Obesity cannot be solved by meal replacements

: Finding new ways to reach sustainable weight reduction, which are suitable for daily practice, is important. In this commentary we discuss the article by Astbury et al. suggesting that a total diet replacement (TDR) programme in a primary care setting is safe and effective. We raise some important questions about the limited duration of the study, lack of clarity about additionally provided behavioural coaching and/or exercise in the intervention group vs the usual care control group, as well as the potential effects of low calorie dieting on muscle mass. Although other studies using meal replacements do not show an additional benefit compared to interventions based on a balanced diet with behavioural therapy, the results after this 52-week study are promising. However, longer-term follow-up and external validation is needed. Moreover, the large variation in results between participating centres shows that it is not a matter of "one size fits all" when it comes to successful dieting.