Ageing is accompanied by numerous metabolic changes and age-related diseases. Calorie restriction (CR) is a well-established non-invasive method that reduces the rate of ageing and increases lifespan in a wide range of taxa. Previous studies have highlighted a relationship between the extent of restriction and the extent to which lifespan is increased. However, the mechanisms by which CR mediates its beneficial effects on ageing are yet to be fully understood. I therefore tested three hypotheses which examined the role of metabolic changes in the hypothalamus, the epididymal white adipose tissue and liver on the beneficial effects of CR. A three month graded CR study was performed on 5 month old male C57BL/6 mice. Six different treatments were used: 24 hours ad libitum (AL) feeding, 12 hours AL feeding, 10% CR, 20% CR, 30% CR and 40% CR. Behavioural, physiological and molecular information from each tissue of individual mice were collected. Using this comprehensive data set, I analysed the changes in the transcriptome when exposed to graded CR at both the individual gene level and also using network inferential approaches in the three tissues. My results suggest that CR leads to an overall reduction in the state of inflammation in adipose tissue which may be signalled via secreted cytokines leading to a corresponding reduction in signalling to other tissues. Signal molecules, including those from the adipose tissue, activated the hunger signalling pathway via receptors in the hypothalamus during CR. Responses to CR in the liver were consistent with several current theories reported in the literature and are likely to reflect the combined role of multiple ageing related processes. By constructing multitissue, multi-gene networks I was able to identify potential mechanisms underpinning CR. In conclusion, CR affected multiple biological processes across several different organs in a way consistent with increased healthspan.

Graduation date: 1995

This study compared the results of two methods of behavioral treatment in combination with a very-low-calorie-diet in the treatment of obesity. Subjects were 28 male and 106 female patients admitted to the medically supervised fasting program at Risk Factor Clinic in Portland, Oregon. Subjects were matched by gender, percent over ideal body weight, and age. Subject group I received a smorgasbord of behavioral techniques from various group leaders in a 60-minute weekly session. Presentation was didactic and theoretical and subjects were accountable to themselves for utilization of the techniques. Subject group II participated in 90-minute weekly sessions with a primary leader facilitating a problem solving and educational session in which patients were continually encouraged to participate. Subjects set goals and made weekly commitments to facilitate skill acquisition and behavior change. The leader collected data from patients each week on program compliance and physical activity.

Thesis (D. Phil.(Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Gastric bypass achieves weight loss in the morbidly obese. Preoperative weight loss is used to reduce the enlarged fatty liver that otherwise reduces visibility during surgery. The purpose of gastric bypass is to provide patients with long-term weight loss. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the result of preoperative low calorie diet on liver volume and to evaluate the long-term result of gastric bypass. Paper I showed that four weeks of low calorie diet reduces intrahepatic fat by 40% and facilitates surgery mainly through improved visualisation. Paper II demonstrated that all of the reduction of liver volume occurs during the first two weeks of treatment with low calorie diet.  In paper I liver volume was reduced by 12% and in paper II by 18%. Paper III focused on long-term results and showed that gastric bypass achieves a mean 63% excess body mass index loss in obese patients after 11 years. However, of these 40% undergo abdominoplasty and 2% require additional bariatric surgery. Only 24% adhere to the lifelong recommendation on multivitamins and 72% to Vitamin B12 recommendations. Paper IV evaluated gastric bypass as a revisional procedure after earlier restrictive surgery had failed. Similar weight results as after primary gastric bypass are attained. No patient taking vitamin B12 supplementation was deficient at follow-up, regardless of whether the vitamin was taken as a pill or as intramuscular injections.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A obesidade é uma doença crônica não transmissível, caracterizada pelo excesso de gordura corporal. Então, a gordura acumulada na região abdominal promove resistência à insulina e conseqüentemente alterações metabólicas as quais em conjunto configuram o quadro de síndrome metabólica (SM). O genótipo Pro12Pro parece estar relacionado à menor sensibilidade à insulina, desencadeando o processo fisiopatológico da SM. Então, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de uma dieta hipocalórica sobre o perfil metabólico e composição corporal de mulheres com e sem SM com genótipo Pro12Pro no gene PPAR&#947;2. O presente estudo trata-se de um ensaio clínico, onde mulheres entre 30 e 45 anos, obesas grau I, sem SM (n=23) e com SM (n=7) foram submetidas à dieta hipocalórica por 90 dias. A identificação do genótipo foi realizada por reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). No início e nos dias 30, 60 e 90 foram avaliados peso corporal, massa magra (MM), massa gorda (MG), componentes da SM, uricemia, insulinemia, leptinemia, adiponectinemia, os índices HOMA-IR e QUICKI. O consumo energético foi avaliado nas 12 semanas de tratamento. Foi utilizado o teste t de Student para amostras independentes foi utilizado para comparar os grupos entre si, e o modelo pareado para comparar a evolução dentro de cada grupo em relação ao início do estudo. Todas as mulheres apresentaram genótipo Pro12Pro. O grupo com SM apresentou menor HDL-c (44,43,2 vs. 56,82,4 mg/dL, p=0,013), e maior triglicerídeo (180,926,7 vs. 89,76,6mg/dL, p=0,014) e VLDL-c (36,25,3 vs. 17,91,3mg/dL, p=0,014) no início do estudo. Ambos os grupos apresentaram redução ponderal (-3,30,7% grupo sem SM e - 4,20,9% grupo com SM) e da circunferência da cintura (-2,40,5% grupo sem SM e - 5,91,4% grupo com SM) significativas. O grupo sem SM reduziu da MG progressivamente até os 90 dias (37,00,8 para 36,60,5%, p=0,02), e com isso aumentou MM (62,00,5 para 63,40,5%, p=0,01), o grupo com SM também reduziu MG ao longo do estudo (32,62,3 para 29,62,4%, p<0,01) e aumentou MM significativamente (62,21,0 para 64,31,3%). A pressão arterial sistólica reduziu no primeiro mês de tratamento no grupo sem SM (de 120,41,8 para 112,32,1 mmHg, p<0,01). No que diz respeito aos parâmetros metabólicos, o grupo sem SM mostrou redução da insulinemia (32,54,2 para 25,92,4U/mL, p=0,05) e aumento da adiponectinemia (4,70,6 para 5,10,8 ng/mL, p=0,02) aos 30 dias, do colesterol total (180,25,8 para 173,85,4 mg/dL, p=0,04), e da leptina (27,01,9 para 18,21,4 ng/mL, p<0,01) aos 60 dias, porém, houve redução do QUICKI aos 90 dias (0,390,03 para 0,350,01, p=0,01). No grupo com SM, a leptinemia reduziu aos 60 dias (20,31,9 para 14,71,1 ng/mL, p=0,01) e a adiponectinemia aos 90 dias (5,71,2 para 7,11,4 ng/mL, p<0,01), também houve remissão de 57,1% dos casos de SM. Sugerimos que, a dieta hipocalórica foi eficaz na redução do peso corporal e da MG, principalmente a localizada na região abdominal. Conseqüentemente, houve melhora considerável do perfil metabólico relacionado à obesidade no grupo sem SM, e também dos marcadores de sensibilidade à insulina e cardioprotetores relacionados à SM, além da remissão dos casos de SM. / Obesity is a non-transmissible chronic disease, characterized by excess of body fat. Then, the accumulated fat in the abdominal region promotes insulin resistance and therefore metabolic changes which together form the clustering of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Genotype Pro12Pro seems to be related to reduced insulin sensitivity, triggering the process of the MS. