A study of 100 obese Germans has indicated that liquid meal replacement does work in the fight against flab. Led by Dr Herwig Ditschuneit, researchers from the University of Ulm presented the findings of their four and a half year investigation at the European Congress on Obesity in Vienna this week.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The researchers explained that for three months, 50 of the volunteers were placed on a strict diet of 1500 calories a day. The remainder were told to replace two daily meals with a diet shake (220 calories) and eat a “normal” dinner (900 calories). After the time period, the latter group had lost on average just over a stone in weight. The former category had shed just under two pounds however.


The findings were compounded over the next four years, when all 100 volunteers were placed on a diet of 1,500 calories and one diet shake a day, and weight stayed off those who had taken the liquid diet. The same people also saw lower blood pressure and cholesterol.


Dr Ditschuneit is quoted on femail.co.uk as saying: “Two daily Slim-Fast meals were more effective for calorie restriction and weight loss than traditional meals using the same prescribed energy intake. It works for four years and is a very safe way of weight management.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact