3. Results
weight loss
A total of 80 individuals were screened, 45 were randomized (C 24, FO 21), and 39 completed the study (C 21, FO 18). In the FO group, three subjects withdrew due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the C group, three subjects withdrew due to personal reasons (The number of participants achieving a 15% reduction in 2 h glucose tolerance was 2 out of 14 in the FO group and 4 out of 21 in the C group (Fisher’s exact test At week 16, only the C group significantly reduced its daily intake of calories (−292 ± 506 kcal/day, A sensitivity analysis of the pre-COVID participants showed a weight loss trend between the FO and C groups (FO −5.9 ± 5.3 lbs vs. C −1.0 ± 6.8 lbs, The 18 participants in the food order group completed their food order log, on average, for 60.5% of their total days in the study. Participants reported following the carbohydrate-last food order intervention for 79.2% of reported meals consumed in free-living conditions over the course of 16 weeks.At week 16, 17 FO group subjects (94%) reported high intervention adherence and 13 (72%) reported it was easy to eat vegetables/protein before carbohydrates. Although 44% felt eating vegetables/protein before carbohydrates reduced their meal enjoyment, 94% reported they were likely to continue implementing this behavioral strategy in the future (