Systematic Reviews
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025.
World J Diabetes. Aug 15, 2025; 16(8): 104371
Published online Aug 15, 2025. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i8.104371
Table 3 Outcome of meal replacement on hemoglobin A1c, glucose, weight, other health status and adverse effects
Ref.
Year
HbA1c
Glucose
Weight (kg)
Lipid profile
Other health status
Adverse effects
Low calorie/energy MR (n = 32)
Rothberg et al[75]20141R/1R//Not reported
Tatti et al[41]20101R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2ISBP - 1R; DBP - 1RNot reported
Steven et al[51]20161R1R1R1RPlasma insulin levels - 1RNot reported
Shantha et al[101]20121R/1R//Not reported
Astbury et al[35]20181R1R1RNCHOMA-IR - 2IConstipation (1 in 7), fatigue (1 in 12), Headache (1 in 17), dizziness (1 in 22)
Baker et al[52]2011//1R/Plasma insulin levels - 1RNot reported
Bhatt et al[82]20171R1R1RTriglycerides - 1R; HDL - NC; LDL - NC/Not reported
Berk et al[42]20161R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2I; LDL - 1R; Non-HDL Cho - 1R/Not reported
Shiau et al[54]20171R/1R//Not reported
Cinkajzlová et al[102]2017/1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2I; LDL - 1R/Not reported
Taheri et al[40]20191R/1RTotal cholesterol - 2I; Triglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2I; LDL - 2IDiabetes remission% - 1R; Quality of life - 2IDizziness, constipation and other gastrointestinal; symptoms, hair loss, and fatigue
Harder et al[83]20031R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; LDL - 1R/Not reported
Friedman et al[84]20131R1R1R/Serum creatinine, cystatin C and estimated glomerular filtration rate- 1R; Albuminuria - 1RElevations in BUN and serum creatinine early in the diet, resolved after reducing doses of antihypertensive medications
Lean and Leslie[77]20171R/1R//Not reported
Leader et al[55]20121R/1R//Not reported
Overl et al[104]20171R/1R//Not reported
Gulsin et al[69]20201R/1R/Blood pressure - 1RNot reported
Farrer and Golley[36]20131R/1RCholesterol - NC/Not reported
Sumithran and Proietto[56]20081R1R1R//Not reported
Rolland et al[105]2013//1R//Not reported
Dhindsa et al[71]20031R/1R1RBP - 1RNot reported
Khoo et al[85]2011/1R1RLDL - 1RQuantitative Insulin Sensitivity check - 2INot reported
Moriconi et al[97]20211R/1RTotal cholesterol - 1RSBP - 1RNot reported
Tang and Lin[86]20201R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2I; LDL - 1R/Not reported
Maher et al[106]20191R/1R//Not reported
Nori Janosz et al[34]20081RNC1R//Not reported
Storck et al[57]20211R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1RWC - 1R; Liver profile - 1R; Insulin and HOMAIR - 2IConstipation (n = 5)
Schwasinger-Schmidt et al[107]20201R1R1R//Not reported
Steven and Taylor[58]20151R1R1R1R/Not reported
Redmon et al[72]20031R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; LDL - 1R/Dry mouth; Constipation; Mild hypoglycemia
Lips et al[87]2014/1R1R/HOMA-IR - 1RNot reported
Abi-Chahine et al[108]20211R/1R/Quality of life - 2INot reported
Rafey et al[113]20221R///Leptin - 1R; Adiponectin - 2INot reported
Hocking et al[61]20231R/1R//Two serious adverse events - hypotension
Anyiam et al[99]2023//R///
De Freitas et al[115]2023RRRTotal cholesterol - R; Triglycerides - R; HDL - I; LDL - RHOMA-IR - R/
Khoo et al[116]20231R/1R///
Low Glycemic Index MR (n = 5)