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a low-calorie diet on metabolic profile and body composition in women with and without MS with genotype Pro12Pro on PPAR&#947;2 gene. It is a clinical trial where women between 30 and 45 years, obese class I, without MS (n = 23) and with MS (n = 7) were submitted to a hypocaloric diet for 90 days. The identification of genotype was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). At the beginning and on 30, 60 and 90 days were evaluated body weight, lean body mass (LBM), body fat mass (BFM) components of MS, serum uric acid, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, the indexes HOMA-IR and QUICKI. The energy consumption was assessed at 12 weeks of treatment. The Student t test for independent samples was used for comparison between groups, and the dependent samples test to compare the evolution within each group relative to baseline. All women had Pro12Pro genotype. The MS group had lower HDL-C (44.43.2 vs. 56.82.4 mg/dL, p=0.013) and higher triglyceride (180.926.7 vs. 89.76.6 mg/dL, p=0.014) and VLDL-c (36.25.3 vs. 17.91.3 mg/dL, p=0.014) at baseline. Both groups showed significant weight reduction (-3.30.7% without MS group and -4.20.9% SM group) and waist circumference (-2.40.5% group without SM and -5.91.4% SM group). The group without MS reduced BFM progressively until 90 days (37.00.8 to 36.60.5%, p=0.02), and increased LBM (62.00.5 to 63.40.5%, p=0.01), also the group with SM reduced BFM during the study (32.62.3 to 29.62.4%, p<0.01) and increased LBM significantly (62.21.0 to 64.31.3%). systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased in the first month of treatment in the group without MS (120.41.8 to 112.32.1 mmHg, p<0.01). With regard to metabolic parameters, the group without SM showed a reduction of serum insulin (32.54.2 to 25.92.4 U/mL, p = 0.05) and increase of serum adiponectin (4.7 0.6 to 5.10.8 ng/mL, p=0.02) at 30 days, total cholesterol (180.25.8 to 173.85.4 mg/dL, p=0.04) and HDL-c (56.82.4 to 52.22.2 mg/dL, p=0.04) and serum leptin (27.01.9 to 18.21.4 ng/mL, p< 0.01) at 60 days, although had a reduction of QUICKI to 90 days (0.390.03 to 0.350.01, p=0.01). The MS group, the serum leptin levels decreased at 60 days (20.31.9 to 14.71.1 ng/mL, p=0.01) and serum adiponectin to 90 days (5.71.2 to 7.11.4 ng/mL, p<0.01), there was also a remission of 57,1% in cases of MS. We suggest that the hypocaloric diet was efficient on reduction in body weight and BFM, mainly located in the abdominal region. Therefore, considerable improvement of metabolic profile related to obesity in the group without MS was observed, as well as improvement of markers of insulin sensitivity and cardioprotection related to SM, in addition to remission of cases of MS.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A obesidade é uma doença crônica não transmissível, caracterizada pelo excesso de gordura corporal. Então, a gordura acumulada na região abdominal promove resistência à insulina e conseqüentemente alterações metabólicas as quais em conjunto configuram o quadro de síndrome metabólica (SM). O genótipo Pro12Pro parece estar relacionado à menor sensibilidade à insulina, desencadeando o processo fisiopatológico da SM. Então, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de uma dieta hipocalórica sobre o perfil metabólico e composição corporal de mulheres com e sem SM com genótipo Pro12Pro no gene PPAR&#947;2. O presente estudo trata-se de um ensaio clínico, onde mulheres entre 30 e 45 anos, obesas grau I, sem SM (n=23) e com SM (n=7) foram submetidas à dieta hipocalórica por 90 dias. A identificação do genótipo foi realizada por reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). No início e nos dias 30, 60 e 90 foram avaliados peso corporal, massa magra (MM), massa gorda (MG), componentes da SM, uricemia, insulinemia, leptinemia, adiponectinemia, os índices HOMA-IR e QUICKI. O consumo energético foi avaliado nas 12 semanas de tratamento. Foi utilizado o teste t de Student para amostras independentes foi utilizado para comparar os grupos entre si, e o modelo pareado para comparar a evolução dentro de cada grupo em relação ao início do estudo. Todas as mulheres apresentaram genótipo Pro12Pro. O grupo com SM apresentou menor HDL-c (44,43,2 vs. 56,82,4 mg/dL, p=0,013), e maior triglicerídeo (180,926,7 vs. 89,76,6mg/dL, p=0,014) e VLDL-c (36,25,3 vs. 17,91,3mg/dL, p=0,014) no início do estudo. Ambos os grupos apresentaram redução ponderal (-3,30,7% grupo sem SM e - 4,20,9% grupo com SM) e da circunferência da cintura (-2,40,5% grupo sem SM e - 5,91,4% grupo com SM) significativas. O grupo sem SM reduziu da MG progressivamente até os 90 dias (37,00,8 para 36,60,5%, p=0,02), e com isso aumentou MM (62,00,5 para 63,40,5%, p=0,01), o grupo com SM também reduziu MG ao longo do estudo (32,62,3 para 