Research paper
Leidy HJ, Clifton PM, Astrup A, Wycherley TP, Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Luscombe-Marsh ND, Woods SC, Mattes RD. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015;101(6):1320S-1329S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.084038
Why we cite it
An authoritative expert consensus review from Protein Summit 2.0, published in AJCN's supplement and authored by eight of the world's leading protein and appetite researchers (combined citations exceeding 300,000). The paper synthesizes 20 years of evidence that higher-protein diets improve weight management primarily through appetite modulation — not metabolic advantage. For the project, it provides the evidence base for the satiety hierarchy (protein > carbohydrate > fat), the practical 25–30 g per meal threshold, and the daily 1.2–1.6 g/kg recommendation. The compliance finding is equally important for the project's messaging: the gap between short-term efficacy and long-term results is explained almost entirely by adherence, reinforcing that dietary strategies must be sustainable to work.