Study Rules Out Weight Control Effect in Young Adults

TOPLINE:

In young adults with overweight, inulin-propionate ester (IPE), a novel food ingredient that aims to mimic the beneficial role of dietary fiber by boosting production of short-chain fatty acids in the colon, does not appear as effective in preventing weight gain as it does in middle-aged adults with overweight, finds a randomized clinical trial.

METHODOLOGY:

• High-fiber diets are associated with lower weight gain, perhaps due to increased proportionate stimulated in the colon. A previous study showed IPE can reduce energy intake and prevent weight gain in middle-aged adults with overweight over 6 months, but the effects of this dietary supplement have not been studied in young adults at a high risk for weight gain.
• The researchers conducted a randomized, blinded multicenter trial in London and Glasgow, United Kingdom, to assess the effectiveness of IPE in preventing weight gain in 270 adults at risk for obesity (mean age, 30.2 years; 64% women; mean BMI, 27.5) over 12 months.
• The participants were recruited between July 2019 and October 2021 and randomly assigned to receive 10 g of either IPE (intervention) or inulin (control) once daily for 12 months while maintaining their existing diet and exercise routines.
• The primary outcome was weight gain from baseline to 12 months, with secondary outcomes including clinical measures of cardiometabolic health.
• The safety and tolerability of IPE were assessed by monitoring adverse events and compliance, respectively.

TAKEAWAY:

• At 12 months, no statistically significant difference in weight gain was observed between the IPE and inulin groups (adjusted mean difference, 1.02 kg; 95% CI, − 0.37 to 2.41); neither group gained significant body weight.
• Fat-free mass increased in the IPE group by 1.07 kg (95% CI, 0.21-1.93), while fasting glucose levels were elevated by 0.11 mmol/L (95% CI, 0.01-0.21), though within normal ranges.
• Compliance with the intervention was higher in the IPE group, with 48% reaching > 80% compliance, compared with 32% in the inulin control group.
• There were no unexpected adverse events or safety concerns related to either IPE or inulin.

IN PRACTICE:

“Physiological and psychosocial differences driving energy intake may contribute to the differences in the weight gain trajectory between younger and older adults,” the authors wrote. “Younger adults tend to eat outside of the home and snack throughout the day, which are both eating behaviors associated with higher energy intake,” they added.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Jennifer E. Pugh, Section for Nutrition, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, United Kingdom, and was published online in eClinicalMedicine.

LIMITATIONS:

The study’s limitations included the potential inadequacy of the IPE dose to alter appetite in younger adults. The dietary data was not reported, because researchers detected an average underreporting of 40% of the estimated necessary energy intake, casting doubt on the reliability of the food diaries. Additionally, the use of inulin as a control may have influenced appetite and weight outcomes, potentially confounding the results.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme, a Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research partnership. Some authors were recognized as inventors of a patent related to IPE and served as founding directors of a company aimed at commercializing IPE production. 

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.