PD598 - EFFICACY OF HIGH PROTEIN MEAL REPLACEMENT FOR WEIGHT & BODY FAT LOSS IN THAI ADULTS: A 24-WEEK PRAGMATIC RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

PD598

EFFICACY OF HIGH PROTEIN MEAL REPLACEMENT FOR WEIGHT & BODY FAT LOSS IN THAI ADULTS: A 24-WEEK PRAGMATIC RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

C. Churuangsuk^1,*, K. Taemkaew¹, H. Kano¹, P. Saengsuk¹, P. Puttarak², W. Aunjitsakul³

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Faculty of Medicine, ²Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Prince of Songkla University, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, ³Department of Psychiatry, Prince of Songkla University, Faculty of Medicine, Songkhla, Thailand

Rationale: Meal replacement (MR) strategies are effective for weight management, but evidence in Southeast Asian adults is limited. This study evaluated a structured MR program versus dietary advice alone on body weight, body composition, and cardiometabolic parameters over 24 weeks.

Methods: In this pragmatic RCT, Thai adults with overweight or obesity were randomized to MR (n=36) or dietary advice only (n=38). The MR group consumed 2 sachets/day for 12 weeks with biweekly follow-up and a habit-tracking booklet, followed by 0–1 sachet/day for weeks 13–24. The Control group was reviewed at weeks 12 and 24. Body weight, body composition, fasting glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were assessed at baseline, weeks 12 and 24. Outcomes were compared using linear mixed models. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.

Results: A total of 74 participants completed follow-up (86.5% female, mean BMI 29.7±4.9 kg/m²); groups were matched at baseline. At week 24, MR achieved −4.0±5.5% weight loss vs +0.18±4.5% in Control (p<0.0001). Weight loss ≥5% and ≥10% was achieved by 36.1% and 8.3% in MR vs 7.9% and 2.6% in Control. Body fat declined −9.6±14.1% in MR vs −1.3±10.5% in Control (p<0.0001), with significant visceral fat reduction throughout. Muscle mass was preserved in both groups. Within the MR group, fasting glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C improved significantly at week 12 (all p<0.05), though lipid benefits attenuated by week 24. No cardiometabolic changes were observed in the Control group.

Conclusion: A structured MR program produced significantly greater reductions in body weight, fat mass, and visceral fat than dietary advice alone, with muscle mass preserved. These findings support MR as an effective strategy for weight and fat loss in this population.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared