Formula diet in the treatment of moderate obesity.

To evaluate the effect of the popular use of formula diets in the treatment of moderate obesity two regimens have been standardized: (1) formula diet replacing three of five daily meals (partial meal replacement (PMR, 1000 kcal (4.19 MJ] and (2) formula diet taken as five pre-meals (pre-meal satiation, PMS greater than or equal to 565 kcal (greater than or equal to 2.37 MJ]. Weight loss and compliance have been evaluated in a prospective 12 weeks randomized clinical trial with allocation to one of the two regimens or to a control group treated with a 1000 kcal (4.19 MJ) conventional diet (CD). CD and PMR were supported by diethylpropion (Dobesin) individually dosaged by the patient. No anorexic drugs was given to the PMS-group. Of 136 consecutively admitted patients 120 were included. After 12 weeks the median weight loss was 7.0, 8.4 and 6.1 kg in the CD-, PMR- and PMS-group, respectively (no significant differences between the groups (P much greater than 0.02]. Thirteen percent dropped out. Consumption of diethylpropion was significantly lower in the PMR-group compared with the CD-group (median 0.15 and 0.60 tablets of 25 mg per d, respectively). Even among selected sub-groups only few subjects obtained a relevant weight loss through continued treatment after the initial 12 weeks. No serious side-effects to the treatments were observed.