The effect of ready-to-eat cereal consumption on energy intake, body weight and anthropometric measurements: results from a randomized, controlled intervention trial.

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of consumption of ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) in the evening in place of a normal evening snack on body weight, anthropometric measurements and energy intake in overweight individuals. Seventy overweight participants who were self-reported habitual evening snackers were assigned to either the control or treatment group. For 6 weeks the treatment group consumed RTEC instead of their normal evening snack. Body weight, anthropometric and food intake measurements were taken at 2-week intervals. There were no significant differences between groups in any anthropometric measurements; however, within the treatment group, body weight (p = 0.030) and waist circumference (p = 0.0003) were reduced after 6 weeks compared with baseline. Evening energy intake was lower in the treatment group compared with the control group (p = 0.007). These data indicate that replacing evening snacks with RTEC in overweight habitual evening snackers significantly reduces post dinner energy intake and may assist with weight management.