Weight loss with very-low caloric diet and cardiovascular risk factors in moderately obese women: one-year follow-up study including ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

OBJECTIVE: The beneficial effects of weight loss with a very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) on cardiovascular risk factors have been reported at the end of energy restriction. As the effects, especially on blood pressure, may not remain constant during weight maintenance, we studied the longer-term effects of weight loss on 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP), lipids, glucose and insulin. DESIGN: Prospective study of a 17-week weight loss programme containing an eight-week VLCD period and follow-up visit at one-year. SUBJECTS: Twenty-nine moderately obese, normotensive or mildly hypertensive women. The mean +/- s.d. body mass index (BMI) was 36.0 +/- 2.6 kg/m2 and mean age 40.3 +/- 8.3 y. RESULTS: In the last week of the VLCD, the mean (s.d.) weight loss was 12.4 +/- 3.3 kg (P<0.001), at the end of the programme 15.1 +/- 4.4 kg (P < 0.001 vs baseline), and at one-year follow-up 10.7 +/- 7.6 kg (P < 0.001 vs baseline). Mean 24 h ABP decreased 8.0/4.6mmHg (P < 0.001 for both) on the last week of the VLCD, at the end of the programme, the systolic ABP decrease was 4.7 mmHg (P < 0.01 vs baseline) and diastolic 2.1 mmHg (not statistically significant (NS) vs baseline). At one-year follow-up, the mean systolic ABP decrease was 4.1 mmHg (P < 0.01 vs baseline) and mean diastolic 3.0 mmHg (P < 0.05 vs baseline). Sodium excretion decreased 55 mmol/24 h in the last VLCD week (P < 0.01) and returned to baseline after that. At the one-year follow-up, beneficial changes, compared with baseline, were observed in mean serum glucose (-0.28 mmol/l, P < 0.05), triglyceride (-0.35 mmol/l, P < 0.01) and HDL cholesterol (-0.16 mmol/l, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This weight loss programme with a VLCD enabled obese subjects to lose weight and decrease cardiovascular risks. Despite some regain in weight during follow-up, the beneficial effects were overall maintained over the year. Sodium intake tended to increase during follow-up. Information on sodium restriction should be included in weight loss programmes.