ProteinNEW2026-08

Effect of a Defined Intake of a Soy-Based Protein-Rich Supplement on Body Composition and Eating Behaviour in Overweight Women: A Secondary Analysis of the ACOORH Trial.

Berg Aloys, Stensitzky-Thielemanns Andrea, Predel Hans-Georg — Nutrients

Summary

A study found that overweight women who temporarily used a soy-based protein supplement maintained higher protein intake and achieved better body composition, including reduced fat mass, over a year. This suggests that incorporating protein-rich options might support long-term weight management and muscle health.

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Key points

Overweight women who used a soy-based protein supplement temporarily sustained higher protein intake for a year.
This group also experienced greater improvements in body mass index and body fat.
Higher protein intake was linked to better body composition and muscle strength after one year.

What the study looked at

This study investigated whether adding a protein-rich, soy-based meal replacement could help overweight women maintain higher protein intake and improve their body composition over time. Researchers looked at existing data from 64 overweight women who participated in a lifestyle intervention. Half of these women received a soy-protein meal replacement for the first 26 weeks, in addition to the lifestyle intervention, while the other half only had the lifestyle intervention. The study tracked their dietary intake, body composition, and muscle strength for a full year. The findings showed that the group using the protein supplement significantly increased their protein intake, and this higher intake continued for a full year, even after they stopped the supplement at 26 weeks. This group also experienced greater reductions in body mass index and fat mass compared to the control group. Furthermore, higher protein intake at the end of the study was associated with lower body fat and stronger muscles.

Dietary takeaway

This study suggests that incorporating protein-rich foods, such as soy-based options, into your diet might help individuals maintain a higher protein intake during weight management efforts. A sustained higher protein intake could contribute to better body composition, such as less body fat and more muscle strength. However, it's important to remember that this is one study, and more research is needed to confirm these findings and understand how they apply to different individuals.

Abstract

High-protein dietary strategies have been shown to support weight reduction and improve body composition during lifestyle interventions. However, evidence regarding long-term dietary adaptations and their association with body composition in overweight women remains limited. This secondary analysis of the ACOORH randomised controlled trial investigated whether a protein-rich soy-based meal replacement promotes sustained dietary protein intake and favourable body composition changes in female participants. Female participants from the multicentre ACOORH RCT with complete dietary records at baseline, week 12 and week 52 were included (n = 64). Participants received either a standardised lifestyle intervention alone or the same intervention combined with a protein-rich soy-yoghurt-honey meal replacement during the first 26 weeks. Dietary intake, body composition, physical activity and muscle strength were evaluated longitudinally. Between-group comparisons, repeated measures ANCOVA and exploratory correlation analyses were performed. Both groups significantly reduced daily energy intake during the first 12 weeks. However, only the intervention group increased body weight-adjusted protein intake (+0.22 ± 0.29 g/kg/day), resulting in a significant between-group difference ( = 0.004). The higher protein intake was maintained throughout the 52-week study despite discontinuation of meal replacement after week 26 ( < 0.001). Repeated measures ANCOVA demonstrated significantly greater improvements in body mass index ( = 0.04) and fat mass ( = 0.03) in the intervention group. At week 52, higher protein intake was significantly associated with lower body mass index (r = -0.253; = 0.04), lower fat mass (r = -0.321; = 0.01) and greater muscle strength (r = 0.292; = 0.02), whereas no association with physical activity was observed. Among overweight women participating in a structured lifestyle intervention, temporary supplementation with a protein-rich soy-based meal replacement was associated with sustained increases in dietary protein intake and more favourable long-term body composition. These findings support the concept that maintaining a higher protein intake during weight reduction may contribute to improved body composition outcomes. Larger prospective studies specifically designed to investigate sex-specific effects of protein-rich dietary interventions are warranted.

View on PubMed →DOI: 10.3390/nu18172809