29,62,4%, p<0,01) e aumentou MM significativamente (62,21,0 para 64,31,3%). A pressão arterial sistólica reduziu no primeiro mês de tratamento no grupo sem SM (de 120,41,8 para 112,32,1 mmHg, p<0,01). No que diz respeito aos parâmetros metabólicos, o grupo sem SM mostrou redução da insulinemia (32,54,2 para 25,92,4U/mL, p=0,05) e aumento da adiponectinemia (4,70,6 para 5,10,8 ng/mL, p=0,02) aos 30 dias, do colesterol total (180,25,8 para 173,85,4 mg/dL, p=0,04), e da leptina (27,01,9 para 18,21,4 ng/mL, p<0,01) aos 60 dias, porém, houve redução do QUICKI aos 90 dias (0,390,03 para 0,350,01, p=0,01). No grupo com SM, a leptinemia reduziu aos 60 dias (20,31,9 para 14,71,1 ng/mL, p=0,01) e a adiponectinemia aos 90 dias (5,71,2 para 7,11,4 ng/mL, p<0,01), também houve remissão de 57,1% dos casos de SM. Sugerimos que, a dieta hipocalórica foi eficaz na redução do peso corporal e da MG, principalmente a localizada na região abdominal. Conseqüentemente, houve melhora considerável do perfil metabólico relacionado à obesidade no grupo sem SM, e também dos marcadores de sensibilidade à insulina e cardioprotetores relacionados à SM, além da remissão dos casos de SM. / Obesity is a non-transmissible chronic disease, characterized by excess of body fat. Then, the accumulated fat in the abdominal region promotes insulin resistance and therefore metabolic changes which together form the clustering of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Genotype Pro12Pro seems to be related to reduced insulin sensitivity, triggering the process of the MS. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a low-calorie diet on metabolic profile and body composition in women with and without MS with genotype Pro12Pro on PPAR&#947;2 gene. It is a clinical trial where women between 30 and 45 years, obese class I, without MS (n = 23) and with MS (n = 7) were submitted to a hypocaloric diet for 90 days. The identification of genotype was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). At the beginning and on 30, 60 and 90 days were evaluated body weight, lean body mass (LBM), body fat mass (BFM) components of MS, serum uric acid, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, the indexes HOMA-IR and QUICKI. The energy consumption was assessed at 12 weeks of treatment. The Student t test for independent samples was used for comparison between groups, and the dependent samples test to compare the evolution within each group relative to baseline. All women had Pro12Pro genotype. The MS group had lower HDL-C (44.43.2 vs. 56.82.4 mg/dL, p=0.013) and higher triglyceride (180.926.7 vs. 89.76.6 mg/dL, p=0.014) and VLDL-c (36.25.3 vs. 17.91.3 mg/dL, p=0.014) at baseline. Both groups showed significant weight reduction (-3.30.7% without MS group and -4.20.9% SM group) and waist circumference (-2.40.5% group without SM and -5.91.4% SM group). The group without MS reduced BFM progressively until 90 days (37.00.8 to 36.60.5%, p=0.02), and increased LBM (62.00.5 to 63.40.5%, p=0.01), also the group with SM reduced BFM during the study (32.62.3 to 29.62.4%, p<0.01) and increased LBM significantly (62.21.0 to 64.31.3%). systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased in the first month of treatment in the group without MS (120.41.8 to 112.32.1 mmHg, p<0.01). With regard to metabolic parameters, the group without SM showed a reduction of serum insulin (32.54.2 to 25.92.4 U/mL, p = 0.05) and increase of serum adiponectin (4.7 0.6 to 5.10.8 ng/mL, p=0.02) at 30 days, total cholesterol (180.25.8 to 173.85.4 mg/dL, p=0.04) and HDL-c (56.82.4 to 52.22.2 mg/dL, p=0.04) and serum leptin (27.01.9 to 18.21.4 ng/mL, p< 0.01) at 60 days, although had a reduction of QUICKI to 90 days (0.390.03 to 0.350.01, p=0.01). The MS group, the serum leptin levels decreased at 60 days (20.31.9 to 14.71.1 ng/mL, p=0.01) and serum adiponectin to 90 days (5.71.2 to 7.11.4 ng/mL, p<0.01), there was also a remission of 57,1% in cases of MS. We suggest that the hypocaloric diet was efficient on reduction in body weight and BFM, mainly located in the abdominal region. Therefore, considerable improvement of metabolic profile related to obesity in the group without MS was observed, as well as improvement of markers of insulin sensitivity and cardioprotection related to SM, in addition to remission of cases of MS.

Obese, female Spraque-Dawley rats were assigned, on a weight basis, to one of three dietary treatments: ad lib, 15% caloric restriction, and 30% caloric restriction. All other nutrients were fed at levels to meet dietary requirements. Each treatment groups was further sub-divided into pregnant and non-pregnant animals. Rats were sacrificed on Day 20 of gestation and fetuses were taken by Caesearean section. Maternal and fetal body composition, maternal serum protein concentrations were examined. Weight change for pregnant rats was +85 gms in the ad lib-fed group, +82 gms in the 15% calorie restricted group, and +56 gms in the 30% calorie restricted group. Weight changes for the non-pregnant rats for 20 days of dietary treatment were +53 gms, +18 gms, and -7 gms respectively. Fetal body nitrogen and average pup weight did not differ between treatment groups. Total maternal body nitrogen was not decreased during pregnancy in ad lib-fed and 15% calorically restricted animals. It did decrease in 30% calorically restricted animals. Ad lib-fed animals showed no changes in total body fat. Animals on the 15% calorie restriction diet showed no change in total body fat percentages. Animals on the 30% calorie restriction showed a 10% decrease in total body fat content as compared to the ad lib and 15% restricted pregnant group. Serum protein levels decreased in pregnant animals as caloric restriction increased. Serum protein levels in nonpregnant animals increased as dietary restriction increased. The fetal compartment was not affected by maternal caloric restriction up to 30% provided that all other nutrients were adequate. Maternal stores were affected at a level of 30% caloric restriction. / Master of Science

Obese female Sprague Dawley Rats were randomly assigned, on a weight basis, to one of three dietary treatments: ad libitum, 30% caloric restriction, and 50% caloric restriction. All other nutrients were fed at levels to meet dietary requirements. Each treatment group was further divided into pregnant and nonpregnant subgroups. The experimental diets were started on Day 4 of gestation for pregnant groups. Rats were sacrificed on Day 20 of gestation and fetuses were taken by Caesarean section. Maternal and fetal body composition, and the maternal serum protein concentration were examined. Weight changes for pregnant rats were +127 gms in the ad lib fed group, +83 gms in the 30% restricted group, and +51 gms in the 50% restricted group. Weight changes for the nonpregnant rats after 20 days of dietary treatment were +22 gms, -10 gms, and -40 gms in the ad lib fed, 30%, and 50% restricted groups respectively. The percentage of maternal carcass protein was affected by the 50% caloric restriction imposed on all animals. Animals on the 30% and 50% caloric restricted diet showed a decrease in total body fat of 5% and 12% respectively, as compared to the ad lib fed controls regardless of pregnancy state. The maternal liver weight increase during pregnancy was less in 30% and 50% caloric restricted animals. Serum protein levels decreased in pregnant animals as caloric restriction increased. Fetal body weight, brain weight, and body composition did not differ between treatment groups. The fetal compartment was not affected by maternal caloric restriction up to 50% while providing all other nutrients adequately. Maternal stores were affected at both levels of 30% and 50% caloric restriction. These results indicate that excess fat stores can be mobilized to support fetal growth in obese pregnant rats under caloric restriction, when other nutrients are provided in adequate amounts. / M.S.

