Research
Hormonal
High protein diets increase satiety and preserve fat-free mass during weight loss through increased anorexigenic hormones (GLP-1, PYY, CCK), decreased orexigenic hormones (ghrelin), and higher diet-induced thermogenesis, though long-term satiety benefits may diminish due to adaptation.
Prioritize protein intake (approx. 27-35% of calories) to help manage hunger and preserve muscle mass. This works by boosting satiety hormones and increasing the energy cost of digestion, though be aware that your body may adapt to this over very long periods.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Studies on both obese and non-obese individuals report high protein diets to have a greater satiating effect and to better preserve fat free mass following weight loss compared to other iso-energetic macronutrient focused diets... The strong satiating effects of high protein diets are thought to result from the combined expression of several mechanisms triggered either directly or indirectly by the increased levels of circulating amino acids.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple RCTs and meta-analyses cited (e.g., Wycherley et al., Clifton et al.).
Source
Dietary Management of Obesity: A Review of the Evidence
Nahla Hwalla et al. · Diagnostics · 2020
DOI 10.3390/diagnostics11010024
narrative_reviewCited 59×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Energy-restricted diets result in modest long-term weight loss (approx. 3% maintained at 5 years) and high relapse rates (>80%) due to compensatory metabolic adaptations including increased hunger hormones (ghrelin), decreased satiety hormones (leptin, GLP-1, PYY), and reduced energy expenditure.Good
- Low carbohydrate diets induce rapid short-term weight loss partly through ketosis (suppressing appetite via ketone bodies) and diuresis (water loss from glycogen depletion), but may increase LDL cholesterol and reduce diet quality due to low fiber intake.Moderate
- Population-wide fiscal measures, such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and unhealthy foods, can reduce purchases of taxed items and prevent childhood obesity cases, though their immediate impact on population health outcomes is limited and requires sustained implementation.Moderate
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