Effect of Food Consumption Values of Vietnamese Consumers on the Reliability and Purchase Intention of Korean Home Meal Replacements

The Vietnamese home meal replacement (HMR) market is expected to face intensified competition due to economic development and urbanization. This study analyzes how the food consumption values of Vietnamese consumers affect the perceived reliability and intention to purchase Korean food in the form of HMRs and provides basic data to establish strategies for Korean HMRs to secure an advantage in an intensely competitive market. A survey was conducted with Vietnamese consumers who had used Korean HMRs before and are constantly using HMRs on a regular basis. To analyze the relationships between food consumption values, the reliability of Korean HMR, and the intention to purchase Korean HMRs, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and covariance structural models were used. Among the factors of food consumption value, health, safety, time saving, and convenience have a positive effect on the reliability of Korean HMRs, while family and cost-effectiveness do not. Moreover, this reliability has a positive effect on the purchase intention of Korean HMRs. This study is significant in that while investigating Korean HMRs, it is pioneering research on Vietnamese consumers regarding HMRs. Therefore, the results of this study can be used to secure the competitiveness of Korean HMRs in the Vietnamese market.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Partial Meal Replacement Preconception Weight Loss Program for Women with Overweight and Obesity

About half of Australian women have a body mass index in the overweight or obese range at the start of pregnancy, with serious consequences including preterm birth, gestational hypertension and diabetes, caesarean section, stillbirth, and childhood obesity. Trials to limit weight gain during pregnancy have had limited success and reducing weight before pregnancy has greater potential to improve outcomes. The PreBabe Pilot study was a randomised controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, acceptability and potential weight loss achieved using a commercial online partial meal replacement program, (MR) vs. telephone-based conventional dietary advice, (DA) for pre-conception weight-loss over a 10-week period. Women 18–40 years of age with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 planning pregnancy within the next 6 to 12 months were included in the study. All participants had three clinic visits with a dietitian and one obstetric consultation. In total, 50 women were enrolled in the study between June 2018 and October 2019–26 in MR and 24 in DA. Study retention at the end of 10 week intervention 81% in the MR arm and 75% in the DA arm. In the-intention-to-treat analysis, women using meal replacements lost on average 5.4 ± 3.1% body weight compared to 2.3 ± 4.2% for women receiving conventional advice (p = 0.029). Over 80% of women in the MR arm rated the support received as excellent, compared to 39% in the DA arm (p < 0.001). Women assigned to the MR intervention were more likely to achieve pregnancy within 12 months of the 10 week intervention (57% (12 of 21) women assigned to MR intervention vs. 22% (4 of 18) assigned to the DA group (p = 0.049) became pregnant). The findings suggest that a weight loss intervention using meal replacements in the preconception period was acceptable and may result in greater weight loss than conventional dietary advice alone.

Association between characteristics of behavioural weight loss programmes and weight change after programme end: systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo determine if the characteristics of behavioural weight loss programmes influence the rate of change in weight after the end of the programme.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesTrial registries, 11 electronic databases, and forward citation searching (from database inception; latest search December 2019). Randomised trials of behavioural weight loss programmes in adults with overweight or obesity, reporting outcomes at ≥12 months, including at the end of the programme and after the end of the programme.Review methodsStudies were screened by two independent reviewers with discrepancies resolved by discussion. 5% of the studies identified in the searches met the inclusion criteria. One reviewer extracted the data and a second reviewer checked the data. Risk of bias was assessed with Cochrane’s risk of bias tool (version 1). The rate of change in weight was calculated (kg/month; converted to kg/year for interpretability) after the end of the programme in the intervention versus control groups by a mixed model with a random intercept. Associations between the rate of change in weight and prespecified variables were tested.ResultsData were analysed from 249 trials (n=59 081) with a mean length of follow-up of two years (longest 30 years). 56% of studies (n=140) had an unclear risk of bias, 21% (n=52) a low risk, and 23% (n=57) a high risk of bias. Regain in weight was faster in the intervention versus the no intervention control groups (0.12-0.32 kg/year) but the difference between groups was maintained for at least five years. Each kilogram of weight lost at the end of the programme was associated with faster regain in weight at a rate of 0.13-0.19 kg/year. Financial incentives for weight loss were associated with faster regain in weight at a rate of 1-1.5 kg/year. Compared with programmes with no meal replacements, interventions involving partial meal replacements were associated with faster regain in weight but not after adjustment for weight loss during the programme. Access to the programme outside of the study was associated with slower regain in weight. Programmes where the intensity of the interaction reduced gradually were also associated with slower regain in weight in the multivariable analysis, although the point estimate suggested that the association was small. Other characteristics did not explain the heterogeneity in regain in weight.ConclusionFaster regain in weight after weight loss was associated with greater initial weight loss, but greater initial weight loss was still associated with reduced weight for at least five years after the end of the programme, after which data were limited. Continued availability of the programme to participants outside of the study predicted a slower regain in weight, and provision of financial incentives predicted faster regain in weight; no other clear associations were found.Study registrationPROSPERO CRD42018105744.

