Weight Loss Intervention With Lean Muscle Mass Retention

Exclusion Criteria

• •Smoking
• •Having allergies or intolerances to any common food ingredients including eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts, shellfish, soya, wheat, gluten, cereal, fruits, dairy products, meat, vegetable, sugar and sweetener, natural food colourings or flavourings, etc
• •Following special diets or having intentional dietary restrictions (e.g, vegetarians/vegans)
• •Not willing to stop consumption of probiotic or prebiotic supplements within 4 weeks prior to start of study if currently taking these, as well as during study participation
• •Not willing to adhere to diet modification as in the study protocol
• •Not willing to adhere to the exercise regime as in the study protocol
• •Taking part in strenuous physical activities
• •Not willing to stop any strenuous activity during or within 24 hours of test days (for those actively participating in sports at the competitive and/or endurance levels)
• •Having glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD deficiency)
• •Having alcohol consumption on \> 4 days per week with ≥ 6 alcoholic drinks per week
• •Having sustained elevation of blood pressure (\>160/95 mm Hg)
• •Having previously undergone any gastrointestinal surgery or having history of gastrointestinal disorders
• •Having a history of heart, liver, kidney, blood disorders (e.g., thalassemia) or thyroid dysfunctions
• •Diabetic
• •Having history of tuberculosis, HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C infections
• •Having any prescription medication or any other alternative medicines or supplements which may interfere with study measurements in the in the opinion of the study investigators
• •Having antibiotics or suffering from diarrhea within the last 3 months
• •Having donated blood within 4 weeks of study participation
• •Having poor veins or having history of severe vasovagal syncope (blackouts or fainting) from blood draws
• •Having more than 5% weight loss or gain over the past 3 months
• •Having metallic implants, pacemaker in the body
• •Having claustrophobia
• •Having a musculoskeletal injury, joint or peripheral vascular disease sufficient to impede exercise (such as hip arthritis, foot, ankle problems or pain)
• •Having severe exercise-induced asthma
• •Staff of Wilmar International and/or Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI)
• •For female volunteers: menstruation within past 12 months or being on hormone replacement therapy