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Review
. 2016 Apr 20;8(4):229.
doi: 10.3390/nu8040229.

Link between Food Energy Density and Body Weight Changes in Obese Adults

Marta Stelmach-Mardas  1   2 , Tomasz Rodacki  3 , Justyna Dobrowolska-Iwanek  4 , Anna Brzozowska  5 , Jarosław Walkowiak  6 , Agnieszka Wojtanowska-Krosniak  7 , Paweł Zagrodzki  8 , Angela Bechthold  9 , Marcin Mardas  10 , Heiner Boeing  11
Affiliations
Review

Link between Food Energy Density and Body Weight Changes in Obese Adults

Marta Stelmach-Mardas et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Regulating the energy density of food could be used as a novel approach for successful body weight reduction in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to conduct a systemic review of the literature on the relationship between food energy density and body weight changes in obese adults to obtain solid evidence supporting this approach. The search process was based on the selection of publications in the English language listed in public databases. A meta-analysis was performed to combine individual study results. Thirteen experimental and observational studies were identified and included in the final analysis. The analyzed populations consist of 3628 individuals aged 18 to 66 years. The studies varied greatly in terms of study populations, study design and applied dietary approaches. The meta-analysis revealed a significant association between low energy density foods and body weight reduction, i.e., -0.53 kg when low energy density foods were eaten (95% CI: -0.88, -0.19). In conclusions, this study adds evidence which supports the energy density of food as a simple but effective measure to manage weight in the obese with the aim of weight reduction.

Keywords: adults; body weight; energy intake; obesity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Process of literature search on the association between food energy density and body weight changes in obese adults.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of the random-effects meta-analysis of changes in body weight according to food energy density shown as polled standard differences in the means with 95% CIs and in selected cross-sectional studies and randomized trials. For each study, the square represents the point estimate of the intervention effect. Horizontal lines join the lower and upper limits of the 95% CI of this effect. The area of shaded squares reflects the relative weight of the study in the meta-analysis. Diamonds represent the subgroup mean difference and pooled mean differences.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Funnel plot of standard error by standard differences in means of body weight.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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