The effect of two energy-restricted diets, a low-fructose diet versus a moderate natural fructose diet, on weight loss and metabolic syndrome parameters: a randomized controlled trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 21621801 · doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2011.04.001
What was done
A total of 131 obese participants (mean age 38.8 ± 8.8 years, mean BMI 32.4 ± 4.5 kg/m², 78% women) were randomized to 6 weeks of calorie-restricted diets (1500, 1800, or 2000 cal/d based on sex, age, and height) comparing a low-fructose diet (<20 g/d) against a moderate natural fructose diet containing fruit supplements (50–70 g/d). The primary outcome was weight loss; secondary outcomes included blood pressure, lipid profile, serum glucose, insulin resistance, uric acid, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and quality of life scores.
What was found
Both diets produced significant weight loss compared to baseline. Weight loss was significantly greater in the moderate natural fructose group (4.19 ± 0.30 kg) than in the low-fructose group (2.83 ± 0.29 kg) (P = .0016). Significant improvements compared with baseline were reported for secondary outcomes in both groups, but specific numbers and between-group comparisons for secondary outcomes were not provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
This trial suggests that eliminating natural fruit-derived fructose is unnecessary during calorie restriction and that moderate natural fruit intake may result in superior short-term weight loss compared with strict fructose avoidance.
Limits
The intervention duration was short (6 weeks), leaving long-term adherence and metabolic effects unassessed. The sample was predominantly female (78%), and exact values or between-group statistics for secondary metabolic outcomes were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports A clinical study in Mexico showed that a low-added-sugar diet supplemented with whole natural fruits improved metabolic syndrome as well as or slightly better than a low-sugar diet without fruit supplements.