The Effect of Decreases in Energy Density on Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

Energy density refers to the amount of calories (energy) in a given weight of food. For the same amount of energy, a larger volume (weight) of food can be consumed if the food or diet is low in energy density than if the food or diet is high in energy density. The two nutrients that have the largest impact on energy density are fat and water. Foods high in fat and low in water content are typically high in energy density, whereas foods low in fat and high in water content, such as fruits and vegetables, are low in energy density. This study will examine whether there are increased benefits for weight loss and weight maintenance when the ad libitum consumption of water-rich foods is added to a reduced-fat diet, thus making it even lower in energy density.

Comparisons: Reduced-energy-dense diet and Reduced-fat diet