Effects of calcium supplementation in post-menopausal women participating in the Curves(R) fitness & weight loss program I: Body composition & bone density

140 overweight post-menopausal women were randomly assigned to an exercise & normal diet group (E) or a high carbohydrate (HC) or high protein (HP) diet with exercise group. Diets consisted of 1,200 kcal/d for 1-wk and 1,600 kcal/d for 9 wks of either HC (55% C, 15% P, 30% F) or HP (7–15% C, 55–63% P, 30% F). Thereafter, subjects ingested 2,600 kcal/d (55% C, 15% P, 30% F) and dieted for 2-d (1,200 kcal/d) only if they gained 3 lbs. Subjects participated in a supervised Curves fitness program 3-d/wk. In addition, subjects were randomly assigned in a double blind fashion to ingest a placebo (P) or one of three types of calcium supplements (Ca) providing 800 – 1,000 mg/d of calcium. DEXA measurements were obtained at 0, 10, and 14 weeks and were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA. Data are presented as means ± SD changes from baseline for the E, HC, and HP groups, respectively. After 10 wks, subjects who dieted experienced a significantly greater (p<0.05) loss in body mass (−0.5±1.5; −3.9±3.3; −4.3±4.8 kg)...