Distinct factors associated with short-term and long-term weight loss induced by low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet intervention

Xiao Li; Dalia Perelman; Ariel K Leong; Gabriela Fragiadakis; Christopher D Gardner; Michael P Snyder

doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100870

Distinct factors associated with short-term and long-term weight loss induced by low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet intervention

Cell Rep Med. 2022 Dec 20;3(12):100870. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100870. Epub 2022 Dec 13.

Authors

Xiao Li¹, Dalia Perelman², Ariel K Leong³, Gabriela Fragiadakis⁴, Christopher D Gardner⁵, Michael P Snyder⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Case Western University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics, Case Western University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Department of Computer and Data Sciences, Case Western University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. Electronic address: xiao.li9@case.edu.
² Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA, USA.
³ Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁴ Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; ImmunoX Initiative, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; UCSF CoLabs, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
⁵ Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA, USA. Electronic address: cgardner@stanford.edu.
⁶ Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: mpsnyder@stanford.edu.

Abstract

To understand what determines the success of short- and long-term weight loss, we conduct a secondary analysis of dietary, metabolic, and molecular data collected from 609 participants before, during, and after a 1-year weight-loss intervention with either a healthy low-carbohydrate (HLC) or a healthy low-fat (HLF) diet. Through systematic analysis of multidomain datasets, we find that dietary adherence and diet quality, not just caloric restriction, are important for short-term weight loss in both diets. Interestingly, we observe minimal dietary differences between those who succeeded in long-term weight loss and those who did not. Instead, proteomic and gut microbiota signatures significantly differ between these two groups at baseline. Moreover, the baseline respiratory quotient may suggest a specific diet for better weight-loss outcomes. Overall, the identification of these dietary, molecular, and metabolic factors, common or unique to the HLC and HLF diets, provides a roadmap for developing individualized weight-loss strategies.

Keywords: RQ; diet; diet quality; individualized weight-loss strategies; low carbohydrate diet; low fat diet; microbiome; precision diets; proteome; weight loss.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted / adverse effects
Diet, Reducing*
Humans
Obesity*
Proteomics
Weight Loss

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding