Research
Adherence
Greater use of weight-control strategies (exercise, reduced caloric intake, self-weighing, meal replacements) is associated with successful long-term weight loss maintenance (10% or more reduction), suggesting these behaviors contribute to success.
To maintain significant weight loss, actively use weight-control strategies like regular self-weighing, monitoring caloric intake, and using meal replacements when necessary. Successful maintainers use these strategies more frequently than those who regain weight.
GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
Highly successful lifestyle participants (i.e., those who achieved and maintained weight reductions of 10% or more) reported greater use of these strategies than those individuals who lost 10% or more but subsequently regained it.
Why this rating
Based on self-reported data which may have reporting bias, but the trend is clear.
Source
Effects of behavioral treatment on long‐term weight loss: Lessons learned from the look AHEAD trial
Michael G. Perri · Obesity · 2014
DOI 10.1002/oby.20672
narrative_review · n=5145Cited 19×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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- Intensive lifestyle interventions produce comparable long-term weight loss outcomes across different racial, ethnic, and gender groups, refuting the assumption that non-white participants achieve poorer outcomes.Strong
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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