Effects of an intermittent, low-fat, low-calorie diet in the behavioral treatment of obesity

This study tested whether the efficacy of behavior therapy for obesity might be improved by the use of an intermittent, low-fat, low-calorie diet. Eighty-five obese women were randomly assigned either to (a) behavior therapy plus a continuous 1200-calorie per day balanced deficit diet or to (b) behavior therapy plus an intermittent, low-fat, 800-calorie per day diet, used 4 days per week. Clients in each protocol received 26 weekly treatment sessions followed by a 6-month maintenance program. At 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-month evaluations, clients in the intermittent diet condition demonstrated significantly greater weight losses than subjects in the standard treatment. However, the results of 5-, 6-, and 12-month evaluations indicated that the longer term weight losses were equivalent across conditions.