Summary of trial characteristics
| Trial characteristics* | All | Neutral energy balance | Negative energy balance |
| Trial no (n) | 32 | 23 | 9 |
| Trial size (total, range) | 2448 (8–250) | 1989 (8–250) | 459 (13–123) |
| Male:female† (%) | 40:60 | 47:53 | 27:73 |
| Age (years) | 50 (40–58) | 52.0 (42.1–59.5) | 49.5 (34.2–53.0) |
| Metabolic phenotype (OW/OB:DM:CHD) (%) | 66:31:3 | 57:39:4 | 89:11:0 |
| Setting (IP:OP) (%) | 3:97 | 4:96 | 0:100 |
| Baseline body weight (kg)‡ | 85.5 (80.0–91.9) | 84.1 (79.5–87.5) | 92.5 (86.1–93.9) |
| Baseline BMI (kg/m2)§ | 30.4 (28.2–32.0) | 29.5 (27.4–31.4) | 31.7 (30.1–32.9) |
| Study design (C:P) (%) | 19:81 | 26:74 | 0:100 |
| Dose pasta (servings/week)¶ | 3.3 (2.3–3.5) | 3.4 (2.9–4.1) | 2.3 (2.3–3.5) |
| GI in pasta/LGI group | 49.0 (44.0–55.1) | 46.5 (49.9–55.5) | 44.0 (42.3–49.4) |
| GI in higher-GI group | 62.5 (61.6–63.2) | 63.3 (60.1–64.4) | 61.0 (59.2–66.6) |
| Calorie reduction in pasta/LGI group (kcal)** | −179 (−90 to −448) | −165 (−74 to −313) | −447 (−134 to −594) |
| Calorie reduction in higher-GI group (kcal)** | −181 (−93 to −401) | −160 (−40 to −248) | −470 (−172 to −561) |
| Feeding control (Met:Suppl:DA) (%) | 6:44:50 | 4:48:48 | 11:33:56 |
| Follow-up duration (weeks) | 12 (9–21) | 12 (6–24) | 12 (10–21) |
| Funding sources (A:I:AI:NR) (%) | 47:9:25:19 | 44:13:26:17 | 56:0:22:22 |
*Median (IQR), unless otherwise indicated.
†24/32 trials provided data on sex.
‡30/32 trials reported baseline body weight.
§28/32 trials reported baseline BMI.
¶11/32 trials provided data from which dose could be approximated.
**20/32 trials provided data from which to approximate changes in caloric intake.
A, agency; AI, agency and industry; BMI, body mass index; C, cross-over design; CHD, coronary heart disease; DA, dietary advice; DM, diabetes; GI, glycaemic index; I, industry; IP, inpatient; LGI, low glycaemic index; Met, metabolic; NR, not reported; OB, obese; OP, outpatient; OW, overweight; P, parallel design; Suppl, supplemented/provision of certain food.