Energy balance
Very low calorie diets (VLCD) produce superior short-term weight loss (approx. 4 kg more than behavioral programs) and modest long-term benefits (1.3-1.4 kg) compared to standard behavioral weight loss programs, though long-term maintenance requires adjunctive support.
If you need significant weight loss, a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) under medical supervision produces more weight loss than standard diet advice alone, both immediately and up to 5 years later. However, because regain is common, you should plan for long-term support (like meal replacements or medication) to keep the weight off.
Compared with behavioural programs (mostly diet alone) VLCD was worth an additional 3.9 kg at 12 m and 1.4 kg at 24 m and 1.3 kg at 38-60 m.
Why this rating
Based on a review of 12 studies with 974 participants and a large hospital-based cohort (n=1109).
Source
Assessing the evidence for weight loss strategies in people with and without type 2 diabetes
Peter Clifton · World Journal of Diabetes · 2017
DOI 10.4239/wjd.v8.i10.440
More from this paper
- High protein diets (increasing protein by >5% of energy) provide a modest but statistically significant advantage in fat mass loss and triglyceride reduction compared to normal protein diets, with a small effect on total weight loss.Good
- Intermittent energy restriction (including alternate day fasting) produces weight loss similar to daily continuous energy restriction over 3-6 months, with no proven metabolic benefit beyond the weight loss itself.Moderate
- Very low carbohydrate (VLC) diets offer short-term advantages in reducing medication use and lowering HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes, but long-term evidence is limited to 12 months.Moderate
Related findings · Energy balance
- Achieving a total body weight loss of 10-15% (or >10-15 kg) through Total Diet Replacement (TDR) induces remission of Type 2 Diabetes in individuals with short-duration disease.Strong
- Bariatric surgery is superior to medical management alone for inducing significant long-term weight loss, remission of type 2 diabetes, and reduction in mortality for patients with BMI ≥ 40 or ≥ 35 with comorbidities.Strong
- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
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