A personalized diet program that allows users to create their own plans based on their protein and fiber target levels promises to help people lose extra weight and lose weight.
According to the nutritionist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who created iDip, the personalized diet improvement program is a self-guided approach with easy-to-use tools.
“Our program does not provide or provide a rigorous diet plan or recipe for participants to follow,” said study co-author Mindy H. Lee, a graduate student. “We do not exclude food groups like low-carb or low-fat programs. The main goal is to allow dieters to make informed choices and to manage their own sustainable weight. To be able to create programs. “
Diet flexibility is the key to sustainable weight loss and maintenance, said Manabu Nakamura, a professor of nutrition at the university who co-authored the study.
“The problem with currently available commercial weight loss programs and products is that dieters aren’t losing weight on a large scale,” he said. “The more serious problem is that people can’t keep it.
“If you follow the program or eat only the foods you are instructed to do for 4-6 months, you will lose some weight, but if you stop following the program or buy the product, your weight will return quickly. That’s very important. It discourages them. “
Visual tools developed by researchers help dieters plot their protein and fiber intakes and select foods that reduce overall calories without reducing protein and fiber.
Based on dietary guidelines published by the Institute of Medicine, iDip Visual Tools plots food protein and fiber density per calorie, along with dietary target range. This tool helps users prepare their diet with about 80 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber per day, but their intake is limited to less than 1,500 calories per day.
Ages 24-59 years, all participants in the first clinical trial had an obesity index of over 28 and were classified in the overweight or obesity category. Participants self-reported that they are in obesity-related health conditions such as high blood pressure and have tried more than one over-the-counter diet program or weight loss product in the past.
Participants weigh daily at home using a wifi-enabled scale, and researchers provide each week with a chart showing weight loss progress, intended weight loss rate, and 6-month target weight. Did.
Daily weighing and weekly feedback charts allowed participants to monitor their progress without counting calories or completing a daily dietary journal. This can be tedious, time consuming, and inaccurate.
“There was no culture of counting calories in the entire history of mankind,” said Nakamura. “And we know it’s not sustainable in the long run. But weighing and keeping track of trends every day is a very important tool. It’s easy to maintain for life and it’s easy to maintain. It’s a good habit for anyone who wants to lose weight or maintain weight. “
During the 12-month program, participants participated in 22 educational sessions led by registered dietitians. These included 19 group lectures that provided nutritional information and explained how to apply this knowledge to grocery shopping and cooking. The lecture also focused on the benefits of physical activity and how to navigate the plateau and maintenance of weight loss.
In addition, each participant received three individual coaching and advice sessions.
According to the survey, 12 out of 14 participants completed the program. According to Lee, half achieved the researcher’s goal of losing at least 5% of their body weight and maintained it during the six-month follow-up phase.
Although the number of participants was small, it showed the feasibility of the program.
iDip’s third clinical trial is currently underway with 30 participants, and the results are even more promising. At the end of the six-month weight loss phase, participants lost about 6.5% of their weight, Lee said.
The other co-author of this treatise was John Ardman, an emeritus professor of food science and human nutrition. Graduates Catherine C. Applegate and Annabel L. Schaffer.
The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
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