A new study from CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization), Australia's national science agency, has revealed that people who use meal plans lose more weight, Medical Xpress reports.
The study of nearly 78,000 members of the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet found significant differences in results depending on how regularly people used their diet plan.
The study found that those who used meal plans the most lost an average of 6.4 kg at 12 weeks, 24% more than those who used them less frequently.
Meanwhile, those members who used their meal plans most in the early stages of the program lost 6.9 kg after a year, 48% more than those who used them the least.
To gain deeper insight into members' experiences with meal planning, an additional survey of 1,300 past and present CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet members revealed that 90% of those who achieved their weight loss goals used the meal plan. Additionally, 89% of members who lost more than 10 kilograms in 12 weeks said that having a meal plan was crucial to their success.
Of the members who didn't lose weight, 72% believed they would have been more successful if meal plans were personalized to their preferences and lifestyles.
CSIRO Research Scientist Dr. Gilly Hendrie said the findings highlight both the power of meal planning, and the opportunity for further innovation.
"This research shows just how powerful meal planning can be. It provides the know-how of what to eat and helps build the habits of planning ahead, which we know are essential for long-term weight loss success," Dr. Hendrie said. "There's no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, and that's where personalization can make a real difference."
In response to the findings, the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet has launched a new AI-powered personalized meal planning tool, My Plan.
My Plan creates meal plans tailored to each member's individual needs, considering likes, dislikes, allergies, intolerances and eating styles. It's also tailored to support conditions like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, or life stages such as menopause. Additionally, the tool learns and evolves over time, becoming more personalized as it's used.
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