You’ve seen the signs for the “New Year, New You” weight-loss study around campus and perhaps you’ve thought it was a good idea.
Although the Department of Nutrition has flooded campus with advertisements, not many people know much about the “New Year, New You” experiment. This study is not a breakthrough by any means; it is simply one in the long line of experiments to prove a theory.
“What we have shown is the amount of calcium in a diet changes the way fat cells handle the fat,” Michael B. Zemel, project director, said. “A diet triggers the release of hormones to the fat cells to tell them to burn more fat.”
Once a motivated participant has been admitted into the study, they will be followed for 15 weeks. During this period, the participant will work with a dietitian who will periodically take measurements.
Participants will also be given a pill to take during their diet.
“Some will get a placebo, and some will get a calcium supplement,” Zemel said. “They are all having their calories limited.”
With this study, the nutrition department is hoping to put an end to the continuous roller coaster ride called weight loss.
“We are interested in helping to prevent regain by shifting the way the body metabolizes energy,” Zemel said. “We are working carefully to identify compounds in dairy that are effective in taking fat away from the belly area and to explain the reasoning.”
Students around campus have an overall positive outlook on the study.
“If anyone can come up with a weight-loss plan that will keep you from buying lots of products, that’s a good thing,” said Tim Ainger, a freshman in pre-medicine. “Also, a groundbreaking study would be good for the nutrition department as well as the university.”
This study is by no means just local to UT, for it is already gaining mainstream coverage from national media such as Reader’s Digest.
“We are already getting broad acceptance,” Zemel said. “People were skeptical at first, but now, we have multiple levels of confirmation from all over the country.”
While UT is the lead university in the project, other institutions, including Purdue University and Ohio State University, are conducting the same research.
Subjects are being accepted for the waiting list only, but applicants are welcome for future studies. The Nutritional and Metabolic Research Clinic can be reached at 974-6272.
