Very‐Low‐Calorie Diets and Sustained Weight Loss

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Abstract
Objective: To review of the literature on the topic of very‐low‐calorie diets (VLCDs) and the long‐term weight‐maintenance success in the treatment of obesity.Research Methods and Procedures: A literature search of the following keywords: VLCD, long‐term weight maintenance, and dietary treatment of obesity.Results: VLCDs and low‐calorie diets with an average intake between 400 and 800 kcal do not differ in body weight loss. Nine randomized control trials, including VLCD treatment with long‐term weight maintenance, show a large variation in the initial weight loss regain percentage, which ranged from −7% to 122% at the 1‐year follow‐up to 26% to 121% at the 5‐year follow‐up. There is evidence that a greater initial weight loss using VLCDs with an active follow‐up weight‐maintenance program, including behavior therapy, nutritional education and exercise, improves weight maintenance.Conclusions: VLCD with active follow‐up treatment seems to be one of the better treatment modalities related to long‐term weight‐maintenance success.