DISCUSSION
satiety, weight loss, aortic stiffness
In the current study we aimed to see how an acute 3‐day very low‐calorie CR diet might affect body weight/ composition, metabolism, cardiovascular health, and circulating metabolic factors which may explain changes in these parameters in Ow and Ob men and women. Three days of CR resulted in significant weight loss, loss of total body fat/visceral fat, and loss in waist and hip circumference, without significant changes in body water or muscle mass. These anthropometric changes might be supported by switching from reliance on carbohydrates to oxidizing more fat as fuel, which could explain, along with increased circulating leptin, the loss of fat mass. There were minimal changes in blood pressure and blood lipids/glucose, suggesting nominal effects, although augmentation pressure and index, indicators of aortic stiffness responded favorably to the intervention. In terms of individual perceptions of the effects of short‐term CR on hunger or fullness, there was not much effect, other than satiety which peaked on Day 2 of the diet. Self‐reported sleep latency and duration were also unaffected. Collectively, the findings from the current study suggest that 3 days of CR acutely induces weight and fat loss, increases circulating leptin and resting fat oxidation, without much change to cardiovascular health, feelings of hunger, or sleep in adult men and women who are Ow or Ob. Considering these findings, such a short‐term very low‐calorie CR diet could be an effective way to induce the onset of weight loss, or be incorporated as part of a long‐term intermittent fasting diet approach to weight loss, but further studies are warranted to determine efficacy in an IF model.