Meal replacement soups and shakes: do they have a place in public health practice to manage weight loss?
- Publisher:
- Sax Institute
- Publication Type:
- Conference Abstract
- Citation:
- Public Health Research and Practice, 2020, 31, (1), pp. 1-2
- Issue Date:
- 2020
Open Access
Copyright Clearance Process
- Recently Added
- In Progress
- Open Access
This item is open access.
Background
Nine per cent of Australian adults report dieting to lose weight, and 49% of these describe their diets as ‘low calorie’.1 An online search for ‘low calorie/energy diet products’ reveals many advertisements for commercially available low- and very low-energy meal-replacement (MR) products, including promotions for ‘soups and shakes’. Evidence supports low- and very low-energy MRs as a successful strategy for weight loss in overweight and obese individuals.2,3 Australian clinical practice guidelines for overweight and obesity management include changing lifestyle behaviours and the use of very low-energy diets as effective in supporting weight loss for overweight and obese adults.4 Considering the evidence supporting their use to reduce energy intake, MRs may be underutilised in weight loss management.5 Further, the role of their use in public health is unclear. Although many studies have investigated the efficacy of MRs, few have explored participant perceptions of using these options for weight-loss management. In those studies that have explored this, MRs were positively perceived, and considered convenient and easy to use.6,7
The Healthy Weight for Life (HWFL) program is an 18-week weight-loss lifestyle-modification program for overweight or obese adults with chronic disease who have private health insurance.8 The program includes physical activity and dietary recommendations, incorporating a portion-controlled eating plan including MRs under the brand name KicStart, in the form of a shake or soup. Past participants of the program have lost on average, approximately 7–8% of their baseline weight.9,10 We undertook qualitative research to investigate an additional maintenance phase for HWFL participants. Six focus groups were conducted during November 2016, with 28 English-speaking participants who had completed HWFL within the past year (53.6% of participants were male, 46.4% female, 85.7% aged 55 years and older, 82.1% from most advantaged areas, 96.4% from major cities; 60.7% of whom had maintained their weight loss or lost further weight after completing the program). The focus groups explored incentives for weight-loss maintenance using a thematic inductive approach.11 Participants spoke spontaneously and at length about their experiences of using MRs for weight loss management. Although not the primary research focus, participants’ enthusiasm for discussing soups and shakes was notable. This study aims to provide initial insights into participant experiences of using MRs in the hope of stimulating debate within public health about the place they may (or may not) have in promoting healthy weight-loss management across the population.
Meal replacements: participant perceptions
Overall, MR options of soups and shakes were favourably perceived and seen as a major feature of HWFL (Table 1). Participants noted that they were convenient and fitted into their lives without much effort. They generally viewed MRs as an effective weight-loss strategy, and integral to ongoing weight-loss management. A stronger emphasis was placed on soups and shakes than on physical activity and healthy diet components of the program, suggesting that MRs were more highly valued than other program components.
Many participants attributed weight loss to MRs, in turn providing motivation for further weight-loss management. Although some expressed boredom with available flavours, many continued using MRs, primarily to replace one meal per day (either breakfast or lunch), following the 18-week program, to regulate their weight. Our research advances previous findings that reported only intention to use MR diets intermittently7, with our observations showing that participants proactively use partial meal replacement for ongoing weight-loss management. The value participants place on soups and shakes raises the question: why don’t more participants place similar value on a balanced diet and sufficient physical activity? Possibly, MRs provide a tangible, seemingly quick and easy way of addressing weight loss, as opposed to the complex behavioural challenges of dietary or physical activity change.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: