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Recommendations Summary

AWM: Portion Control and Meal Replacements/Structured Meal Plans 2014

Click here to see the explanation of recommendation ratings (Strong, Fair, Weak, Consensus, Insufficient Evidence) and labels (Imperative or Conditional). To see more detail on the evidence from which the following recommendations were drawn, use the hyperlinks in the Supporting Evidence Section below.

• Recommendation(s)

  AWM: Portion Control and Meal Replacements/Structured Meal Plans

  For weight loss and weight maintenance, the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) should recommend portion control and meal replacements or structured meal plans as part of a comprehensive weight management program. Strong evidence documents a positive relationship between portion size and body weight and research reports that the use of various types of meal replacements or structured meal plans was helpful in achieving health and food behavior change.

  Rating: Strong
  Imperative

  • Risks/Harms of Implementing This Recommendation

    None.

  • Conditions of Application

    None.

  • Potential Costs Associated with Application

    Costs of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) sessions vary, however MNT sessions are essential for improved outcomes.

  • Recommendation Narrative

    From the Nutrition Counseling Project

    Four RCT studies (three positive-quality and one neutral-quality) assessed the efficacy of various types of meal replacement or structured meal plan strategies, as compared to self-selected diets in middle aged-adults and found the use of various types of meal replacements or structured meal plans helpful in achieving health and food behavior change in middle-aged adults (Wing et al, 1996; Metz et al, 1997; Ditschuneit et al, 1999; Flechter-Mors et al, 2000; Ashley et al, 2001; Ditschuneit and Flechter-Mors, 2001). Additional research is needed to determine if benefits derived from temporary use of these behavioral strategies can be sustained over time.
    
    From the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) Nutrition Evidence Library (NEL) Evidence-Based Systematic Reviews
    
    What is the relationship between portion size and body weight?

    • Strong evidence documents a positive relationship between portion size and body weight.

  • Recommendation Strength Rationale

    The Conclusion Statement from the Nutrition Counseling project in support of this recommendation received:

    • What is the evidence that the behavioral strategy of meal replacements or structured meal plans, used as a component of a behavioral program, will result in health or food behavior change in adults counseled in an outpatient or clinic setting? Grade I.

    The Conclusion Statement for Energy Balance and Weight Management, Food Environment and Dietary Behaviors in support of this recommendation received a grade of Strong.

  • Minority Opinions

    Consensus reached.

• Supporting Evidence

  The recommendations were created from the evidence analysis on the following questions. To see detail of the evidence analysis, click the blue hyperlinks below (recommendations rated consensus will not have supporting evidence linked).

  What is the evidence that the behavioral strategy of meal replacements or structured meal plans, used as a component of a behavioral program, will result in health or food behavior change in adults counseled in an outpatient or clinic setting?

  • References

    Ashley JM, St. Jeor ST, Schrage JP, Perumean-Chaney SE, Gilbertson MC, McCall NL, Bovee V.  Weight control in the physician's office.  Arch Intern Med 2001; 161: 1599-1604.
    
    Ditschuneit HH, Flechter-Mors M.  Value of structured meals for weight management:  risk factors and long-term weight maintenance.  Obes Res 2001; 9: 284-289S.   
    
    Ditschuneit HH, Flechter-Mors M, Johnson TD, Adler G.  Metabolic and weight-loss effects of a long-term dietary intervention in obese patients.  Am J Clin Nutr 1999; 69(2): 198-204.
    
    Flechter-Mors M, Ditschuneit HH, Johnson TD, Suchard MA, Adler G.  Metabolic and weight loss effects of long-term dietary intervention in obese patients:  four-year results.  Obes Res 2000; 8(5): 399-402.  
    
    Metz JA, Kris-Etherton PM, Morris CD. Dietary compliance and cardiovascular risk reduction with a prepared meal plan compared with a self-selected diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997; 66: 373-385.
    
    Wing RR, Jeffery RW, Burton LR, Thorson C, Nissinoff KS, Baxter JE. Food provision vs. structured meal plans in the behavioral treatment of obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1996 Jan; 20 (1): 56-62.

  • References not graded in Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Process

    2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) Nutrition Evidence Library (NEL) Evidence-Based Systematic Reviews. Available at http://www.nutritionevidencelibrary.gov/category.cfm?cid=21