Effects of Calcium Supplementation on Body Weight and Adiposity in Overweight and Obese Adults

Study answer

What this study found

Two years of calcium supplementation did not meaningfully reduce weight gain or fat gain versus placebo. End-of-study weight change was 0.54 kg in the calcium group and 0.52 kg in the placebo group, with a between-group difference of 0.02 kg (P = 0.98). Fat mass change was 0.40 kg versus 0.01 kg, respectively, with a difference of 0.39 kg (P = 0.55), and BMI change was 0.18 kg/m2 versus -0.14 kg/m2 (P = 0.39). The authors concluded that calcium supplementation is unlikely to have clinically significant preventive efficacy for weight gain in overweight or obese adults.

Study & population

Randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial conducted at a single research center in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.

Intervention

Calcium carbonate providing 1500 mg/day elemental calcium was given orally in 2 divided doses with meals for 2 years, compared with placebo.

Key limitation

Single-center enrollment and a sample composed mostly of women limit generalizability.

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Original abstract