Protein Eating Patterns and Weight Loss

The reinforcing value of food varies greatly among individuals, but is strongest for those who are overweight or obese. Reducing energy intake, which is necessary for overweight and obese individuals to achieve a healthier body weight, increases the reinforcing value of food - especially for energy-dense snack foods. Food is a powerful reinforcer and is associated with energy intake; making it a primary contributing factor to an individual's weight loss struggle. Developing a way to decrease or limit the increase in food reinforcement during energy deficits would have important clinical impact. High-protein diets are known to be efficacious for weight loss and recently have been shown to decrease stimulation of the reward areas of the brain that stimulate reward-driven eating behavior. Nonetheless, sustaining a high-protein diet can be difficult, especially for women. Consuming a modest amount of protein at each meal may be better tolerated. However, we do not know whether this pattern of protein intake can assist women in staying "on track" with weight loss goals. This study will help begin to elucidate the connections between the daily pattern of protein intake on diet adherence, alterations in food reinforcement, and favorable body composition changes during weight loss.