Abstract
Objectives: To determine whether a hypocaloric diet higher in protein can prevent the loss of lean mass that is commonly associated with weight loss.Design: An intervention study comparing a hypocaloric diet moderately high in protein to one lower in protein.Setting: Study measurements were taken at the Wake Forest University General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) and Geriatric Research Center (GRC).Participants: Twenty-four post-menopausal, obese women (mean age = 58 ± 6.6 yrs; mean BMI = 33.0 ± 3.6 kg/m2).Intervention: Two 20-week hypocaloric diets (both reduced by 2800 kcal/wk) were compared: one maintaining dietary protein intake at 30% of total energy intake (1.2–1.5 g/kg/d; HI PROT), and the other maintaining dietary protein intake at 15% of total energy (0.5–0.7 g/kg/d; LO PROT). The GCRC metabolic kitchen provided lunch and dinner meals which the women picked up 3 days per week and ate outside of the clinic.Measurements: Body composition, including total body mass, total lean mass, total fat mass, and appendicular lean mass, assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, was measured before and after the diet interventions.Results: The HI PROT group lost 8.4 ± 4.5 kg and the LO PROT group lost 11.4 ± 3.8 kg of body weight (p = 0.11). The mean percentage of total mass lost as lean mass was 17.3% ± 27.8% and 37.5% ± 14.6%, respectively (p = 0.03).Conclusion: Maintaining adequate protein intake may reduce lean mass losses associated with voluntary weight loss in older women.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, McDowell MA, Tabak CJ, Flegal KM. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999–2004. JAMA 2006;295: 1549–55.
Livingston EH, Ko CY. Use of the health and activities limitation index as a measure of quality of life in obesity. Obes Res 2002;10: 824–32.
Harris TB, Launer LJ, Madans J, Feldman JJ. Cohort study of effect of being overweight and change in weight on risk of coronary heart disease in old age. BMJ 1997;314: 1791–4.
Sahyoun NR, Hochberg MC, Heimick CG, Harris T, Pamuk ER. Body mass index, weight change, and incidence of self-reported physician-diagnosed arthritis among women. Am J Public Health 1999;89: 391–4.
Gallagher S. Bariatrics: considering mobility, patient safety and caregiver injury. New York: CRC Press, 2004.
Janssen I, Ross R. Linking age-related changes in skeletal muscle mass and composition with metabolism and disease. J Nutr Health Aging. 2005 Nov–Dec;9(6): 408–19.
Newman AB, Lee JS, Visser M et al. Weight change and the conservation of lean mass in old age: the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2005;82: 872–8.
Forbes GB. Body fat content influences the body composition response to nutrition and exercise. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2000;904: 359–65.
Volek JS, Sharman MJ, Love DM et al. Body composition and hormonal responses to a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Metabolism 2002;51: 864–70.
Meckling KA, Gauthier M, Grubb R, Sanford J. Effects of a hypocaloric, low-carbohydrate diet on weight loss, blood lipids, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and body composition in free-living overweight women. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2002;80: 1095–105.
Young CM, Scanlan SS, Im HS, Lutwak L. Effect of body composition and other parameters in obese young men of carbohydrate level of reduction diet. Am J Clin Nutr 1971;24: 290–6.
Layman DK, Evans E, Baum JI, Seyler J, Erickson DJ, Boileau RA. Dietary protein and exercise have additive effects on body composition during weight loss in adult women. J Nutr 2005;135: 1903–10.
Roubenoff R. Sarcopenia: effects on body composition and function. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2003;58: 1012–7.
Baumgartner RN, Waters DL, Gallagher D, Morley JE, Gary PJ. Predictors of skeletal muscle mass in elderly men and women. Mec Ageing Dev 1999;107: 123–36.
Lee JS, Kritchevsky SB, Tylavsky F, Harris T, Simonsick EM, Rubin SM, Newman AB; Health ABC Study. Weight change, weight change intention, and the incidence of mobility limitation in well-functioning community-dwelling older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005 Aug;60(8): 1007–12.
Ballor DL, Poehlman ET. Exercise training enhances fat-free mass preservation during diet-induced weight loss: a meta-analytical finding. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1994;18: 35–40.
Newman AB, Lee JS, Visser M, Goodpaster BH, Kritchevsky SB, Tylavsky FA, Nevitt M, Harris TB. Weight change and the conservation of lean mass in old age: the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Oct;82(4): 872–8;
Krieger JW, Sitren HS, Daniels MJ, Langkamp-Henken Bl Effects of variation in protein and carbohydrate intake on body mass and composition during energy restriction: a meta-regression 1. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb;83(2): 260–74.
Layman DK, Boileau RA, Erickson DJ, Painter JE, Shiue H, Sather C, Christou DD. A reduced ratio of dietary carbohydrate to protein improves body composition and blood lipid profiles during weight loss in adult women. J Nutr. 2003 Feb;133(2): 411–7.
Noakes M, Keogh JB, Foster PR, Clifton PM. Effect of an energy-restricted, high-protein, low-fat diet relative to a conventional high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet on weight loss, body composition, nutritional status, and markers of cardiovascular health in obese women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jun;81(6): 1298–306.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gordons, M.M., Bopp, M.J., Easter, L. et al. Effects of dietary protein on the composition of weight loss in post-menopaus al women. J Nutr Health Aging 12, 505–509 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02983202
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02983202