Increased Consumption of Dairy Foods and Protein during Diet- and Exercise-Induced Weight Loss Promotes Fat Mass Loss and Lean Mass Gain in Overweight and Obese Premenopausal Women

Consuming more protein results in greater gains in muscle mass and strength, and these gains are larger than the biological effects caused by activation of the mTOR pathway.

In overweight premenopausal women losing weight, the amount of fat around the torso measured by DXA scan accurately reflects the reduction in deep abdominal fat, making DXA a valid alternative to MRI for measuring this change.

Among overweight and obese premenopausal women, a diet with 30% protein including 15% dairy protein, combined with daily aerobic and resistance exercise, leads to greater loss of fat mass and greater gain of lean mass than diets with lower protein and dairy intake, even when total weight loss is the same.

In overweight premenopausal women undergoing calorie restriction and exercise, a diet with 30% protein increases lean body mass, while a diet with 15% protein results in no gain or a reduction in lean body mass.

People who consume about 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight and include dairy in their diet while eating fewer calories than they burn gain more lean body mass than those who do not.

In overweight premenopausal women undergoing calorie restriction, higher calcium intake from diet is associated with larger decreases in visceral fat and trunk fat, with dairy sources showing a stronger association than non-dairy sources.