Yogurt, especially when fortified, improves both weight and body fat composition of consumers when combined with a calorie-restricted diet.

Obesity is not a simple illness. Obesity is quite complex and it is not the same from person to person. Almost everyone is looking for a leg up on their path to weight loss. If there are foods that could give you that jump start, their addition would be a welcome addition to just about anyone trying to shed a few pounds. Food types need further investigation as novel adjunct treatments for obesity. One such food is yogurt.

I wrote about dairy and yogurt in the past. A recent study from 2018 looked at fortified yogurt as a means to jump-start weight loss​[1]​. The objective was to determine the effects of daily consumption of the yogurt on weight loss in overweight and obese patients with metabolic syndrome on a calorie-restricted diet.

The study was a randomized, double-blind, 10-week study in which 87 participants were randomly allocated to two groups receiving either two servings of yogurt that was fortified with whey protein, calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and probiotics or low-fat plain yogurt. Both groups were put on a calorie-restricted diet. Body composition and weight (mass) were measured during and after completion of the study.

The study revealed promising results. The body mass of both groups decreased during the study, but the fortified group loses more weight 4.3 vs 5.1 Kgs. The loss was significantly better statistically. Consumption of fortified yogurt also resulted in a significant reduction in body fat percentage, waist circumference, and when compared to plain yogurt.

The bottom line: Consuming yogurt and fortified yogurt for 10-weeks improved body composition and metabolic parameters, while on a calorie-restricted diet. Prior research showed that yogurt can assist with weight loss. I would recommend you add fiber and greek yogurt to your breakfast meal every day.