Research

Energy balance

Adopting a Western dietary pattern (high in red/processed meats, refined grains, sweets, potatoes) is associated with greater long-term weight gain in women, whereas adopting a prudent pattern (high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry) is associated with less weight gain or weight maintenance.

To maintain a healthy weight, focus on your overall eating style rather than just cutting one nutrient. Prioritize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and poultry (a 'prudent' pattern). Limit red/processed meats, refined grains, sweets, and potatoes (a 'Western' pattern). Shifting towards the prudent pattern, even gradually, is associated with significantly less weight gain over time.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Adoption of a Western dietary pattern is associated with larger weight gain in women, whereas a prudent dietary pattern may facilitate weight maintenance.
Matthias B. Schulze et al. · Obesity · 2006

Why this rating

Large prospective cohort study (N=51,670) with long follow-up (8 years) and rigorous adjustment for confounders, though observational design limits causal inference.

Source

Dietary Patterns and Changes in Body Weight in Women

Matthias B. Schulze et al. · Obesity · 2006

DOI 10.1038/oby.2006.164

cohort · n=51670Cited 220×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →