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

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fibre supplementation is effective in weight-reduced subjects for maintenance of weight-toss 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 feast 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 Po 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 an 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.