Although traditional continuous energy restriction may facilitate weight loss, several studies have shown that it may lead to compensatory eating behaviors such as increased appetite and weakened satiety signals. Intermittent energy restriction is an alternative behavioral weight loss strategy that may mitigate the loss of fat-free mass, potentially reducing compensatory adaptations in appetite.

Until recently, few studies have examined the effects of intermittent energy restriction on appetite and eating behavior traits, and potential effects on food reward and cravings. However, results from a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition suggests that neither continuous energy restriction nor intermittent energy restriction lead to compensatory adaptations in appetite in women with overweight/obesity.

Women with overweight/obesity aged 18-55 y were recruited for this controlled-feeding randomized, controlled trial. Participants were unaware that the study aimed to compare the effect of continuous energy restriction and intermittent energy restriction, with matched degrees of weight loss, on appetite. Body composition, energy intake and subjective appetite in response to a fixed-energy breakfast, and eating behavior traits were measured at baseline and post-intervention.

Lead author Kristine Beaulieu (University of Leeds) and colleagues concluded that controlled weight loss via continuous energy restriction or intermittent energy restriction did not differentially affect changes in body composition, reductions in hunger and improvements in eating behavior. Overall, both groups achieved similar changes in body composition with weight loss without any compensatory increases in hunger, food intake or weakening of satiety. Rather, there was a reduction in hunger and desire to eat after weight loss in both groups. The study shows that both continuous energy restriction and intermittent energy restriction did not lead to any detrimental compensatory adaptations in appetite and eating behavior after >5% weight loss in women with overweight and obesity.

Reference  Beaulieu K, Casanova N, Oustric P, Turicchi J, Gibbons C, Hopkins M, Varady K, Blundell J, Finlayson G. Matched Weight Loss Through Intermittent or Continuous Energy Restriction Does Not Lead to Compensatory Increases in Appetite and Eating Behavior in a Randomized Controlled Trial in Women with Overweight and Obesity. J Nutr 2019 Dec 11 (Epub ahead of print; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz296).

Phillips SM. Maintaining It after Losing It: Advantage Protein! J Nutr. 2019 Dec 25 (Epub ahead of print; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz316).

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Kathy Beerman, PhD

Dr. Kathy Beerman teaches in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University. The author of several published articles, she is interested in research that focuses on the efficacy of a novel approach to treating iron deficiency anemia in rural regions of Guatemala and Ecuador. Dr. Beerman teaches an undergraduate nutrition course for health majors, as well as a course that prepares students to participate in a 10-day medical mission to Guatemala. Since joining the faculty at Washington State University in 1990, she has been the recipient of several teaching awards (the Burlington Northern Faculty Meritorious Achievement in Teaching Award, the R.M. Wade Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Sahlin Faculty Excellence Award for Instruction). More recently, she received the CAS Outstanding Achievement Award in International Activities (2017) and the President’s Award for Leadership (2018). Other scholarly activities include co-author of two introductory nutrition textbooks (Nutritional Sciences: From Fundamentals to Food and NUTR).