Overfeeding 40% more calories with 5% protein diet caused weight gain of 7.1 lbs

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Monday, November 22, 2010 11:39 am Email this article
When people were overfed 40% more calories than necessary with a low-protein diet containing only 5% protein, they gained an average of 7.1 pounds after two months according to a new study from researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA.

This compares to a weight gain of 13.3 lbs on a 15% normal-protein diet, and a weight gain of 13.5 lbs on a 25% high-protein diet. Body Fat

Fat Gain:8.2 lbs

Body fat increased by an average of 8.2 lbs on the 5% low-protein diet compared to a 7.6 lbs for those fed a 15% medium-protein diet, and 7.9 lbs for those fed a 25% high-protein diet.

 

Notice Gain in Body Fat the Same

Notice that the gain in body fat was the same regardless of the protein content

Notice that people gained the same amount of body fat regardless of the protein content of the diet.

 

Muscle

Muscle: -1.6 lbs

Patients lost an average of 1.6 lbs of lean body mass (muscle) compared to a 6.3 lbs increase in lean body mass (muscle) in those fed a 15% normal-protein diet, and a 5.9 lbs increase in lean body mass (muscle) for those fed a 25% high-protein diet.

 

Total Energy Expenditure

Total Energy Expenditure: +66 calories

Total Energy Expenditure increased by 66 calories per day.

This compares to an increase of 533 calories per day in those fed a 15% medium-protein diet, and an increase of 422 calories per day for those fed a 25% high-protein diet.

 

Subjects

Subjects: 16 men and 10 women living in an inpatient ward for 2 months

The study involved “16 men and 10 women who lived on an inpatient ward for 8 weeks and received meals containing 40% more calories than estimated from a composite of 24-h energy expenditure and weight stabilization prior to overfeeding.”

 

Conclusion

Conclusion: The protein content of the diet affects weight gain and changes in lean body mass

“The protein content of the diet influences the change in body weight and changes in lean body mass and total and sleeping energy expenditure, but not the total fat storage,” the authors of the study concluded.

The study was funded by the US Department of Agriculture.

REFERENCE

Smith S, De Jonge L, Xie H, Rood J, Brock C, Bray G. Effect on body fat of eight weeks of overfeeding with three different protein diets. Obesity Reviews. 2010 July, 11(Suppl S1):Poster T2:PO.16 (page 180).

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

Steve R. Smith, MD
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA
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