PP314 - USING A COMBINATION OF DIET AND MEDICAL MEAL REPLACEMENT TO REDUCE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE IN LOW METABOLIC RATE OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUAL

PP314

USING A COMBINATION OF DIET AND MEDICAL MEAL REPLACEMENT TO REDUCE BODY FAT PERCENTAGE IN LOW METABOLIC RATE OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUAL

T. H. Y. H. Y. Ting^1,*, K. I. T. Lau¹

¹Dietetics, Mint Dietitian Clinic, Hong Kong, China

Rationale: Low resting metabolic rate (RMR) and metabolic adaptation challenge long-term weight loss. Structured meal replacements can preserve muscle mass during caloric restriction, which is crucial for individuals with pre-existing low RMR.

Methods: This two-month prospective study enrolled 12 overweight adults (RMR <1000 kcal/day by indirect calorimetry). Participants received a calorie-restricted diet with 1–2 meal replacements daily and attended six dietitian consultations. Body weight, fat percentage, muscle mass, and RMR (via indirect calorimetry, BIA, and Harris-Benedict equation) were assessed pre- and post-intervention.

Results: Significant reductions occurred in body weight (–4.8 kg, –7.1%, p < 0.001), BMI (–1.9 kg/m², p < 0.001), and body fat percentage (–4.1%, p < 0.001), while muscle mass was preserved (p = 0.14). At baseline, indirect calorimetry (mean RMR: 826 ± 93 kcal/day) showed significantly lower values than BIA (1261 ± 108 kcal/day) and Harris-Benedict (1386 ± 80 kcal/day) (p < 0.001), indicating overestimation by predictive methods.

Conclusion: Meal replacements effectively reduced weight and fat while preserving muscle in overweight adults with low metabolic rate. Predictive equations significantly overestimated RMR, supporting the use of indirect calorimetry for accurate metabolic assessment in this population.

References: Gitsi, E., Kokkinos, A. et.al (2024). The relationship between resting metabolic rate and body composition in people living with overweight and obesity.Journal of clinical medicine, 3(19), 5862.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared