Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy
Obesity in women of reproductive age is common. Emerging evidence suggests that maternal obesity not only increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes but also has an enduring impact on the metabolic health of the offspring. Given this, management of obesity prior to pregnancy is critically impo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/20/4423 |
| _version_ | 1797470638533771264 |
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| author | Sarah A Price Priya Sumithran |
| author_facet | Sarah A Price Priya Sumithran |
| author_sort | Sarah A Price |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Obesity in women of reproductive age is common. Emerging evidence suggests that maternal obesity not only increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes but also has an enduring impact on the metabolic health of the offspring. Given this, management of obesity prior to pregnancy is critically important. Almost all international guidelines suggest that women with obesity should aim to achieve weight loss prior to pregnancy. However, current pre-conception weight loss therapies are sub-optimal. Lifestyle modification typically results in modest weight loss. This may assist fertility but does not alter pregnancy outcomes. Bariatric surgery results in substantial weight loss, which improves pregnancy outcomes for the mother but may be harmful to the offspring. Alternative approaches to the management of obesity in women planning pregnancy are needed. Very low energy diets (VLEDs) have been proposed as a possible tool to assist women with obesity achieve weight loss prior to conception. While VLEDs can induce substantial and rapid weight loss, there are concerns about the impact of rapid weight loss on maternal nutrition prior to pregnancy and about inadvertent exposure of the early fetus to ketosis. The purpose of this review is to examine the existing literature regarding the safety and efficacy of a preconception VLED program as a tool to achieve substantial weight loss in women with obesity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:38:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d6a399858b1941af9cf7fb56e16f010c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:38:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-d6a399858b1941af9cf7fb56e16f010c2023-11-24T01:46:37ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-10-011420442310.3390/nu14204423Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and EfficacySarah A Price0Priya Sumithran1Department of Obstetric Medicine, Royal Women’s Hospital, Flemington Rd, North Melbourne, VIC 3051, AustraliaDepartment of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Grattan St, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaObesity in women of reproductive age is common. Emerging evidence suggests that maternal obesity not only increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes but also has an enduring impact on the metabolic health of the offspring. Given this, management of obesity prior to pregnancy is critically important. Almost all international guidelines suggest that women with obesity should aim to achieve weight loss prior to pregnancy. However, current pre-conception weight loss therapies are sub-optimal. Lifestyle modification typically results in modest weight loss. This may assist fertility but does not alter pregnancy outcomes. Bariatric surgery results in substantial weight loss, which improves pregnancy outcomes for the mother but may be harmful to the offspring. Alternative approaches to the management of obesity in women planning pregnancy are needed. Very low energy diets (VLEDs) have been proposed as a possible tool to assist women with obesity achieve weight loss prior to conception. While VLEDs can induce substantial and rapid weight loss, there are concerns about the impact of rapid weight loss on maternal nutrition prior to pregnancy and about inadvertent exposure of the early fetus to ketosis. The purpose of this review is to examine the existing literature regarding the safety and efficacy of a preconception VLED program as a tool to achieve substantial weight loss in women with obesity.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/20/4423obesitypreconceptionpregnancyvery low energy diet (VLED)weight lossketosis |
| spellingShingle | Sarah A Price Priya Sumithran Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy Nutrients obesity preconception pregnancy very low energy diet (VLED) weight loss ketosis |
| title | Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy |
| title_full | Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy |
| title_fullStr | Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy |
| title_short | Using a Very Low Energy Diet to Achieve Substantial Preconception Weight Loss in Women with Obesity: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy |
| title_sort | using a very low energy diet to achieve substantial preconception weight loss in women with obesity a review of the safety and efficacy |
| topic | obesity preconception pregnancy very low energy diet (VLED) weight loss ketosis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/20/4423 |
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