1a.Objectives (from AD-416)
To evaluate the mechanism by which dairy foods promote weight and fat loss during dieting through examination of adipocyte size, gene expression and inflammatory markers.

1b.Approach (from AD-416)
A controlled randomized clinical trial with 84 overweight and obese adult men and women. Dietary intervention consists of 500 calories, reduction in energy and either "controlled" diet or a diet with 3-4 servings of dairy foods. Baseline energy balance will be determined by fed meals at the WHNRC. Moderate energy restriction diets will be provided throughout a 12-week weight loss intervention. Resting metabolic rate, body composition, endocrine regulatory hormones and inflammatory markers will be examined at baseline and after 12-weeks of intervention. Gene expression and adipocyte histology will be assessed before and after intervention. It is hypothesized that dairy foods will result in greater weight loss and fat loss compared to the low-dairy controlled diet. Documents Trust with Dairy Management Inc. Log 29737.

3.Progress Report
This report serves to document research conducted under a trust agreement between ARS and Dairy Management Inc. Additional details of this research project can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 5306-51520-006-00D, Dietary Patterns, Mineral and Vitamin Metabolism. Planning aspect of this study and protocol development, and human subject approval was completed during the summer of 2006. Subject recruitment and screening was initiated in the fall of 2006 with the first group of volunteers enrolled into the protocol in November 2007. Ongoing enrollment continues in 8 week cycles. Projected completion of the project is winter 2008-09.