Portion-Controlled, Prepackaged Meals Prove More Effective For Weight Loss

New research funded by Nestlé USA, Inc., which makes the Lean Cuisine frozen meals brand, found that a dieting program that includes behavioral counseling as well as portion-controlled meals is more effective for weight loss than a self-selected diet. The researchers assigned 183 participants equally to three groups: one that ate two low-calorie prepackaged meals a day (lunch and dinner), one that ate two low-calorie prepackaged higher-protein meals a day, and a control group that chose their own meals. After three months, participants who ate twice-daily prepackaged meals lost about eight percent of their initial weight, while the control group lost only six percent. In addition, the prepackaged meals groups also experienced a drop in total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Meal satisfaction was similar among all groups.