Energy balance
Dietary intervention alone is superior to exercise intervention alone for long-term reduction of body weight and fat mass in overweight/obese individuals.
If you can only choose one lever for long-term weight loss, choose diet. This study shows that dietary changes alone lead to significantly more weight and fat loss than exercise alone. While exercise is crucial for cardiovascular health and preserving muscle, diet is the primary driver of scale weight reduction. Focus on sustainable caloric restriction first.
Comparing E vs. D, diet resulted in a significantly more pronounced decrease in body weight (MD: −2.93 kg, 95% CI −4.18 to −1.68), and fat mass (MD: −2.20 kg, 95% CI −3.75 to −0.66).
Why this rating
Based on pairwise meta-analysis of RCTs; moderate heterogeneity.
Source
Impact of long-term lifestyle programmes on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight/obese participants: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Lukas Schwingshackl et al. · Systematic Reviews · 2014
DOI 10.1186/2046-4053-3-130
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