Diverging metabolic effects of 2 energy-restricted diets differing in nutrient quality: A 12-week randomized controlled trial in subjects with abdominal obesity

Sophie Schutte, Diederik Esser, Els Siebelink, Charlotte J.R. Michielsen, Monique Daanje, Juri C. Matualatupauw, Hendriek C. Boshuizen, Marco Mensink, Lydia A. Afman*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Despite the established relation between energy restriction (ER) and metabolic health, the most beneficial nutrient composition of a weight-loss diet is still a subject of debate. Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the additional effects of nutrient quality on top of ER. Methods: A parallel-designed, 12-week 25% ER dietary intervention study was conducted (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02194504). Participants aged 40-70 years with abdominal obesity were randomized over 3 groups: a 25% ER high-nutrient-quality diet (n = 40); a 25% ER low-nutrient-quality diet (n = 40); or a habitual diet (n = 30). Both ER diets were nutritionally adequate, and the high-nutrient-quality ER diet was enriched in MUFAs, n-3 PUFAs, fiber, and plant protein and reduced in fructose. Before and after the intervention, intrahepatic lipids, body fat distribution, fasting and postprandial responses to a mixed-meal shake challenge test of cardiometabolic risk factors, lipoproteins, vascular measurements, and adipose tissue transcriptome were assessed. Results: The high-nutrient-quality ER diet (-8.4 ± 3.2) induced 2.1 kg more weight loss (P = 0.007) than the low-nutrient-quality ER diet (-6.3 ± 3.9), reduced fasting serum total cholesterol (P = 0.014) and plasma triglycerides (P < 0.001), promoted an antiatherogenic lipoprotein profile, and induced a more pronounced decrease in adipose tissue gene expression of energy metabolism pathways than the low-quality ER diet. Explorative analyses showed that the difference in weight loss between the two ER diets was specifically present in insulin-sensitive subjects (HOMA-IR ≤ 2.5), in whom the high-nutrient-quality diet induced 3.9 kg more weight loss than the low-nutrient-quality diet. Conclusions: A high-nutrient-quality 25% ER diet is more beneficial for cardiometabolic health than a low-nutrient-quality 25% ER diet. Overweight, insulin-sensitive subjects may benefit more from a high- than a low-nutrient-quality ER diet with respect to weight loss, due to potential attenuation of glucose-induced lipid synthesis in adipose tissue.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)132-150
Number of pages19
JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume116
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2022

Keywords

  • adipose tissue
  • clinical trial
  • dietary intervention
  • insulin resistance
  • mixed-meal challenge
  • nutrigenomics
  • precision nutrition

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