the impact of timing of serving vegetable salad and yogurt on anthropometric measures and cardiovascular risks; a randomized clinical trial

background: consuming the preloads reduce energy intake within a meal, but no investigation has assessed the changes of body weight and cardiovascular (cvd) risks by consuming preload during a long term among overweight and obese subjects. methods: this randomized controlled parallel clinical trial conducted among 60 participants (25 men and 35 women) to consume a low-calorie diet with similar content of macronutrients, for 3 months. subjects in preload group were asked to consume vegetable salad, yogurt and water 15 minutes before the main meal while subjects in control group served vegetable salad and yogurt with meal. findings energy intake and carbohydrate consumption were consumed in higher amounts by control group. body weight and waist circumference decrement were greater in preload group rather than control group (-7.8±0.5% vs -4.6±0.59% and -2.7±0.2% vs -1.6±0.1% respectively; p<0.05). triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure in preload group decreased -5.7±1.1%, -3.1±0.53% and -4.4±0.4%, respectively; p<0.05 for all, while in control group corresponding values were -2.2±0.9%, -1.2±0.59% and -2.6±0.3%, respectively. the percent changes of fasting blood sugar and ldl-c were significant only in preload group (-7.1% vs. -1.0% and -4.03% vs. -1.06%, respectively; p<0.05). conclusion: consuming vegetable salad, yogurt and water before the main meal has more beneficial effects on anthropometric measures and cvd risks than consuming them with main meal among overweight and obese subjects.