Ninety percent of dieters regain the weight they lost within 12 months. Meal replacement beverages might be the key to long-term weight control. More than 10 studies have shown that meal replacements as part of a reduced-calorie diet program are effective for helping people lose weight and keep it off.

Spanish researchers studied weight maintenance for six months in people who previously lost at least 5 percent of their bodyweight during a six-month weight reduction diet. Half the people substituted a low-calorie liquid meal at dinnertime, while the other half followed a reduced-calorie diet. In the liquid meal group, 84 percent were able to maintain weight or lose additional weight, compared to 58 percent in the diet group. This was another study showing the value of low-calorie liquid meals for weight maintenance. Substituting a liquid meal only one or two times per week might be enough to promote weight maintenance and prevent overeating. (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63: 1226-1232, 2009)