Research

Energy balance

Intentional weight loss of approximately 7% of initial body weight combined with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (175 min/week) improves glycemic control, blood pressure, and lipid profiles in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes.

To improve your diabetes and heart health, aim to lose about 7% of your starting weight and walk briskly for 175 minutes a week. Start with meal replacements for two meals a day to help you hit your calorie goals, then transition to portion-controlled regular foods. Focus on consistency and behavioral habits rather than rapid scale changes, as sustainable loss is more beneficial than quick, regained weight.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Losses of this size improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (10) and ameliorate blood pressure (11) and lipids (12) in clinically affected individuals.
Thomas A Wadden et al. · Obesity · 2006

Why this rating

Based on a large multicenter RCT design (Look AHEAD) supported by multiple prior RCTs cited in the text.

Source

The Look AHEAD Study: A Description of the Lifestyle Intervention and the Evidence Supporting It

Thomas A Wadden et al. · Obesity · 2006

DOI 10.1038/oby.2006.84

narrative_review · n=5145Cited 877×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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