Research
Energy balance
Non-pharmacological lifestyle interventions (caloric deficit >500 kcal/day, physical activity >200 min/week) can achieve up to 8% mean weight loss over 6 months, comparable to moderate-efficacy anti-obesity medications.
Start with a 500 kcal daily deficit and aim for over 200 minutes of physical activity per week. This can yield up to 8% weight loss in 6 months, matching moderate drugs, but requires long-term adherence to prevent regain.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Lifestyle interventions consisting of a reduced-calorie diet (about 500 kcal/day of energy deficit), increased physical activity (> 200 min/week), and behavior therapy can lead to up to 8% mean weight loss (of the initial weight) over 6 months. This effect is comparable to that obtained with moderate-efficacy anti-obesity medication, so it should not be underestimated.
Why this rating
Based on meta-analysis of 14 trials.
Source
Pharmacotherapy of obesity: State of the art and perspectives
Katarina Sićović et al. · Arhiv za farmaciju · 2024
DOI 10.5937/arhfarm74-50625
narrative_reviewCited 1×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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