 50 years, with body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m 2, were randomly chosen to add three apples (0.63 kcal/g energy density) or three pears (0.64 kcal/g energy density) or three oat cookies (3.7 kcal/g energy density) to their usual diet for 10 weeks. Fiber composition was similar (∼6 g). Statistical analysis of the repeated measures of dietary composition and body weight were analyzed using mixed model procedures. Results showed a significant decrease in the energy density during the follow-up (−1.23 kcal/g, p < 0.04, and −1.29 kcal/g, p < 0.05) for apples and pears, respectively, compared to the oat group. The energy intake also decreased significantly (−25.05 and −19.66 kcal/day) for the apple and pear group, respectively, but showed a small increase (+0.93) for the oat group. Apples and pears were also associated ( p < 0.001) with weight reduction (−0.93 kg for the apple and −0.84 for the pear group), whereas weight was unchanged (+0.21; p = 0.35) in the oat group. Results suggest that energy densities of fruits, independent of their fiber amount can reduce energy consumption and body weight over time.