Obesity: a diet supported by fish oil supplements to get back in shape?

Omega 3 can help reduce body fat and lose weight in people suffering from obesity, but the effect is limited only to the early phases of a very strict diet. These are the conclusions reached by experts from the Nutraceuticals Research Group at the University of Newcastle (Australia), following a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Obesity and weight loss: the role of Omega-3

Obesity is a condition that influences several health risk factors:

- levels of inflammation;

- accumulation of fats present in the blood;

- various metabolic aspects associated with the development of cardiovascular disorders.

Years of research have shown that intake of Omega-3 fatty acids helps counter these risk factors.

Omega-3 for weight loss: the study

Australian researchers wanted to verify if these nutrients could help lose weight in people suffering from obesity. The study involved 32 obese individuals who underwent a very strict diet for 4 weeks. After this period, there were 10 weeks on a diet designed to maintain weight loss. 18 of the participants were prescribed to take 6 times a day, for all 14 weeks, one capsule of fish oil containing Omega-3, equal to 70 mg EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 270 mg DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The other 14 patients took 6 times a day a capsule containing a placebo. Throughout the period, researchers monitored the participants to ensure adherence to the diet so that energy intake was equal among all. The effect of Omega-3 intake was analyzed by collecting fasting blood samples and evaluating anthropometric parameters (such as weight and body mass) before starting the diet, after the first 4 weeks, and at the end of the study.

The results

The diet and maintenance improved metabolic parameters in both patient groups. Moreover, fish oil intake increased blood levels of EPA and DHA. After 14 weeks, those who took Omega-3 showed a significant reduction in body fat mass, which was not achieved by those who received placebo. However, these improvements were not accompanied by a large difference in weight loss. In fact, Omega-3 allowed only a slightly greater weight loss in the first 4 weeks, after which the average weight loss of patients who took fish oil was 7.7% (about 6.67 kg) compared to 6.9% (about 6.54 kg) of those who took placebo. Both groups lost weight even during the maintenance phase, but without significant differences (1.9% for fish oil group, 1.85% for placebo group).

Results to verify

The modest differences observed between the two groups indicate that the greater fat mass loss associated with fish oil intake could be promoted by Omega-3. Further studies, conducted on a larger number of patients, will help clarify the role of Omega-3 as a remedy for obesity.