Unacylated ghrelin, leptin, and appetite display diurnal rhythmicity in lean adults.

Constant routine and forced desynchrony protocols typically remove the effects of behavioural/environmental cues to examine endogenous circadian rhythms, yet this may not reflect rhythms of appetite regulation in the real world. It is therefore important to understand these rhythms within the same subjects under controlled diurnal conditions of light, sleep and feeding. Ten healthy adults (9M/1F, Mean ±SD: age: 30 ± 10 y; BMI: 24.1 ± 2.7 kg·m-2) rested supine in the laboratory for 37 hours. All data were collected during the final 24 hours of this period (i.e. 0800 - 0800 h). Participants were fed hourly isocaloric liquid meal replacements alongside appetite assessments during waking before a sleep opportunity from 2200-0700 h. Hourly blood samples were collected throughout the 24-h period. A diurnal rhythm in mean plasma unacylated ghrelin concentration was identified (p=0.04), with the acrophase occurring shortly after waking (08:19 h), falling to a nadir in the evening with a relative amplitude of 9%. Plasma leptin concentration also exhibited a diurnal rhythm (p<0.01), with the acrophase occurring shortly after lights-out (00:32 h) and the lowest concentrations at midday. The amplitude for this rhythm was 25%. Diurnal rhythms were established in all dimensions of appetite except for sweet preference (p=0.29), with both hunger (21:03) and prospective food consumption (19:55) reaching their peak in the evening before falling to their nadir shortly after waking. Under controlled diurnal conditions, simultaneous measurement of leptin, unacylated ghrelin, and subjective appetite over a 24-hour period revealed rhythmicity in appetite regulation in lean, healthy humans.

Reverse Impaired Fasting Glucose in Overweight and Obese Patients Participating in a Self-Paid University Weight Management Program

Aims: The progression of prediabetes to T2DM can be delayed through diet modification and weight management. This retrospective review examines the impact on blood sugar, blood pressure, and fasting lipids of a self-pay weight management program utilizing protein-enriched meal replacements and partial meal replacement diets providing 2.2 grams/kg/day of protein in overweight and obese patients with impaired fasting glucose and excess body fat (average %body fat ca. 40%). Methods: The medical records of 4634 obese patient who participated in the self-pay UCLA Weight Management Program were reviewed to identify 2572 eligible patients for this retrospective study of the impact of weight loss over 3 months on patients with normal fasting glucose (NFG) (n=1396) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) (n=1176). Results: Patients with IFG lost comparable amounts of weight (ca. 10 kg) at three months as did the subjects with NFG. Fasting blood glucose in the IFG group decreased from 108.49 ± 6.4 mg/dl to 101.8 ±9.41 mg/dl (p<0.0001) after three months. There were also significant reductions in triglycerides, and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both groups in association with weight loss. Conclusion: Our medically supervised self-pay multidisciplinary weight management program utilizing protein-enriched diets and meal replacements reduced fasting blood glucose levels in patients with IFG while reducing triglycerides and blood pressure in all patients over three months.

Effectiveness of companion-intensive multi-aspect weight management in Chinese adults with obesity: a 6-month multicenter randomized clinical trial

