Research
Adherence
Intentional weight loss is not consistently associated with reduced mortality risk and may increase mortality risk in healthy individuals.
If you are healthy and do not have obesity, intentional weight loss may not reduce your mortality risk and could potentially increase it. Instead, focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular physical activity and balanced nutrition.
GoodRefutesMEDIUM confidence
intentional weight loss was associated with an 11% higher mortality risk among healthy individuals (8 studies) and a 9% higher risk among mostly healthy adults without obesity (5 studies).
Why this rating
Based on meta-analyses of observational studies and RCTs, though some RCTs had limited mortality data.
Source
Obesity treatment: Weight loss versus increasing fitness and physical activity for reducing health risks
Glenn A. Gaesser et al. · iScience · 2021
narrative_reviewCited 149×
Read the paper 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 →