Research
Energy balance
Intentional weight loss of >5 pounds in patients with intermittent claudication reduces the annual decline in walking distance, independent of muscle loss.
If you have PAD and are overweight, aim to lose more than 5 pounds. This specific amount of weight loss has been shown to help you walk further for longer, even if you lose some leg muscle in the process. Combine this with exercise for best results.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Polonsky et al. showed that compared to patients with weight gain, patients with intentional weight loss > 5 pounds had less annual decline in 6-minutes-walk distance, despite losing greater muscle calf area.
Why this rating
Cites specific observational/meta-analytic data (Polonsky, Beavers) showing functional benefits.
Source
Nutrition, dietary habits, and weight management to prevent and treat patients with peripheral artery disease
Μarios Sagris et al. · Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine · 2020
DOI 10.31083/j.rcm.2020.04.202
narrative_reviewCited 33×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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