Use of artificial sweeteners and fat-modified foods in weight loss maintainers and always-normal weight individuals.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the dietary strategies, and use of fat- and sugar-modified foods and beverages in a weight loss maintainer group (WLM) and an always-normal weight group (NW).


METHODS
WLM (N=172) had maintained > or = 10% weight loss for 11.5 years, and had a body mass index (BMI) of 22.0 kg m(-2). NW (N=131) had a BMI of 21.3 kg m(-2) and no history of being overweight. Three, 24-h recalls on random, non-consecutive days were used to assess dietary intake.


RESULTS
WLM reported consuming a diet that was lower in fat (28.7 vs 32.6%, P<0.0001) and used more fat-modification strategies than NW. WLM also consumed a significantly greater percentage of modified dairy (60 vs 49%; P=0.002) and modified dressings and sauces (55 vs 44%; P=0.006) than NW. WLM reported consuming three times more daily servings of artificially sweetened soft drinks (0.91 vs 0.37; P=0.003), significantly fewer daily servings of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (0.07 vs 0.16; P=0.03) and more daily servings of water (4.72 vs 3.48; P=0.002) than NW.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that WLM use more dietary strategies to accomplish their weight loss maintenance, including greater restriction on fat intake, use of fat- and sugar-modified foods, reduced consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and increased consumption of artificially sweetened beverages. Ways to promote the use of fat-modified foods and artificial sweeteners merits further research in both prevention- and treatment-controlled trials.
Phelan
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Kinesiology Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0386, USA. sphelan@calpoly.edu
Lang
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Jordan
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Wing
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D001628:Beverages; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D013549:Sweetening Agents