About this Resource
Energy restricted, higher protein diets are often promoted as being effective for weight loss. This handout reviews the evidence looking at higher protein diets and their effects on weight loss in comparison to energy-matched (isocaloric), lower protein diets.
Grounded in the Research
“Substantial evidence exists that supports the consumption of increased dietary protein (ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 g protein · kg−1 · d−1) as a successful strategy to prevent or treat obesity through reductions in body weight and fat mass concomitant with the preservation of lean mass. The effectiveness of these diets may be due, in part, to modulations in energy metabolism and appetitive signaling leading to reduced energy intake.”
Excerpt from: Leidy, H. J., Clifton, P. M., Astrup, A., Wycherley, T. P., Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., … & Mattes, R. D. (2015). The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 101(6), 1320S-1329S.
References
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[2] Hansen, T. T., Astrup, A., & Sjödin, A. (2021). Are dietary proteins the key to successful body weight management? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing body weight outcomes after interventions with increased dietary protein. Nutrients, 13(9), 3193. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13093193
[3] Vogtschmidt, Y. D., Raben, A., Faber, I., de Wilde, C., Lovegrove, J. A., Givens, D. I., … & Soedamah-Muthu, S. S. (2021). Is protein the forgotten ingredient: Effects of higher compared to lower protein diets on cardiometabolic risk factors. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Atherosclerosis, 328, 124-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.05.011
[4] Wycherley, T. P., Moran, L. J., Clifton, P. M., Noakes, M., & Brinkworth, G. D. (2012). Effects of energy-restricted high-protein, low-fat compared with standard-protein, low-fat diets: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 96(6), 1281-1298. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.044321
[5] Santesso, N., Akl, E. A., Bianchi, M., Mente, A., Mustafa, R., Heels-Ansdell, D., & Schünemann, H. J. (2012). Effects of higher-versus lower-protein diets on health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 66(7), 780-788. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.37
[6] Dhillon, J., Craig, B. A., Leidy, H. J., Amankwaah, A. F., Anguah, K. O. B., Jacobs, A., … & Tucker, R. M. (2016). The effects of increased protein intake on fullness: a meta-analysis and its limitations. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(6), 968-983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.01.003
[ 7] Murphy, C. H., Hector, A. J., & Phillips, S. M. (2015). Considerations for protein intake in managing weight loss in athletes. European Journal of Sport Science, 15(1), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2014.936325
[8] Hector, A. J., & Phillips, S. M. (2018). Protein recommendations for weight loss in elite athletes: A focus on body composition and performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 28(2), 170-177. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0273
[9] Helms, E. R., Zinn, C., Rowlands, D. S., & Brown, S. R. (2014). A systematic review of dietary protein during caloric restriction in resistance trained lean athletes: a case for higher intakes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 24(2), 127-138. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2013-0054
[10] Clifton, P. M., Condo, D., & Keogh, J. B. (2014). Long term weight maintenance after advice to consume low carbohydrate, higher protein diets–a systematic review and meta analysis. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 24(3), 224-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2013.11.006
[11] Sacks, F. M., Bray, G. A., Carey, V. J., Smith, S. R., Ryan, D. H., Anton, S. D., … & Williamson, D. A. (2009). Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. New England Journal of Medicine, 360(9), 859-873. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa0804748