Beneficial Effects of a Specially Designed Home Meal Replacement on Cardiometabolic Parameters in Individuals with Obesity: Preliminary Results of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

We aimed to investigate if a home meal replacement (HMR), designed with a low omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio, improves cardiometabolic parameters, including metabolic syndrome (MetS) in obese individuals. We conducted a monocentric, controlled, randomized crossover trial. The HMR contains higher protein and fat content, lower carbohydrate content, and a lower omega 6FA/omega 3FA ratio than the regular diet. Sixty-four participants were randomized into two groups and switched to the other group following a 4-week intervention. While subjects in the HMR group were provided three HMRs daily, those in the control group were requested to maintain their regular dietary pattern. We conducted paired t-tests, repeated measures analysis of variance, and McNemar tests before and after the intervention. Body mass index (BMI) and weight were lower in the HMR group after adjusting for age, sex, and total energy intake and significantly changed in the between-group differences. The waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, triglyceride-glucose index, and triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio were reduced in the HMR group (all p < 0.05). The percentage of subjects with MetS significantly decreased from 39.1% at baseline to 28.1% post-intervention (p = 0.035). Using the HMR for 4 weeks reduced the BMI, weight, and MetS prevalence in individuals with obesity. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04552574).

Automated summary

The study found that incorporating a low omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio home meal replacement (HMR) can improve cardiometabolic parameters and reduce the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in obese individuals. This randomized crossover trial demonstrated significant reductions in BMI, weight, and MetS prevalence after a 4-week intervention with the HMR.