Objective: To compare the weight loss and metabolic profile between a continuous energy-restricted diet and intermittent fasting diet in order to present an optimal nutritional weight reduction method for obese people in China. Methods: Sixty overweight or obese adults were selected and divided into two groups as the continuous energy-restricted diet group and the intermittent fasting diet group. Height, weight, waist circumference, body mass index(BMI), body fat, change of visceral fatarea, fasting glucose(FPG), triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), high density cholesterol(HDL), low density cholesterol(LDL), glutamic pyruvicaminotransferase(AST), signglutamic pyruvic transaminase(ALT), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase(GGT), alkalinephosphatase (ALP), fasting insulin level(FINS) and HOMA-IR were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks after weight loss methods carried. Results: Both continuous energy-restricted diet and intermittent fasting diet resulted improvement on body shape indexes and a significant decrease in weight, waist circumference, BMI, body fat, visceral fat area and skeletal muscle(P<0.01)at 8 weeks. Both groups experienced improvements in biochemical outcomes and metabolic indicators at 8 weeks. A significant reduction in TC, AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, FINS and HOMA-IR(P<0.01 or P<0.05)were observed in continuous energy-restricted diet group. And a significant decline in TC, LDL, HDL, AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, FINS and HOMA-IR were observed in intermittent fasting diet group(P<0.01 or P<0.05). HDL was found significantly reduced in intermittent fasting diet group as compared with continuous energy-restricted diet group(P<0.01) at 8 weeks, however, there were no difference in weight loss, waist circumference, BMI, body fat, visceral fat area and other metabolic indicators at 8 weeks(P>0.05). Conclusion Both intermittent fasting diet and continuous energy-restricted diet have a similar effect on weight loss and metabolic indexes like blood glucose, HOMA-IR and blood lipid, but intermittent fasting diet can more significantly decrease HDL level.

Objective To investigate the effects of a standard food-based low calorie diet and meal replacements on compliance,weight loss,and glycolipid metabolism in obese patients,and to provide an optimal nutritional weight reduction method for obese individuals in China.Methods Height,weight,waist circumference,body mass index (BMI),body fat,visceral fat in low calorie diet group (n =23) and meal replacements group (n =17) were assessed at baseline,4 and 8 weeks after the intervention.Fasting plasma glucose (FPG),triglyceride (TG),total cholesterol (TC),high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C),low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C),aspartate aminotransferase (AST),alanine transaminase (ALT),gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT),alkaline phosphatase (ALP),fasting insulin (FINS),and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed at both baseline and 8 weeks after the intervention.Results Both low calorie diet and meal replacements led to significant decreases in body weight,waist circumference,BMI,body fat,and visceral fat(all P＜0.01) after 4 and 8 weeks.Body fat (P＜ 0.01) and total body water (P＜ 0.05) in low calorie diet group were decreased more obviously compared with those in meal replacements group at 4 weeks.However,there were no difference in all these parameters between two groups at 8 weeks (P＞0.05).Both groups experienced improvements in biochemical outcomes and metabolic indicators.TG,AST,ALT,GGT,ALP,FINS,and HOMA-IR levels were all decreased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) while HDL-C level was increased (P＜0.01) 8 weeks after standard food-based low calorie diet.FPG,TG,TC,LDL-C,AST,ALT,ALP,FINS,and HOMA-IR levels were declined 8 weeks after meal replacements(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).TC,LDL-C,and ALT levels were more evidently to reduce in meal replacements group compared with low calorie diet group.Conclusions Present data suggest that meal replacements and low calorie diet may have a similar effect on weight loss,while meal replacements seems to obtain a better metabolic results.