A multicentre weight loss study using a low-calorie diet over 8 weeks: regional differences in efficacy across eight European cities.
BACKGROUND
The efficacy of low-calorie diets (LCDs) has not been investigated in large-scale studies or among people from different regions, who are perhaps unaccustomed to such methods of losing weight. The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in obesity measures among overweight/obese adults from eight European cities (from Northern, Central and Southern Europe) during the 8-week LCD phase of the DiOGenes study (2006-2007), a family-based, randomised, controlled dietary intervention.


METHODS
938 overweight/obese adults completed baseline examinations and underwent an 8-week LCD, providing 3.3-4.2 MJ/day to replace all meals. Anthropometric measurements and body composition were assessed at baseline and post-LCD.


RESULTS
773 (82.4%) adults (mean age, 43.1 y) completed the LCD successfully. The highest drop-out rate was observed in Southern (24.9%) and the lowest in Northern (13.3%) European cities. Overall, the LCD induced favourable changes in all outcomes, including an approximate 11.0% reduction in body weight and body fat percentage. Changes in outcomes differed significantly between regions, with North- and Central-European cities generally achieving higher percentage reductions in most anthropometric measurements assessed. Nonetheless, participants in Southern Europe reduced their body fat percentage significantly more than participants in Northern Europe (-11.8 vs. -9.5%, P = 0.017).


CONCLUSIONS
The LCD significantly improved anthropometric and body composition measurements in all cities participating in DiOGenes.
Department of Social Medicine, Preventive Medicine & Nutrition Clinic, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. angeliki.papadaki@bristol.ac.uk
Angeliki
A
Papadaki
Manolis
M
Linardakis
Maria
M
Plada
Thomas M
TM
Larsen
Marleen A
MA
van Baak
Anna Karin
AK
Lindroos
Andreas F H
AF
Pfeiffer
J Alfredo
JA
Martinez
Teodora
T
Handjieva-Darlenska
Marie
M
Kunešová
Claus
C
Holst
Wim H M
WH
Saris
Arne
A
Astrup
Anthony
A
Kafatos
D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014505:Urban Population; D055105:Waist Circumference; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D015431:Weight Loss