Researchers tracked body weight, body composition and waist circumference data from 73 overweight and obese adults, who were assigned to consume a 200-calorie beverage, consisting of 28 grams of whey or soy protein plus carbohydrate or carbohydrate alone, twice a day for 23 weeks. No other dietary direction was given. At the end of the trial, the whey protein group’s body weight was approximately 4 pounds lower than the carbohydrate group, and body fat was 5 pounds less than the carbohydrate group. Additionally, the whey protein group’s waist size was nearly an inch smaller than both the carbohydrate and soy protein groups. Study data indicate that all groups compensated for the additional 400 calories per day by cutting back on other foods, as none gained a significant amount of weight during the 23-week period. However, the whey protein group likely made up for the added calories from the beverage more effectively, since they showed improvements in body weight and composition compared to the carbohydrate group. This could be related to enhanced satiety with whey protein, as participants in the whey protein group showed significantly lower levels of the hunger-stimulating hormone, ghrelin, compared to the other two groups. This study, which was conducted by the USDA-ARS Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, was published in the Journal of Nutrition. For further information: www.usdairy.com/dairyresearchinstitute.com