title: Randomized clinical trial of portion-controlled prepackaged foods to promote weight loss.
abstract: Providing portion-controlled prepackaged foods in a behavioral counseling intervention may promote more weight and fat loss than a standard self-selected diet.
  
  
  
  The primary aim was to test whether providing portion-controlled prepackaged lunch and dinner entrées within a behavioral weight loss intervention promotes greater weight loss at 12 weeks compared to self-selected foods in adults with overweight/obesity. Other aims were to examine effects on biological factors, fitness, and meal satisfaction. One-half of those assigned to prepackaged entrées were provided items with a higher protein level (>25% energy) as an exploratory aim.
  
  
  
  Participants (N = 183) had a baseline weight of 95.9 (15.6) kg (mean [SD]) and BMI of 33.2 (3.5) kg/m(2) . Weight data at 12 weeks were available for 180 subjects. Weight loss for regular entrée, higher protein entrée, and control groups was 8.6 (3.9)%, 7.8 (5.1)%, and 6.0 (4.4)%, respectively (P < 0.05, intervention vs. control). Intervention participants lost more body fat than controls (5.7 [3.4] vs. 4.4 [3.3] kg, P < 0.05).
  
  
  
  A meal plan incorporating portion-controlled prepackaged entrées promotes greater weight and fat loss than a standard self-selected diet, with comparable meal satisfaction. Initial weight loss predicts long-term weight loss so these results are relevant to likelihood of longer term success.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, California, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, California, USA.
authors.forename: Shirley W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Flatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, California, USA.
authors.forename: Bilgé
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pakiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, California, USA.
authors.forename: Hava-Shoshana
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Barkai
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, California, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.affiliation: Science and Technology Group, Nestlé Product Technology Centre, Solon, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Kim C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Krumhar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000379:methods*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult