Energy balance
For long-term weight regulation, diet quality (types of foods) is more important than calorie counting, as different foods have divergent effects on physiological pathways of weight homeostasis.
Don't just count calories; count food types. Prioritize foods that support healthy weight regulation (vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains) over those that impair it (refined grains, added sugars, processed meats). This approach naturally supports long-term weight stability better than strict calorie counting.
Whereas short-term weight loss can be achieved by any type of calorie-reduced diet, in the long term, counting calories may not be biologically nor behaviorally relevant. Rather, the quality and types of foods consumed influence diverse pathways related to weight homeostasis... Thus, all calories are not equal for long-term adiposity.
Why this rating
Supported by prospective cohorts and RCTs showing long-term weight trends, though mechanistic pathways are still being elucidated.
Source
Dietary and Policy Priorities for Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Obesity
Dariush Mozaffarian · Circulation · 2016
DOI 10.1161/circulationaha.115.018585
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