New research suggests that a strict low-calorie diet can be a safe and acceptable way for teenagers with significant obesity issues to lose weight, provided they have the right guidance from a dietitian.
This information comes from a study that will be shared at an upcoming major health conference.
The study, conducted in Australia, involved teenagers who tried a diet limiting them to 800 calories a day. This diet included specially formulated meals like shakes and bars, ensuring they got all the nutrients they needed despite the low calorie intake.
The idea was to offer a different path to weight loss for those young people who hadn’t seen results from traditional approaches like diet changes and more exercise. It also presented an alternative to considering surgery by aiming for a healthier diet in the long term.
Past research has shown these low-energy diets can indeed lead to fast weight loss in young people.
However, there’s been a lack of information about possible side effects (such as headaches or tiredness) and whether young people find this diet approach manageable and acceptable.
Concerns have also been raised about the diet’s effects on youngsters’ growth, heart health, and mental well-being, making some doctors hesitant to recommend it.
To explore these questions, Dr. Megan Gow and her team at the University of Sydney analyzed data from a larger study focusing on different diets for obese teenagers.
This analysis looked specifically at the initial four weeks of the study, where participants followed a very low-calorie diet to jump-start their weight loss journey.
The diet plan involved 141 teenagers, both boys and girls, who were between 13 to 17 years old and dealing with obesity and related health issues like high blood pressure or insulin resistance.
They consumed 800 calories a day from specially prepared meals and were encouraged to eat low-carb vegetables and a bit of vegetable oil. They had regular check-ins with a dietitian for support.
Despite experiencing side effects such as hunger, tiredness, headaches, and stomach issues, almost all the teenagers stuck with the diet for the four weeks, and on average, they lost about 12 pounds.
Interestingly, those who reported more side effects early on tended to lose more weight by the end of the month, possibly because they were more strictly following the diet plan.
When asked, the teenagers said the diet was moderately easy to follow and somewhat enjoyable. They appreciated the clear rules and the results they saw, but they didn’t like the restrictive nature of the diet or the taste of some of the meal replacements.
The researchers concluded that with proper supervision, this strict low-calorie diet could be a safe short-term option for teenagers struggling with obesity. Despite the drawbacks, many found it a worthwhile approach for weight loss.
Dr. Gow emphasized the need for more research to figure out which teenagers might benefit most from such a diet. She suggested that this diet could play a significant role in treating severe obesity and its complications, especially before considering medication or surgery.
For teenagers facing obesity issues, consulting with a family doctor about this and other treatment options is a recommended first step.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies about the keto diet for weight loss: Pros and cons, and how to drink water to lose weight.
For more information about weight loss, please see recent studies about best cheeses to improve diabetes and lose weight, and results showing gastric sleeve weight-loss surgery: a real story.
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