Stenvers et al[28]2014NC1RNCNC/Altered defecation pattern and/or flatulence - n = 8; Nausea - n = 1; Mild attack of gout - n = 1
Foster et al[88]20131R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2I; LDL - 1RBP - 1RNo related adverse effects
Boonyavarakul et al[39]20181R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 2I; LDL - 1R/Not reported
Li et al[33]20141RNC1R//Not reported
Eliana and Pranoto[117]2018/1R///Vomiting - n = 1; Soft stools - n = 1
Santen et al[89]20231R/1RTotal cholesterol - R//
Diabetes specific formulas (n = 13)
Belcaro et al[32]20091R1R1R//No adverse effects
Fonda et al[43]2010/1R///Not reported
Garvey et al[119]20061R1R1RHDL-C - 2IInsulin sensitivity - 2I; SBP and DBP - 1R; Quality of life - 2INot reported
Sun et al[37]20081R1R1RNC/Not reported
Peng et al[44]20191R1R1RTriglycerides - 1RSBP - 2I; HOMA-IR - 2INot reported
Chee et al[45]20171R1R1RHDL - 2I; LDL - 1RSBP - 1RNot reported
Lansink et al[31]2011/NC1R//Low incidence and mild intensity of reported abdominal pain
Mottalib et al[30]20181RNC1RTotal cholesterol - NC; HDL - 2I; LDL - NC/Not reported
Otto et al[48]20091R/1R/Not reported
Yip et al[73]20011R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; LDL - 1RInsulin levels - 1RNot reported
Mottalib et al[38]2016/1R/NC/Not reported
Cheskin et al[80]20081R1R1RHDL: 34 weeks - 2I; 86 weeks - 2ISBP and DBP - 1RNot reported
Mustad et al[49]2020/1R///Not reported
Dharmalingam et al[93]20221R1R1RTotal cholesterol - R; Triglycerides - R; HDL - I; LDL - I/No serious adverse events; Six mild adverse effects: Loss of appetite, stomach bloating, peripheral leg edema, burning micturition, and urinary retention
Zagury et al[100]2022/1R///No serious adverse events. 4 participants (13%) had mild diarrhea and 3 participants (10%) had mild nausea
Protein rich MR (n = 10)
Keogh and Clifton[90]20121R1R1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; Triglycerides - 1R; LDL - 1RSBP and DBP - 1RNot reported
Navas-Carretero et al[29]2011/NC1RNC/Not reported
Kempf et al[64]20141R1R1RTriglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2I/Not reported
Kempf et al[65]2014//1R/SBP and DBP - 1RNot reported
Kempf et al[120]20151R/1R//Not reported
Martin et al[66]20141R/1R//Not reported
Li et al[74]20051R1R1R/High-sensitivity C-reactive protein - 1RNot reported
Kempf et al[68]20171R1R1R/SBP - 1R; Quality of life and eating behaviour - 2INot reported
Shirai et al[91]20131R1R1RHDL - 2IInsulin and HOMAIR - 1R; Leptin - 1R; Adiponectin - 2I; Lipoprotein lipase mass - 2INot reported
Kempf et al[67]20181R1R1R//Not reported
Low fat MR (n = 1)
Barbosa-Yañez et al[81]20181R/1R1R/Not reported
MR + lifestyle intervention programme (n = 9)
Delahanty et al[121]20201R/1R//Not reported
Wycherley et al[95]2008/1R1R//Not reported
Reynolds et al[122]20021R/1RTotal cholesterol - 1R; LDL - 1RWC- 1R; BP - 1RNot reported
Hamdy and Carver[96]20081R/1R1R/Not reported
Pi-Sunyer et al[50]20091R1R1RTriglycerides - 1R; HDL - 2IWC - 1RNot reported
Lean et al[18]20181R/1R/Quality of life - 2I65% reported constipation, 57% reported sensitivity to cold and 53% reported headache
Sattar et al[78]2023RR1RTotal cholesterol - R; HDL - RWC - R/
McDiarmid et al[142]2021R/1R///
Marples et al[79]20221R/1RTotal cholesterol - R; Triglycerides - 1R; HDL - I; LDL - R/No serious adverse events were reported.; Mild side-effects: Constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, fatigue and feeling cold