No long-term weight maintenance effects of gelatin in a supra-sustained protein diet

In the short-term, gelatin showed stronger hunger suppression and less energy intake compared with other proteins. This study investigated if a supra-sustained gelatin-milk protein (GMP) diet improves weight maintenance (WM) compared with a sustained milk protein (SMP) diet and supra-sustained milk protein (SSMP) diet during a 4-months WM period after 8-week weight loss (WL) in sixty-five healthy subjects (28.6±3.4kg/m²; 44±10years). Absolute protein intake was kept constant (sustained) throughout per subject. Diets were: protein(P)/fat(F)/carbohydrate(C): 15/40/45% of energy (En%) (SMP) and 30/25/45 En% (SSMP or GMP) for weeks 9-16. Diets on weeks 17-24: P/F/C: 30/35/35 En% (SMP) and 60/5/35 En% (SSMP or GMP). From weeks 8 to 16, and weeks 16 to 24, changes in BMI were similar between the GMP (-0.4±0.6 and 0.3±0.7kg/m² respectively), and the SMP (-0.7±0.9 and 0.1±0.7kg/m² respectively) and SSMP (-0.6±0.6 and 0.3±0.6kg/m² respectively) diets. Sparing of fat free mass (FFM): increases/decreases in FFM%/fat-mass% from weeks 8 to 16 were similar between the GMP and both control diets, and maintained from weeks 16 to 24. In conclusion, all 3 diets resulted in a successful WM period, while a GMP diet does not improve body weight maintenance and related variables after weight loss compared with a SMP and SSMP diet.