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“Building muscle has benefits far beyond strength…”

Often when someone wants to lose weight, the underlying goal is to lose fat and gain muscle, known as body recomposition. A healthy body composition can have profound benefits outside of simply losing weight as it allows the body to run more efficiently. Building muscle has benefits far beyond strength such as increased insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, stronger immune system, improved energy levels and even improved heart health.

“…almost 90% of American adults [are] metabolically unfit…”

With over a third of adults in the world currently overweight (with 40% of Americans being overweight or obese), almost 90% of American adults metabolically unfit and chronic disease rates on the rise, it is more important than ever to find sustainable and cost effective methods for attaining a healthy body composition.

A recent study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association assessed the impact of weight loss interventions on body composition. The study, An Energy-Reduced Mediterranean Diet, Physical Activity, and Body Composition An Interim Subgroup Analysis of the PREDIMED-Plus Randomized Clinical Trial, is currently ongoing and the initial investigation evaluates changes after the first 3 years of interventions.

Participants were randomly assigned to either adhere to a 30% energy-reduced Mediterranean diet and increase physical activity or to a control group in which they consumed a Mediterranean diet with no restrictions and did not make changes to physical activity. Those in the intervention group “were encouraged to limit consumption of some foods (processed meats, butter, margarine, cream, sweetened beverages, added sugar, biscuits, and bread and other refined cereals” as well as walk for a minimum of 45 minutes a day and engage in exercises designed to “improve strength, flexibility, and balance.”

“…pairing an energy-reduced Mediterranean diet with physical activity can be helpful for losing fat.”

After 3 years, the interventions “reduced the total and visceral fat and attenuated the loss of lean mass in older adults with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome.” In contrast, those in the control group, however, did not see as large of a reduction in fat mass. This finding suggests that pairing an energy-reduced Mediterranean diet with physical activity can be helpful for losing fat.

Additionally, only those in the intervention group “decreased grams of visceral fat mass.” Visceral fat is the fat stored around organs in the body and is believed to be the more harmful form of fat. The researchers hypothesized that “greater loss of total fat mass over time is necessary to mobilize visceral fat mass storage in older adults with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome.”

Further, both groups lost lean mass, however those in the intervention group had an increase in total lean mass in relation to total body mass and fat mass, “suggesting that participants in the intervention group achieved weight loss preferentially at the expense of total fat rather than lean mass.”

“A body composition made up of more muscle and less fat contributes to a higher metabolic rate and energy expenditure…”

This is important because muscle loss, especially in old age, can contribute to frailty and poor health. Additionally, muscle is more metabolically active than fat, which means muscle burns more calories at rest. A body composition made up of more muscle and less fat contributes to a higher metabolic rate and energy expenditure, decreasing the risk of weight regain.

While an energy reduced diet has been shown to promote weight loss, it often comes at the expense of muscle mass. The study’s findings suggest that coupling regular physical activity with an energy-reduced diet is a more effective strategy for sustainable and healthy weight loss that leads to beneficial body recomposition.

“…many energy-reduced diets may be lacking in essential nutrients or may primarily be made up of ultra-processed foods.”

Further, many energy-reduced diets may be lacking in essential nutrients or may primarily be made up of ultra-processed foods. A poor quality diet, regardless of the caloric intake, can lead to systemic immune system activation and other chronic health conditions. A Mediterranean diet is beneficial as it promotes a whole food approach and minimizes intake of ultra-processed foods.

While the observed changes were small, it is possible that over a longer period of time, participants would continue to improve body composition as long as they maintained the interventions. Finding ways to make engaging in physical activity and eating a high quality diet more sustainable and enjoyable might be the key to motivating individuals to living healthier lives.