The Study
Effectiveness of a protein-supplemented very-low-calorie diet program for weight loss: a randomized controlled trial in South Korea
This study compared two diets and found that one with extra protein and meal replacements helped people lose a little more waist fat than the other diet. But because both groups got lots of help and support, we can't say for sure that the protein itself caused the difference—it might have been the extra coaching.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if drinking high-protein shakes instead of eating regular food for a few months helps people lose more belly fat and keep muscle, compared to just eating fewer calories.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 576 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Losing belly fat matters more for health than just losing weight — this study shows protein shakes helped people shrink their waist and visceral fat significantly, which lowers diabetes and heart disease risk.
- 2People who drank protein shakes lost 6.86 kg (8.2%) and cut 8.35 cm off their waist.
- 3Those who ate less food lost 4.66 kg (5.5%) and cut 4.85 cm off their waist.
- 4The waist difference was clear, but weight loss difference was small and not certain.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Nutrition
Year
2024
Authors
Eunbyul Cho, Sohye Kim, Hwa-Jung Kim, Belong Cho, J. Park, H. Kwon, Ju Young Kim, Yumi Go, D. Kang, Eunyoung Shin, Sumi Lee, Siye Gil, Hyerim Kim, J. Ahn, J. Kim, Wonjoon Jung, Eunyoung Go
Related Content
Claims (6)
Over 12 months, a diet high in protein and very low in calories led to an average weight loss of 6.86 kg, while a standard calorie-restricted diet led to an average weight loss of 4.66 kg. The difference between the two groups was 2.20 kg, but this difference was not statistically certain.
Obese adults aged 19–70 who follow a protein-supplemented very-low-calorie diet for 12 months with intermittent very-low-calorie phases lose 8.35 cm more waist circumference and 28.28 cm² more visceral fat than those on a standard calorie-restricted diet.
Long-term adherence to very low-calorie, high-protein diets leads to diminished weight loss outcomes because of changes in metabolism and behavior.
In obese adults, a very-low-calorie diet with extra protein leads to improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and liver enzymes, but these improvements are the same as those seen with a very-low-calorie diet without extra protein.
Over 12 months, people on a very-low-calorie diet with extra protein lost 0.90 kilograms less lean body mass than those on a standard calorie-restricted diet, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Obese adults following a very-low-calorie diet with extra protein show lower levels of triglycerides, liver enzymes, and uric acid than those on a standard calorie-restricted diet, but their total cholesterol and blood pressure change similarly in both groups.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.