Skip to content

The Effect of Weight Loss and Dietary Protein Intake on Bone

Nutritional Regulation of Bone - Aim 1

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00473031
Enrollment
60
Registered
2007-05-14
Start date
2007-03-01
Completion date
2010-06-01
Last updated
2026-05-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Bone Density, Weight Loss

Keywords

bone mass, calcium absorption, bone quality, fracture risk

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to learn how the amount of protein during moderate weight loss influences bone health. We will also examine how two levels of protein intake affects diet quality.

Detailed description

It is unclear whether protein intake during dieting influences bone density. This information is important for determining optimal nutrient requirements during weight loss. This study will compare the effects of weight loss with a lower-carbohydrate, high-protein (HP) diet to a high-carbohydrate, moderate protein (HC) diet on bone mass and quality in postmenopausal women (ages 50-70 years) with the hypothesis that bone turnover and loss of bone will be reduced on the HP compared to the HC weight loss diet. In a secondary aim, we will examine bone markers, hormones and the impact of protein intake on diet quality. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: A) weight loss with recommended level of protein intake, and B) weight loss with higher protein intake. All participants will attend regular counseling sessions (about 50 minutes per session) with a dietitian for approximately 1 year, and will be asked to take a daily vitamin/mineral supplement. Also, depending on their usual food intake, they may be asked to take a calcium tablet to meet the recommended intake throughout the study period. Bone, mineral, protein and lipid markers, and hormones that influence bones will be measured. These measurements will provide information about body composition (fat, muscle mass, and bone mineral density). Participants will be asked to attend 8 diet counseling sessions, with the opportunity to attend a total of approximately 28 diet counseling sessions during the year.

Interventions

Weight loss with higher protein (35%) intake

Weight loss with recommended level of protein (18%)intake

BEHAVIORALCounseling

Participants will be asked to attend eight 50-minute diet counseling sessions, with the opportunity to attend a total of approximately 28 diet counseling sessions, during the year.

Sponsors

Rutgers University
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
50 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Postmenopausal women who are more than 2 years since last menses * Obese or overweight * Must live in the geographic vicinity of Rutgers University

Exclusion criteria

* Currently on any medication known to influence calcium or bone metabolism, including HRT, or with evidence of diseases known to influence calcium metabolism (i.e. metabolic bone disease, hyperparathyroidism, untreated thyroid disease, significant immune, hepatic, or renal disease, significant cardiac disease \[i.e., heart attack or stroke in the past 6 months., abnormal EKG\], active malignancy or cancer therapy within the past year) * History of kidney stones * Weight gain or weight loss (5% of body wt) within 3 months prior to recruitment * Participation in other investigational studies during the 12-month study period * Usually have a very high or low intake of calcium (more than 1500 or less than 500 mg per day)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Changes in Bone density and qualityone year

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Changes in serum and urine bone markers, hormones, and proteinsone year
Nutrient Adequacy & Diet Quality with normal & higher protein intakeone yearhealthy eating index score

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORSue A. Shapses, PhD

Rutgers University, Nutritional Sciences

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 14, 2026