Positive effect of white button mushrooms when substituted for meat on body weight and composition changes during weight loss and weight maintenance – A one‐year randomized clinical trial.

Decreasing the energy density (ED) of the diet is an important strategy for controlling obesity. This one‐year, randomized clinical trial examined the effect of substituting mushrooms for red meat, compared to a standard diet, on weight loss and maintenance among adults seeking weight loss. 64 women and 9 men; mean age 48.4yrs completed anthropometric measurements and 7‐day food records four times during a standardized weight loss and maintenance regimen. At the end of the 1‐year trial, participants who substituted mushrooms for meat (n=36) reported lower energy (kcals) and fat intake (g) (mean±[SE] = −123±113 and −4.25±6.88), lost more pounds and percent body weight (−7.03±3.34, 3.6% of their starting weight), achieved lower body mass index (−1.53±0.36), waist circumference (−2.6±3.5inches) and percent total body fat (−0.85±0.53) compared to participants on the standard diet. People following the mushroom‐rich diet maintained the weight loss well and weighed 7 lbs less than before starting their diet plan. Thus, encouraging adults to substitute edible mushrooms for red meat in three meals/week was found to be a useful strategy for enhancing weight loss and maintenance efforts among overweight/obese adults.