been used in at least 30 clinical studies since 1982. It has
also been used as the basis of a book-length weight-
reduction program by Kelly Brownell, an internationally
known expert on the psychology of weight reduction who
now heads an obesity study center at Yale University. As
of 2007, the National Institute of Health (NIH) is con-
ducting a clinical trial of Slim-Fast and other LMRs in
preventing or managing obesity in teenage males.
Published studies of Slim-Fast in the United
Kingdom as well as the United States report that it
enables dieters who follow the program to lose signifi-
cant amounts of weight in a safe manner with minimal
medical intervention or problematic side effects. One
2002 study of Slim-Fast products as part of weight
reduction programs in four high-stress occupations
(police, medical professionals, firefighters, and flight
crew members) found that the products were effective
in reducing weight andbody mass index(BMI) even in
overweight adults whose stressful jobs would encour-
age overeating. Four-fifths of the subjects completed
the 12-week clinical study and were maintaining their
weight loss at six-month follow-up, with the fire-
fighters losing the most weight and the medical pro-
fessionals the least.
The Slim-Fast plan and products were also shown
in a study published in 2001 to be safe and effective for
patients diagnosed with type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes.
The study of the diabetic patients reported that the
subjects showed improvements in blood sugar, insulin,
hemoglobin A1c, and blood lipid levels as well as
losing weight. The chief drawback reported, as with
all weight reduction programs, is patient compliance.
About 40% of the subjects in one clinical study of
Slim-Fast were excluded from the second stage of the
study because they were judged noncompliant. This
rate, however, is no higher than the noncompliance
rate of subjects on other weight reduction regimens.
Another problem with meal replacements is that
they do not necessarily change eating habits so when
they are stopped weight regain can occur.
Resources
BOOKS
Brownell, Kelly, PhD.The LEARN Program for Weight
Management: For Use with Slim-Fast: Lifestyle,
Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships, Nutrition. Dallas,
TX: American Health Publishing Company, 2000.
Hutton, Lauren, with Deborah Kotz.The Slim-Fast Body-
Mind-Life Makeover. New York: Reganbooks, 2000.
PERIODICALS
Hamilton, M., and F. Greenway. ‘‘Evaluating Commercial
Weight Loss Programmes: An Evolution in Outcomes
Research.’’Obesity Reviews5 (November 2004): 217–232.
Heber, D, J. M. Ashley, H. J. Wang, and R. M. Elashoff.
‘‘Clinical Evaluation of a Minimal Intervention Meal
Replacement Regimen for Weight Reduction.’’Journal
of the American College of Nutrition13 (December
1994): 608–614. The earliest published clinical study of
Slim-Fast.
Huerta, S., Z Li, H. C. Li, et al. ‘‘Feasibility of a Partial
Meal Replacement Plan for Weight Loss in Low-
Income Patients.’’International Journal of Obesity
and Related Metabolic Disorders28 (December 2004):
1575–1579.
Jargon, Julie. ‘‘Food Makers Troll for Aging Boomers:
Recasting Metrecal as the Red Bull for the 50+
Crowd.’’Crain’s Chicago Business, April 25, 2005.
Available online at http://www.boomerproject.com/
news_crains.html (accessed March 1, 2007).
‘‘Liquid Lunch.’’Time, October 3, 1960. Available online at
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/
0,8816,894989,00.html (accessed March 1, 2007).
‘‘Meal Replacements—Bars and Liquid Drinks—Are They
Effective in Producing Lasting Weight Loss?’’Shape Up
America! Newsletter, August 2003. Available online at
http://www.shapeup.org/about/arch_news/
nl0803.html (accessed February 28, 2007).
Rothacker, D. Q., and S. Watemberg. ‘‘Short-term Hunger
Intensity Change Following Ingestion of a Meal
Replacement Bar for Weight Control.’’International
Journal of Food Science and Nutrition55 (May 2004):
223–226.
Shelke, Kantha, PhD. ‘‘Fluid Assets: Liquid Meal
Replacements.’’Wellness Foods Magazine, April 3,- Available online at http://www.foodprocessing.
com/articles/2006/070.html (accessed February
28, 2007).
Truby, H., S. Baic, A. deLooy, et al. ‘‘Randomised
Controlled Trial of Four Commercial Weight Loss
Programmes in the UK: Initial Findings from the
BBC ‘Diet Trials.’’’British Medical Journal 332
(June 3, 2006): 1309–1314.
Winick, C., D. Q. Rothackher, and B. L. Norman. ‘‘Foir
Worksite Weight Loss Programs with High-Stress
Occupations Using a Meal Replacement Product.’’
Occupational Medicine(London) 52 (February 2002):
25–30.
Yip, I., V. L. Go, S. DeShields, et al. ‘‘Liquid Meal
Replacements and Glycemic Control in Obese Type 2
Diabetes Patients.’’Obesity Research9 (November
- (Supplement 4): 341S–347S.
OTHER
Slim-Fast Foods.The Slim-Fast Guide to Weight Loss
Success. Available online in PDF format at http://
http://www.slim-fast.com/reference_library/NewLittle
book.pdf (accessed March 1, 2007).
U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).Dietary Guide-
lines for Americans 2005. Washington, DC: USDA,
- Available online at http://www.health.gov/
dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/.
Slim-Fast