Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Paper
  • Published:

Weight management: a comparison of existing dietary approaches in a work-site setting

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 1469–1475 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: (1) To compare the effectiveness a 2512 kJ (600 kcal) daily energy deficit diet (ED) with a 6279 kJ (1500 kcal) generalized low-calorie diet (GLC) over a 24 week period (12 weeks weight loss plus 12 weeks weight maintenance). (2) To determine if the inclusion of lean red meat at least five times per week as part of a slimming diet is compatible with weight loss in comparison with a diet that excludes lean red meat.

DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial.

SETTING: Large petrochemical work-site.

PARTICIPANTS: One-hundred and twenty-two men aged between 18 and 55 y.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight loss and maintenance of weight loss.

INTERVENTION: Eligible volunteers were randomized to one of the four diet/meat combinations (ED meat, ED no meat, GLC meat, GLC no meat). One-third of subjects in each diet/meat combination were randomized to an initial control period prior to receiving dietary advice. All subjects attended for review every 2 weeks during the weight loss period. For the 12 week structured weight maintenance phase, individualized energy prescriptions were re-calculated for the ED group as 1.4 (activity factor) × basal metabolic rate. Healthy eating advice was reviewed with subjects in the GLC group. All subjects were contacted by electronic mail at 2 week intervals and anthropometric and dietary information requested.

RESULTS: No difference was evident between diet groups in mean weight loss at 12 weeks (4.3 (s.d. 3.4) kg ED group vs 5.0 (s.d. 3.5) kg GLC group, P=0.34). Mean weight loss was closer to the intended weight loss in the 2512 kJ (600 kcal) ED group. The dropout rate was also lower than the GLC group. The inclusion of lean red meat in the diet on at least five occasions per week did not impair weight loss. Mean weight gain following 12 weeks weight maintenance was +1.1 (s.d. 1.8) kg, P<0.0001. No differences were found between groups.

CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that the individualized 2512 kJ (600 kcal) ED approach was no more effective in terms of weight loss than the 6279 kJ (1500 kcal) GLC approach. However the ED approach might be considered preferable as compliance was better with this less demanding prescription. In terms of weight loss the elimination of red meat from the diet is unnecessary. The weight maintenance intervention was designed as a low-input approach, however weight regain was significant and weight maintenance strategies require further development.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Nutrition and Physical Activity Task Force of the Department of Health. Reversing the increasing problem of obesity in England Department of Health: London 1995.

  2. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Obesity in Scotland. Integrating prevention with weight management Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network: Edinburgh 1996.

  3. WHO. Obesity, preventing and managing the global epidemic Report of a WHO Consultation on Obesity World Health Organization: Geneva 1998.

  4. The Scottish Health Survey 1998 HMSO: London 2000.

  5. National Audit Office. Tackling obesity in England The Stationery Office: London 2001.

  6. UK PDS. Prospective diabetes study 7. Response of fasting plasma glucose to diet therapy in newly presenting type II diabetic patients Metab Clin Exp 1990 39: 905–912.

  7. Goldstein DJ . Beneficial health effects of modest weight loss Int J Obes 1992 16: 397–415.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Han TS, van Leer EM, Seidell JC, Lean MEJ . Waist circumference action levels in the identification of cardiovascular risk factors: prevalence study in a random sample Br Med J 1995 311: 1401–1405.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Lean MEJ, Han TS, Morrison CE . Waist circumference indicates the need for weight management Br Med J 1995 311: 158–161.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Buttriss JL . Food and nutrition: attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge in the United Kingdom Am J Clin Nutr 1997 65: 1985S–95S.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Frost G, Masters K, King C, Kelly M, Hasan U, Heavens P, White R, Stanford J . A new method of energy prescription to improve weight loss J Hum Nutr Diet 1991 4: 369–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Schofield WN, Schofield C, James WPT . Basal metabolic rate—review and prediction, together with annotated bibliography of source material Hum Nutr Appl Nutr 1985 39C: 5–96.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy. Dietary reference values for food energy and nutrients for the United Kingdom Report 41 HMSO: London 1991.

  14. Hankey CR, Rumley A, Lowe GDO, Woodward M, Lean MEJ . Moderate weight loss improves red cell aggregation and factor VII activity in overweight subjects Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1997 21: 644–650.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lean MEJ, Eley S, Anderson AS, Morrison C, Bolton-Smith C . Evaluation of the Scottish Health Survey Eating Habits Questionnaire to monitor Scottish Diet food targets. (Abstract.) Proc Nut Soc 1998 57 (4): 136a.

    Google Scholar 

  16. The health of the nation HMSO: London 1992.

  17. Lean MEJ . Clinical handbook of weight management Dunitz: London 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Klem ML, Wing RW, McGuire MT, Seagle HM, Hill JO . A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss Am J Clin Nutr 1997 66: 239–246.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. The Consumers Association. Balancing the books, choosing and using diets Which 2001 May: 34–37.

  20. Lean MEJ, James WPT . Prescription of diabetic diets in the 1980s Lancet 29 March 1986 723–725.

  21. Rossner S . Factors determining the long-term outcome of obesity treatment In: Bjorntorp P, Brodoff BN (eds) Obesity Linincott: Philadelphia, PA 1992 Chap 61. pp 712–719.

    Google Scholar 

  22. British Nutrition Foundation. The nutritional contribution of meat to the British diet: recent trends and analyses Nutr Bull 2001 26: 283–293.

  23. Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. National food survey 1999 The Stationery Office: London 2000.

  24. Wadden TA, Sternberg JA, Letizia KA, Stunkard AJ, Foster GA . Treatment of obesity by very low calorie diet, behaviour therapy, and their combination: a five year perspective Int J Obes 1989 13: 39–46.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Hennrikus DJ, Jeffery RW . Worksite intervention for weight control: a review of the literature Am J Hlth Prom 1996 6: 471–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Health Education Board for Scotland. Scotland's health at work HMSO: Edinburgh 1996.

  27. White JH . The process of embarking on a weight control program Hlth Care Women Int 1984 5: 77–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Despres JP . Drug treatment for obesity Br Med J 2001 322: 1379–1380.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Despres JP, Lemieux I, Prud'homme D . Treatment of obesity: need to focus on high risk abdominally obese patients Br Med J 2001 322: 716–720.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hakala P, Karvetti R, Ronnemaa T . Group vs individual weight reduction programmes in the treatment of severe obesity—a five year follow-up study Int J Obes 1992 17: 97–102.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank BP Grangemouth for giving us access to their work force, and the staff of their Occupational Health Department for their continued support and co-operation throughout the study. This study was funded by the Meat and Livestock Commission.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Glasgow Department of Human Nutrition, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK

    WS Leslie, MEJ Lean & CR Hankey

  2. Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    HM Baillie

Authors
  1. WS Leslie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. MEJ Lean
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. HM Baillie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. CR Hankey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to WS Leslie.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Electronic mail message sent to participants every 2 weeks during weight maintenance, requesting dietary and anthropometric information.

Weight…… Waist……

How many portions of fruit did you eat yesterday……

How many portions of vegetables did you eat yesterday……

Is this your usual amount of fruit and vegetables, less or more than usual……

What foods are you eating as snacks……

Have you increased the number of take away meals or meals out since the end of the weight loss period……

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Leslie, W., Lean, M., Baillie, H. et al. Weight management: a comparison of existing dietary approaches in a work-site setting. Int J Obes 26, 1469–1475 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802153

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802153

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links