Research
Energy balance
Weight loss leads to a disproportionate decrease in Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) compared to the loss of body mass, creating a metabolic adaptation that favors weight regain.
When you lose weight, your body burns fewer calories at rest than expected for your new size. This 'metabolic adaptation' means you have to eat even less than you think to maintain your weight, making regain easier if you return to old habits.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
However, the REE reduced by 789 kcal d− 1, which was 504 -kcal d − 1 greater than expected, based on the change of body weight and composition. Persistence of this metabolic adaptation during maintained weight loss could predispose individuals to weight regain.
Why this rating
Supported by specific clinical studies cited, including a TV weight loss program analysis.
Source
Physiological adaptations to weight loss and factors favouring weight regain
Frank L. Greenway · International Journal of Obesity · 2015
DOI 10.1038/ijo.2015.59
narrative_reviewCited 416×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Physiological adaptations to weight loss, including hormonal shifts and reduced energy expenditure, actively favor weight regain, making long-term maintenance difficult without medical intervention.Good
- Diet-induced weight loss causes persistent perturbations in circulating appetite hormones (increased ghrelin, decreased leptin/PYY/GLP-1) that favor weight regain and persist for at least one year.Good
- Gastric bypass surgery alters gut hormone levels (low ghrelin, high GLP-1/PYY) in a way that attenuates appetite, contributing to its efficacy as a treatment for obesity.Good
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
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 →