Research

Mixed

Combined exercise and low carbohydrate ketogenic diet interventions do not result in statistically significant changes in body mass index, body fat percentage, lean body mass, or cardiorespiratory fitness compared to control groups.

Do not be discouraged if the scale weight or BMI does not change significantly. The intervention may still be beneficial by reducing waist circumference and triglycerides, which are important for health, even if total body weight remains stable. This suggests a favorable body composition change (e.g., fat loss with muscle maintenance) that the scale does not capture.

ModerateRefutesMEDIUM confidence
Body mass index (BMI) (d = −0.33... p = 0.67]), % body fat mass (d = −0.06... p = 0.78]), and lean body mass (d = −0.77... p = 0.37]) showed not statistically significant effect sizes post-intervention compared to control groups.
Hyun Suk Lee et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2021

Why this rating

Meta-analysis of 7 RCTs, small sample size, heterogeneous protocols.

Source

Effects of Combined Exercise and Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet Interventions on Waist Circumference and Triglycerides in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hyun Suk Lee et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2021

DOI 10.3390/ijerph18020828

Meta-analysis · 7 studiesCited 45×
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 →