Soy-based meal replacment shakes cause 9 lbs greater weight loss

People following the Scan Diet meal replacement formula which includes use of soy-based meal replacement shakes lost 9 pound more weight than people eating a low calorie diet with the same number of calories according to a recent study.

Subjects following the Scan Diet with meal replacement shakes lost 15.4 pounds in three months (12 weeks) compared to 6.4 pounds for the control group.

SCAN DIET

The Scan Diet consists of consuming

- 5 Scan (soy-based) Diet Shakes,
- 4 exchanges of frut,
- 4 exchanges of vegetables and
- 1 fat exchange.

SCAN DIET SHAKES

Each meal replacement diet shake contains 18 grams of protein, 6 gram of fiber, 3 grams of fat, and 13 grams of sugar as well as an array of vitamins and minerals.

The Scan Diet is a trademark of Nutricia International B.V., a formula produced under license from Nutri Pharma, ASA, in Olso, Norway.

Their toll-free phone number is 1-877-458-6400. Information is also given on their website listed below.

Each person in this group was given a copy of the Nutricia Scan Diet Meal Plan booklet, which can be found at Scandiet.com, as well as a copy of The American Dietetic Association’s (1995) booklet Exchange Lists for Weight Management.

CONTROL GROUP

The control group was instructed to follow a 1200 calorie per day exchange system diet. This group was also given a copy of The American Dietetic Association’s booklet Exchange Lists for Weight Management.

ADVERSE EFFECTS

Five subjects withdrew from the study due to side effects:

- three due to diarrhea,
- one due to diarrhea and nausea,
- one due to gastric reflux, and
- one who described the reason as “symptoms unbearable”.

Note: This adds up to six, however, the text says that only five withdrew due to side effects.

SUBJECTS

The study involved 100 hundred obese people with a BMI of 28 to 41, who were 35- to 65-years-old. Seventy-four subjects complete the study.

REFERENCE

Allison D, Gadbury G, Schwartz L, Murugesan R, Kraker J, Heshka S, Fontaine K, Heymsfield S. A novel soy-based meal replacement formula for weight loss among obese individuals: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003 Apr, 57(4):514-22.

Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Meal Replacement Shakes