Energy balance
Very Low-Energy Diets (VLEDs), defined as 1700–3330 kJ/day, produce rapid and significant short-term weight loss (9–26 kg over 4–20 weeks) in adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), though long-term maintenance is variable and often requires behavioral or pharmacological support.
If you have a BMI over 30, a Very Low-Energy Diet (VLED) is a clinically supervised, severe restriction of calories (400-800 kcal/day) typically using meal replacements. It works fast, shedding 9-26 kg in a few months. However, keeping the weight off is hard without adding behavioral support or medication, and you must transition carefully to regular food to avoid regaining it.
The NHMRC guidelines state that VLEDs achieve greater initial weight loss compared with other approaches, with reported weight losses over 4–20 weeks of 9–26 kg, followed by variable maintenance after 1–2 years follow up of -14–0 kg.
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review of 16 studies (8 RCTs, 2 cohort, 6 pre-post) involving 6579 participants, rated mostly as positive quality.
Source
Very low‐energy diets for weight loss in adults: A review
Roberta C. Asher et al. · Nutrition & Dietetics · 2012
DOI 10.1111/j.1747-0080.2012.01628.x
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