title: Effects of a 6-week hypocaloric diet on changes in body composition, hunger, and subsequent weight regain in healthy young and older adults.
abstract: Recent studies have suggested a short-term impairment in the regulation of food intake in older adults, but further studies are needed to determine if a longer-term impairment exists and to identify underlying causes. Changes in body weight and composition were measured over a 6-week underfeeding study and a 6-month follow-up period in healthy young (n = 23) and older (OLD, n = 18) men and women. The young adults were either normal weight (YNW, n = 12) or overweight (YOW, n = 11). Energy intakes during underfeeding were 896 +/- 18 (SEM) kcal less than weight-maintenance energy requirements determined prior to underfeeding. In addition, changes in perceived hunger during underfeeding were monitored in a subgroup (n = 19). OLD and YOW subjects lost significantly more weight during underfeeding than did YNW subjects (p = .025 and .000, respectively), and they did not gain back significant weight in the 6-month follow-up. In addition, OLD subjects reported a significantly lower frequency of hunger during underfeeding (p = .05). There was no significant difference among groups in the relationship between weight lost and fat-free mass lost. Healthy OLD adults have an impaired ability to regulate food intake over at least 6 months following underfeeding compared with YNW adults, and a reduction in their perceived frequency of hunger may be a contributing factor.
authors: Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Moriguti
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Das
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Saltzman
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Corrales
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: McCrory
authors: A S
authors: AS
authors: Greenberg
authors: S B
authors: SB
authors: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*