Energy balance
Caloric restriction is the primary and most effective method for weight loss in obesity treatment, regardless of macronutrient composition.
To lose weight effectively, focus on reducing your total daily calories rather than obsessing over specific macronutrient ratios. Aim for a daily intake of approximately 25 kcal per kg of your standard body weight. If you have severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35), start with 20-25 kcal/kg. A modest weight loss of 3-5% of your current body weight is sufficient to improve health risks like high blood pressure and blood sugar. Combine this with behavioral changes like self-monitoring and adequate protein intake to preserve muscle mass.
To achieve clinically meaningful weight loss, lifestyle interventions together with reducing dietary calories, regardless of which macronutrients the patients emphasize, is the optimal approach.
Why this rating
Based on a clinical guideline summarizing multiple studies (including Look AHEAD, DPP, etc.) and Japanese specific data, though not a single primary RCT.
Source
Dietary Management of Obesity
Midori Fujishiro · Journal of Nihon University Medical Association · 2019
DOI 10.4264/numa.78.4_223
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