Research

Adherence

Male-only weight loss interventions are effective at producing clinically significant weight loss (mean reduction >5%) when they include specific structural components: younger participant age, high contact frequency (>2.7 times/month), face-to-face group delivery, and prescribed energy restriction.

If you are a man looking to lose weight, look for programs specifically designed for men. The most effective ones involve meeting with a group in person more than twice a month and include a clear plan for reducing your calorie intake. These structural elements seem to help men stick with the program and lose a significant amount of weight.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Characteristics common to effectiveness were younger sample (mean age <42.8 years), increased frequency of contact (>2.7 contacts/month), group face-to-face contact and inclusion of a prescribed energy restriction.
Myles D. Young et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2011

Why this rating

The review notes that study quality was 'mostly poor' (median 3/10) and calls for more high-quality studies, though the meta-analysis showed a significant pooled effect.

Source

Effectiveness of male‐only weight loss and weight loss maintenance interventions: a systematic review with meta‐analysis

Myles D. Young et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2011

DOI 10.1111/j.1467-789x.2011.00967.x

Meta-analysis · 23 studiesCited 147×
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 →