The effectiveness of long-term fibre supplementation on weight maintenance in weight-reduced women

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fibre supplementation is effective in weight-reduced subjects for maintenance of weight-loss in the long-term. DESIGN: Longitudinal, randomly assigned intervention study with supplementation of 20 g of water soluble fibre (guar gum) daily for 14 months after an energy-restricted period of two months (VLCD). SUBJECTS: Thirty-one female, obese subjects (age: 41.4±7.4 y: BMI 33.2±3.7 kg/m⁻²); 20 subjects were supplemented with fibre and 11 subjects served as the control group. MEASUREMENTS: Body weight (BW), blood lipids and blood pressure, anthropometry, and eating behaviour were measured before the VLCD (0), after VLCD (2), and at 4, 10 and 16 months. RESULTS: The fibre group with at least 80% compliance (group A) and the control group showed the same weight regain response after VLCD. The fibre consuming group with 50–80% compliance (group B) differed with respect to relapse. The rate and amount of BW regain was significantly higher for group B. After 14 months group B had returned to baseline levels, whereas group A and the control group showed a tendency to a lower BW than at baseline (P=0.09). No effect of fibre supplementation was found on blood lipids, blood pressure and energy intake. Eating behaviour characteristics changed during the intervention and might explain differences in weight maintenance. CONCLUSIONS: No effect of 14 months fibre supplementation was found on weight maintenance in weight‐reduced subjects. Guar gum intake did not result in reduction of blood pressure or cholesterol, or in suppression of energy intake.