Champaign, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A new study on a self-directed dietary education program found that participants who consumed higher amounts of protein and fiber were most successful at losing weight over 25 months. The program emphasized personalization and flexibility, which helped participants create sustainable weight-loss plans. At the one-year mark, 41% of participants had lost 12.9% of their body weight, compared with slightly more than 2% in the rest of the group, according to research published in Obesity Science and Practice.

The Individualized Diet Improvement Program, developed by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, used data visualization tools and intensive dietary education to help participants understand key nutrients and create personalized diets. Participants focused on increasing their protein and fiber intake while keeping daily calories to 1,500 or less.

“The research strongly suggests that increasing protein and fiber intake while simultaneously reducing calories is required to optimize the safety and efficacy of weight loss diets,” said first author and U. of I. alumna Mindy H. Lee, a then-graduate student and registered dietitian-nutritionist for the iDip program.

The study involved 22 participants, aged 30-64, many of whom had previous weight-loss attempts and various comorbidities such as high cholesterol and hypertension. While participants with depression lost significantly less weight, those with other comorbidities saw no significant differences in weight loss. The program’s success in the first three months was key to continued weight loss, with early success likely boosting motivation and adherence to the diet over time.