Background Obesity is a globally increasing health epidemic requiring early lifestyle intervention. Our main objective was to examine the effectiveness of companion-intensive multi-aspect weight management (CIMWM) in Chinese adults with obesity. Methods In this 6-month, prospective, open-label, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial, we recruited 272 obese adults aged 18–50 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28.0 kg/m2 and capable of using smartphones. CIMWM (n = 136) offered both daily online instructions and monthly face-to-face guidance by physicians, dietitians, and health managers along with the provision of meal replacements in the first 3 months. Traditional multi-aspect weight management (TMWM, n = 136) provided monthly face-to-face guidance by the same panel of professionals and the same meal replacements as CIMWM group, but required subjects to complete daily self-monitoring instead of offering daily online instructions. Body composition and metabolic parameters were assessed at baseline, 1, 2, 3, and 6 months by physicians. The primary outcomes were clinically-significant weight loss and changes in BMI and body composition. Results Participants in both groups showed significantly reduced BMI, body fat mass (BFM), visceral fat area (VFA), and HOMA-IR (p < 0.05). CIMWM was shown to be superior to TMWM in the improvement of clinically-significant weight loss, BMI, total cholesterol (TC), the body composition parameters BFM and the skeletal muscle mass-to-visceral fat area ratio (S/V) (p < 0.05). The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease score (NFS) was negatively related to S/V at baseline. After weight management, NFS was lowered among individuals with levels in the highest tertile (p < 0.05). Metabolic memory in terms of the continuous reduction of BMI, BFM, and TC was retained up to 6 months in spite of participants transferring to self-monitoring assessment in the final 3 months. Conclusions The CIMWM strategy in obese Chinese adults is proved to be more effective than TMWM in weight loss, and motivates greater adherence to intervention and lifestyle reprogramming. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800017463, Registered July 31, 2018. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=29649.

Effectiveness of Companion-Intensive Multi-aspect Weight Management in Chinese Adults with Obesity: A Six-Month Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Obesity is a globally increasing health epidemic requiring early lifestyle intervention. Our main objective was to examine the effectiveness of companion-intensive multi-aspect weight management (CIMWM) in Chinese adults with obesity.Methods: In this 6-month, prospective, open-label, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial, we recruited 272 obese adults aged 18–50 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥28.0 kg/m2 and capable of using smartphones. CIMWM (n=136) offered both daily online instructions and monthly face-to-face guidance by physicians, dietitians, and health managers along with the provision of meal replacements in the first 3 months. Traditional multi-aspect weight management (TMWM, n=136) provided monthly face-to-face guidance by the same panel of professionals and the same meal replacements as CIMWM group, but required subjects to complete daily self-monitoring instead of offering daily online instructions. Body composition and metabolic parameters were assessed at baseline, 1, 2, 3, and 6 months by physicians. Primary outcomes were the clinically-significant weight loss and changes in BMI and body composition.Results: Participants in both groups showed significantly reduced BMI, body fat mass (BFM), visceral fat area (VFA), and HOMA-IR (P<0.05). CIMWM was shown to be superior to TMWM in the improvement of clinically-significant weight loss, BMI, total cholesterol (TC), the body composition parameters BFM and the skeletal muscle mass-to-visceral fat area ratio (S/V) (P<0.05). The non-alcoholic fatty liver disease score (NFS) was negatively related to S/V at baseline. After weight management, NFS was lowered among individuals with levels in the highest tertile (P<0.05). Metabolic memory in terms of the continuous reduction of BMI, BFM, and TC was retained up to 6 months in spite of participants transferring to self-monitoring assessment in the final 3 months.Conclusions: The CIMWM strategy in obese Chinese adults is proved to be more effective than TMWM in weight loss, and motivates greater adherence to intervention and lifestyle reprogramming.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800017463, Registered July 31, 2018, retrospectively registry. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=29649

Physical function after dietary weight loss in overweight and obese adults with osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with functional limitations that can impair mobility and reduce quality of life in affected individuals. Excess body weight in OA can exacerbate impaired physical function, highlighting the importance of weight management in this population. The aim of this systematic review was to compare the effects of different dietary interventions for weight loss on physical function in overweight and obese individuals with OA. Design: A comprehensive search of five databases was conducted to identify relevant articles for inclusion. Studies were included that examined the effect of dietary weight loss interventions, with or without exercise, on physical function in adults with OA who were overweight or obese. Quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Quality Criteria Checklist for primary research. Primary and secondary outcomes were extracted, including change in weight and physical function which included performance-based and self-report measures. Results: Nineteen relevant studies were included, which incorporated lifestyle interventions (n 8), diet in combination with meal replacements (DMR; n 5) and very low-energy diets (VLED; n 6) using meal replacements only. Pooled data for eight RCT indicated a mean difference in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) physical function of 12·4 and 12·5 % following DMR or VLED interventions, respectively; however, no statistically significant change was detected for lifestyle interventions. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that partial use of meal replacements is as effective as their sole use in the more restrictive VLED. Both dietary interventions are more effective than lifestyle programmes to induce significant weight loss and improvements in physical function.