Adherence
Three weeks of total meal replacement (TMR) at 1120 kcal/day increases dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) activation and enhances its inhibitory functional connectivity over the nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex in response to food cues, compared to a typical food-based diet (TD).
If you are struggling with food cravings, a short-term (3-week) period of consuming only meal replacement shakes (around 1120 calories) may help 'reset' your brain's response to food. Unlike eating normal food in portions, this approach appears to strengthen the brain's executive control centers (dlPFC) and their ability to inhibit reward centers (nucleus accumbens) when seeing food. This leads to greater weight loss and reduced cravings compared to just eating less of regular food.
Compared to TD, TMR showed increased fMRI-FCR of the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC)... and negative modulation of fMRI-FCR of the nucleus accumbens, orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala by dlPFC.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with fMRI outcomes, though limited by a short duration (3 weeks) and small sample size (n=28 completers).
Source
Effects of 3-week total meal replacement vs. typical food-based diet on human brain functional magnetic resonance imaging food-cue reactivity and functional connectivity in people with obesity
Chanaka Kahathuduwa et al. · Appetite · 2017
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