title: Legacy effects of short-term intentional weight loss on total body and thigh composition in overweight and obese older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Weight regain following intentional weight loss may negatively impact body composition, accelerating fat regain and increasing risk of physical disability. The purpose of this study was to compare long-term changes in whole body and thigh composition in obese older adults who intentionally lost and then partially regained weight to obese older adults who remained weight stable.
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study analyzed total body (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) and thigh (computed tomography (CT)) composition data collected from 24 older (65-79 years) adults 18 months after completion of a 5-month randomized trial that compared resistance training alone (RT) with RT plus caloric restriction (RT+CR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean loss of body mass in the RT+CR group (n=13) was 7.1±2.4 kg during the 5-month intervention (74% fat mass; 26% lean mass; all P<0.01), whereas RT (n=11) remained weight stable (+0.3±1.8 kg; P=0.64). Differential group effects were observed for all DXA and CT body composition measures at 5 months (all P⩽0.01); however, by 23 months, group differences persisted only for total body (RT+CR: 81.6±10.0 kg vs RT: 88.5±14.9 kg; P=0.03) and lean (RT+CR: 50.8±9.3 kg vs RT: 54.4±12.0 kg; P<0.01) mass. All RT+CR participants regained weight from 5 to 23 months (mean gain=+4.8±2.6 kg; P<0.01). Total fat mass and all thigh fat volumes increased, whereas thigh muscle volume decreased, during the postintervention follow-up in RT+CR (all P⩽0.01). In the RT group, body mass did not change from 5 to 23 months (-0.2±0.9 kg; P=0.87). Decreased total thigh volume, driven by the loss of thigh muscle volume, were the only postintervention body composition changes observed in the RT group (both P<0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term body composition benefits of an RT+CR intervention may be lost within 18 months after completion of the intervention.
authors.affiliation: J Paul Sticht Center on Aging, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Chmelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Beavers
authors.affiliation: J Paul Sticht Center on Aging, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lyles
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.affiliation: J Paul Sticht Center on Aging, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Nicklas
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Exercise Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Beavers
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055070:Resistance Training; D013848:Thigh; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss