Research team unveils third generation weight loss program prioritizing fiber and protein

US researchers have created a third generation of their weight management program by adding an online app, MealPlot. The new interactive version allows users to plan meals by charting protein and fiber content to improve the functionality of an online weight loss program. Users can track their weight and food intake remotely and connect to health professionals for consistent guidance. 

“Other dieting apps are usually macronutrient calculators. But we want people to focus on finding foods with a high protein and fiber density to get them to their meal goals,” explains lead author Ashleigh Oliveira, a doctoral student in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

“It’s less about counting calories and more about finding the foods that will satisfy us and provide the protein we need to maintain muscle mass as we lose weight. Foods high in fiber also have all the micronutrients we need, so we’re not missing out on vitamins and minerals as we eat less.” 

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign team tested MealPlot on trial participants and a group of scientists and developments for a three-month review. They are fine-tuning MealPlot and aim to launch the full program by spring 2026.

Protein and fiber for weight loss

In MealPlot, users enter the food they want into a chart plotting fiber and protein content, aiming for each day’s overall food intake to fall within a certain protein and fiber target range. However, no foods are off limits as long as the overall daily food consumption fits within the target. 

“Intuitively, this results in a calorie deficit for most people because the foods that fit into your target zone on that chart will be satiating, such as lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Typically, the foods that lead to a calorie surplus are sugary or high fat, and they won’t fit in the target zone,” says Oliveira. 

Co-author Manabu Nakamura, associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Division of Nutritional Sciences, stresses that obtaining a safe and effective weight loss requires more protein intake and fewer calories. 

“There are already many apps available that can help you count calories. You can lose weight if you have a negative calorie balance, but it’s not always healthy. The worst thing you can do when you cut calories is also to cut protein. Then you don’t lose fat mass; you are losing muscle and bone mass.” 

He adds that the program’s weight loss guideline is one pound per week, but users should weigh daily to monitor overall trends. 

Users can plan meals by plotting foods’ fiber and protein content, aiming to reach a specific target for each day’s overall food intake.App development

MealPlot is the result of several weight loss program iterations. The researchers describe the process and the final app’s features in a paper published in JMIR Formative Research. 

The first program version was developed by nutrition researchers and tested for feasibility by 30 participants in a weight loss trial. In this first iteration, participants received education and feedback from registered nutritionists in an in-person program called the Individualized Dietary Improvement Program (iDip). 

Next, iDip was converted into EMPOWER, a fully online program, to increase accessibility. This program included educational materials on nutrition, an online app to design meals and monitor progress, and personalized support from dietitians through online chats. 

“In the first version, participants got a smart scale connected to the app, and their weight would automatically be entered into the weight chart, so we could see the platform was working. In the second round, we developed the protein and fiber chart so people could plot their meals,” Oliveira explains.

MealPlot’s chart to log protein and fiber is based on the US Department of Agriculture’s food database. This comprehensive database is intended for scientists, meaning that search terms were not intuitive for participants. Based on user feedback, the researchers collaborated with web developers to make a more user-friendly program with common food names and categories. 

“The overall goal is to develop an online weight loss program that can be used as prevention as well as treatment in a clinical setting,” says Nakamura.

Although the MealPlot app is freely available, the researchers advise users to work with a dietitian to get the full benefit.AI has aided in the development of food-tracking smartphone apps that have been introduced in recent years. For example, the recently launched nutrition app MyNetDiary uses a next-generation AI Meal Scan to track meals faster, easier, and more accurately. 

Still, researchers indicate that these applications require improvements in accuracy, signaling AI’s poor ability to recognize dishes or estimate their caloric values.

Dietitian support

The MealPlot app’s final version has a chat feature so participants can interact with dietitians. It also includes a platform for dietitians where, upon permission, they can log in to monitor their clients’ weight charts and food records. 

Although the MealPlot app is freely available, the researchers advise users to work with a dietitian to get the full benefit. 

“People can follow the program independently by reading the educational materials and using the meal planning chart. But if you want to lose more than 50 or 100 pounds, it will take at least a year, and you really need an established routine,” says Nakamura.

“People may be doing well for a while, but then their weight reaches a plateau, or they start gaining again. To get started on this kind of weight loss, most people need an experienced dietitian’s advice.”