The results of the study were published in the international, peer-reviewed journal Metabolites and suggest that the consumption of Herbalife meal replacements may help to achieve greater weight loss amongst patients with obesity.
The real-world clinical trial contrasted two groups of participants attending Specialist Weight Management Services (SWMS); one group in Dublin and the other in various locations across the UK.
Both sets of participants had a BMI of 35+, which would classify them as having Class II obesity, a more severe form of obesity and at least one obesity related complication.
All participants were given the same advice on weight loss from a clinical physician, with a suggestion to reduce their calorie intake by 500 kcal a day and to undertake an exercise or physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week.
The Dublin group were also asked to take Herbalife’s Formula 1 meal replacement for both breakfast and lunch and was given access to a gym facility.
After Year 1 of the trial, the Dublin group had achieved an average weight loss of 6.1%, whereas the UK group had seen a reduction in weight by 1.3%.
After 2 years, the remaining participants in the UK cohort had gained an average of 0.7 kg, whereas the Dublin cohort had lost an average of 5.7 kg.
Professor Carel le Roux, Head of Metabolic Medicine at University College Dublin, Herbalife Nutrition advisory board member and one of the authors of the study, said: “This study is further evidence of the effectiveness of using meal replacements to help treat the disease of obesity, particularly in those with more severe forms of the disease."
Andrea Bertocco, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist at Herbalife, said: “With more than 45 years of experience developing best-in-class meal replacement shakes and nutritional supplements, we understand how difficult the challenge of weight loss can be."
“It’s fantastic to see the results of this study and just how beneficial meal replacement shakes can be when coupled with exercise and a reduction in calorie consumption.”