Replacing caloric beverages with water or diet beverages for weight loss in adults: main results of the Choose Healthy Options Consciously Everyday (CHOICE) randomized clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Replacement of caloric beverages with noncaloric beverages may be a simple strategy for promoting modest weight reduction; however, the effectiveness of this strategy is not known.


OBJECTIVE
We compared the replacement of caloric beverages with water or diet beverages (DBs) as a method of weight loss over 6 mo in adults and attention controls (ACs).


METHODS
Overweight and obese adults [n = 318; BMI (in kg/m(2)): 36.3 ± 5.9; 84% female; age (mean ± SD): 42 ± 10.7 y; 54% black] substituted noncaloric beverages (water or DBs) for caloric beverages (≥200 kcal/d) or made dietary changes of their choosing (AC) for 6 mo.


RESULTS
In an intent-to-treat analysis, a significant reduction in weight and waist circumference and an improvement in systolic blood pressure were observed from 0 to 6 mo.Mean ((±SEM) weight losses at 6 mo were -2.5 ± 0.45% in the DB group, -2.03 ± 0.40% in the water group, and -1.76 ± 0.35% in the AC group; there were no significant differences between groups [corrected]. The chance of achieving a 5% weight loss at 6 mo was greater in the DB group than in the AC group (OR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.05, 5.01; P = 0.04). A significant reduction in fasting glucose at 6 mo (P = 0.019) and improved hydration at 3 (P = 0.0017) and 6 (P = 0.049) mo was observed in the Water group relative to the AC group. In a combined analysis, participants assigned to beverage replacement were 2 times as likely to have achieved a 5% weight loss (OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.22; P = 0.04) than were the AC participants.


CONCLUSIONS
Replacement of caloric beverages with noncaloric beverages as a weight-loss strategy resulted in average weight losses of 2% to 2.5%. This strategy could have public health significance and is a simple, straightforward message. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01017783.
Department of Nutrition, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, USA. dtate@unc.edu
Deborah F
DF
Tate
Gabrielle
G
Turner-McGrievy
Elizabeth
E
Lyons
June
J
Stevens
Karen
K
Erickson
Kristen
K
Polzien
Molly
M
Diamond
Xiaoshan
X
Wang
Barry
B
Popkin
D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004032:Diet; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000379:methods*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014867:Water; D015431:Weight Loss
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014867:Water