Mudanças no hábito alimentar têm sido descritas como prováveis causas da obesidade. Estudos mostram que o peso depende do balanço energético definido pela relação entre a energia ingerida e o gasto energético. Sugere-se que o padrão alimentar, levando em consideração a freqüência de refeições e sua distribuição durante o dia, possa estar relacionado com a obesidade. Um efetivo programa de perda de peso tem como objetivo a perda do excesso da gordura corporal e a manutenção da massa livre de gordura apropriada para manutenção da saúde. O cortisol é um dos principais hormônios secretados pelo córtex supra-renal com ação predominante no metabolismo intermediário, incluindo a regulação das proteínas, carboidratos, lipídeos e ácidos nucléicos.O presente estudo teve como objetivos determinar se a ingestão alimentar hipocalórica em pacientes obesas grau III, feita exclusivamente no período das 9:00 às 11:00 h em contraposição à mesma dieta oferecida das 18:00 às 20:00 h, é capaz de alterar a perda de peso, a composição corporal, o ritmo de cortisol, o gasto energético e o balanço nitrogenado. As pacientes foram internadas na Unidade Metabólica da Divisão de Nutrologia do Departamento de Clínica Médica do Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto USP durante um período de 64 dias, sendo divididos em 3 internações de 18 dias. Na 1ª fase receberam dieta fracionada em 5 refeições /dia, considerada controle. Na 2ª fase, receberam a mesma dieta, no período das 9:00 às 11:00 h. E na 3ª fase receberam, também, a mesma dieta no período das 18:00 às 20:00 h. Entre uma internação e outra, as pacientes tiveram alta hospitalar por 5 dias, recebendo dieta domiciliar usual. Durante cada fase realizou-se dosagem de nitrogênio urinário e de cortisol salivar. Além disto, as pacientes foram submetidas à avaliação nutricional incluindo: antropometria, bioimpedância e calorimetria indireta. O cortisol salivar obedeceu ao mesmo ritmo nas 3 fases, tanto no 1º quanto no 18º dias de internação, apresentando o pico máximo às 8:00 h, diminuindo progressivamente até atingir o nadir às 21:00 h. Não houve alteração no ritmo do cortisol quando se alterou o horário da alimentação. Houve uma diminuição significativa (p< 0,05) para todos os parâmetros antropométricos, exceto para o índice cintura/quadril durante as três fases, não havendo diferença entre as 3 fases. Houve, nas 3 internações, uma diminuição significativa tanto na quantidade de nitrogênio ingerido quanto na quantidade de nitrogênio excretado a partir do 4º dia de internação. No 10º dia de internação, o balanço nitrogenado estava negativo nas 3 fases da dieta. Não houve diferença entre as fases para ingestão, excreção ou balanço nitrogenado. Mudanças no padrão do horário da ingestão alimentar por períodos de 18 dias não foram estímulo suficiente para provocar diferentes alterações de peso, da composição corporal, da ritmicidade e níveis de produção de cortisol, da taxa metabólica de repouso e balanço nitrogenado em mulheres grau III. / Changes in dietary habits have been implicated as potential causes of obesity. Studies have suggested that weight depends on the energetic balance, which is the relation between energy intake and energy expenditure. Dietary behavior, specially eating frequency and temporal distribution of eating events during the day, may be related to obesity. An effective weight loss program should reduce body fat and preserve lean body mass. Cortisol is an important corticosteroid produced by the adrenal. It exerts metabolic effects on intermediary metabolism, regulating protein, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids metabolism. The present studys goals were: compare differences in weight loss, body composition, energy expenditure and nitrogen balance using hypo caloric diet offered in two different time intervals, first from 9:00 to 11:00, second from 18:00 to 20:00; determinate if there is difference on urinary nitrogen when food is offered on different time intervals, comparing with salivary cortisol levels, and show salivary cortisol secretion rhythm of obese females undergoing hypo caloric diet in different day times. The patients were under hospital regimen in the Metabolic Unit of the Nutrology Division of the Internal Medicine Department of the HCFMRP USP for a 64 days period, divided in 3 periods of 18 days each. On phase 1, the patients received food five times a day. On phase 2, they received the same diet, but the meals were between 09:00 and 11:00. On phase 3, the same diet was offered between 18:00 and 20:00. After each 18 day period, patients went home for a 5 day wash-out period, eating their regular home food and respecting their usual dietary behavior. On each phase urinary nitrogen and salivary cortisol were measured. Also a nutritional evaluation, including anthropometry, bioimpedance and indirect calorimetry were done. There were a reduction (p< 0,05) in all parameters, except the Waist/ Hip Ratio during all phases, but there were no difference between the phases. On the 3 phases there were a reduction on both, nitrogen intake and excretion. After the 10th in hospital day, nitrogen balance was negative on the 3 phases. There are no differences on nitrogen intake, excretion or balance between the 3 phases of food intake. Salivary cortisol followed the same rhythm on all 3 phases, both on the 1st and on the 18th in hospital days, having the peak salivary level at 08:00 h and the nadir level at 21:00 h. Changing meal times for 18 days did not change salivary cortisol circadian rhythm and did not promote changes in weight loss, body composition and rest energy expenditure in grade III obese females.